Tony Smith preparing for huge signing

Transfers are being talked about a lot especially when Wigan Warriors announced the shock signing of former Leeds Rhinos and Huddersfield Giants hooker Kruise Leeming. A lot of clubs are being linked with big moves such as Warrington Wolves being linked with a huge move for Lachlan Fitzgibbon from the NRL. But the side with the best business for 2024 so far seems to be Hull KR.

The Robins’ focus will be on Hull FC and the Hull derby but they certainly have done some outstanding business going into 2024 including Peta Hiku, Oliver Gildart and former Castleford Tigers target, Leeds academy product AJ Wallace from Bradford Bulls.

But the Robins have been forced to bring in players immediately. They signed former Leeds and Hull FC man Jack Walker from Bradford only for him to be injured on debut.

Meanwhile, the loan spells of Catalans Dragons duo Fouad Yaha and Tanguy Zenon have ended but it seems the Robins will use the quota spot and cap space created by Lachlan Coote’s retirement to sign NRL star Brad Scheinder.

The Canberra Raiders halfback has huge potential and seems set to join the Robins on a short term deal.

Reports from Hull Daily Mail suggest the deal should be secured soon and there have been suggestions he could debut in the Hull derby.

Thus, Tony Smith is preparing for him: “Yeah, I’ve seen him play, but not a whole lot. He hasn’t played a lot of matches. He’s an up and coming young halfback from Canberra,” he said on BBC Radio Humberside.

“We’ll probably have a little bit there just in case, but it’s unlikely that he’ll play this week. I think it would be a big call for them.

“I’m not sure that they probably need to do that at the moment, but if they do, maybe we’ll get some footage together. But yeah, it would be a surprising selection, I think.

“It doesn’t really matter who they put out there. We’re going to play what’s in front of us and handle all the players that they’ve got.

“It’s good to have some knowledge on them, but it’s good also to have a little bit of the unknown. I think sometimes the unknown can make you react in a more urgent fashion and it’s something that we’ll speak of but not a whole lot about.”