Hull KR head coach Willie Peters has moved to clarify the absences of a handful of senior players on Friday night. The Robins eased into the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup on Friday as they saw off Championship side Oldham 40-0 with seven tries being scored.
However, they claimed the win without a number of star men, with Mikey Lewis and Joe Burgess included in the 21-man squad but left out on the night, while Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Micky McIlorum were omitted from the playing group altogether when the squad was released on Wednesday.
Peters revealed that Waerea-Hargreaves and McIlorum were simply rested this week, with their advancing years a key factor in the decision. But, he admitted Joe Burgess and Mikey Lewis were left out due to injury issues.
“They were two that we wanted to rest,” Peters told BBC Radio Humberside about Waerea-Hargreaves and McIlroum. “With their age, they’re close to 40 now the young fellas.
“I wanted to give opportunities to Eribe (Doro)and Jack (Brown), who has had a really strong pre-season and Sam Luckley has played the last couple of weeks, it’s a good opportunity for those guys to get some game time.
“Mikey probably could have played but he’s been playing with injections and he had an injection last week so it was one of those where we wanted to have players who were 100 per cent fit.
“Joe Burgess was injured as well. Dean Hadley will be OK (for next week), Joe Burgess has a hip issue.”
Asked why Lewis warmed up if he wasn’t 100 per cent, Peters confirmed that the half-back was the Robins’ 19th man and was present as back-up. However, the Hull KR head coach then went on to speak about Niall Evalds, who was another notable absentee, teasing that news will be emerging in the next few days.
Since Peters made such comments, All About Rugby League have reported that Evalds looks set to leave Craven Park in order to make an immediate move to Huddersfield Giants. The full-back is in the final year of his contract in east Hull and with Arthur Mourgue signed for the start of 2026, it seems as though he will be allowed to leave the club.
“He was our 19th man,” Peters said on Lewis. “We were going to go with someone else, with Niall, but Niall pulled out.
“We’ll be able to tell you a bit more about that in the next couple of days. I’ll be able to share some of that in the next couple of days.”
