Our Super League XII preview moves onwards to East Hull as we assess the prospects of new-boys Hull Kingston Rovers.After slaying all who opposed them in the National League last season, as well as Warrington in the Challenge Cup quarter final, Hull KR will finally make their long-awaited debut in the Super League.
The Robins, who lost just three games throughout the course of 2006, had built a young squad which was full of enthusiasm and skill which shone through against National League opposition.
Unfortunately for Justin Morgan, it will be a different scenario in 2007.
The biggest criticism of the current promotion system is the lack of time in which the NL1 champions have to built a squad capable of maintaining Super League status for 12 months at least.
Despite that, Aussie test forward Michael Vella, former Leeds Grand Final winner Danny Ward and former NRL winner Mark O'Neil have come in to bolster the pack whilst crowd favourite Stanley Gene has returned to his former club.
Those players will be complimented by the likes of Scott Murrell, Tommy Gallagher, both products of the Leeds academy, and Ben Cockayne who have shown themselves to be potential Super League players in their time at Craven Park.
It will be a tough ask for Rovers to be able to preserve their Super League status. Their squad certainly looks the weakest of the twelve Super League squads (on paper at least) and they may still need time to develop as a team.
Some of the Hull KR squad, not least the younger players, go into the new season with a point to prove. Whilst they may well give some sides an almighty fright over the course of the year, expect them to be holding up the rest of the league come September.
The One Pointer prediction: 12th
Player to Watch: The evergreen Stanley Gene
1 comment:
Seeing I'm doing a comments blitz here on your blog I'd better say something about Drovers. Now I'm married to a Red & White and they have suffered for many years the poor dears. Everyone at New Craven Park are very excited of course, but I think they will be all in for a rude awakening.
I truly hope they stay up. But on the other hand I cant wait until April and to dole out a thrashing! :)
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