Hull KR head coach Willie Peters has suggested that opposition players target Mikey Lewis.
Mikey Lewis has had an unbelievable season, being instrumental in the Robins‘ remarkable campaign, in which they could finish with a League Leaders’ Shield.
In fact, he’s the player with the most combined tries and try-assists in Super League, and is high on other stats such as tackle busts and number of attacking kicks.
However, his key improvement this year is something that can’t be measured in stats – his presence on the field, communicating, organising and controlling his side in their rise up the table.
However, this also comes with other consequences, as Willie Peters has discussed.
Willie Peters claims opposition players target Hull KR star Mikey Lewis
Credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Peters has said, via the Yorkshire Post: “Players are going out of their way now to try and upset him but he’s handling it extremely well.
“He comes up with a fat lip and a swollen eye because of things that have been done in a tackle that haven’t been seen. I’d like the officials to keep an eye on that.
“There’s no doubt in the past – and I’ve spoken to Mikey about it – he probably carried on at times where it’s like ‘Come on mate, get up’, but over the past six months, he’s just got on with it.”
He continued: “Players like Mikey will always go close to that line but if you look at the best players in the world, that’s how they play. He plays his best when he’s in the game, competing hard and playing physical.
“Being targeted is part and parcel of being a quality player. You want to make sure he’s protected and it’s all legal but he’ll probably give as much as he gets.”
Mikey Lewis certainly always plays on the edge, riling up opposition players and fans alike.
However, he does seem to learning a maturity that players need to reach the top level, and will be key for the push for the League Leaders’ Shield and beyond.
