Hull KR boss Willie Peters has been brilliant in 2023 but his side came up very short against the Wigan Warriors in the Super League semi-final who will now meet Catalans Dragons and Sam Tomkins next week.
It was devastating for the Robins and after the game Willie Peters spoke to Sky Sports and explained what was an embarrassing semi-final defeat.
He said: “No I’m not happy with the performance. I am extremely proud of the season and the staff.
“We could have thrown the towel in after Wembley but we didn’t which shows the character of the club but today also shows how we have a little way to go against a team against Wigan who showed the way today.
“I think we have been a good team but we want to be a very good team. You can’t have games like that where you start like that and then in the second half start the way we did.
“We need to look internally first, at the staff and what we did and the players and how they could prepare better but as I said I am really proud but we have a bit to go.
“The first half we trained like that and we got into the session but we didn’t fix it today. I thought we had got our day back in but we didn’t.”
Wigan Warriors and Hull KR collided knowing they would meet Catalans Dragons at Old Trafford if they came away with the win.
The Warriors went into the game as favourites as they did at the home of Leeds Rhinos earlier this year when they lost to Hull KR in the Challenge Cup semi-final to set up the first Wembley final without Leeds, Wigan, St Helens and Warrington Wolves since 1986.
The Robins knew if they won they would set up the first Grand Final ever without St Helens, Leeds or opponents Wigan.
The Cherry and Whites got off to a flying start as Liam Marshall crossed the whitewash just two minutes into the game. A sweeping move through the Wigan backline found the ball in Jai Field’s hands, and the fullback burst through a gap and sent Marshall in for the games first try.
Field turned from provider to scorer as he put his name on the scoreboard in the sixth minute. A Harry Smith kick caused chaos in the Robins back line, and with a bit of luck the ball hit Field’s shin and he pounced on the ball to score.
Marshall made KR pay for a piece of ill-discipline as he slid over for his brace. The winger wrong footed three defenders on the left edge and extend Wigan’s lead to 16 points with just 12 minutes played.
Hull KR capitalised on a poor piece of handling from Abbas Miski to get their first points of the afternoon, as Elliot Minchella powered over from short range.
As was the case in the first half, Marshall scored with just two minutes played in the half. A kick from Harry Smith was swatted back by a Wigan hand, and another kick from French fell perfectly into Marshall’s hands for the winger to score his third.
Another Harry Smith cross-field kick caused chaos for the Hull KR defence, but this time it directly led to a try. Smith’s kick was swatted back by Kai Pearce-Paul and it fell directly into French’s hands who put it on a plate for King and the centre gleefully dived over to score on his final appearance at the DW in Cherry and White.
Jai Field grabbed a well deserved brace to score Wigan’s sixth try. Quick feet from prop Patrick Mago created a crack in the Robins line, and Field burst through it to score.
Not to be outdone by his partner on the other edge, Abbas Miski grabbed his 28th try of the season.
