Hull KR need to follow trend as they face unexpected changes
Hull Kingston Rovers have had a trend recently in which they have faced unexpected and unwanted changes to their line-ups and responded - and that needs to continue on Friday night as they face Leeds Rhinos without banned captain Elliot Minchella.
Dean Hadley has started at loose forward twice, and Jai Whitbread once, when Minchella has not been starting there this season. There will also need to be an enforced change again at full back after Niall Evalds' failed HIA, with Jack Broadbent having filled that role when Evalds was recently out of the game at Wigan Warriors with a calf injury. It is still not also confirmed whether or not Kelepi Tanginoa and Oliver Gildart are definitely passed fit.
Hull KR coach Willie Peters was asked about the ability within his squad to adapt positionally and respond to line-up change - after the win at Leigh, but before the Minchella ban news - and those quotes are pertinent now. "Players want to do that," Peters said. "We've obviously had a 17 that we've gone with that's done the job but things happen with suspensions and injuries and things like that and the next person up has got a responsibility in the team to uphold and they did that (against Leigh). That's what I'm proud of."
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At Leigh, Rovers were affected by Tanginoa being an unavailable forward after his hamstring tweak before the Evalds head issue - and still delivered a performance that Peters considered among the best this season. The squad's response was impressive - including Tom Opacic and Matty Storton, both confirmed at the end of this year, who both showed hunger and delivered. The night was an example of the depth and versatility within the Rovers squad this year as they gave a committed, hard-hitting, gritty display, nilling Leigh for the second time this season, having managed it at home and away.
"Everyone that played that hasn't played big minutes for a lot of games stood up," Peters said. "There was adversity with moving players around. Niall Evalds came off with a head knock and we had to move Jez Litten into the halves and Mikey Lewis to full back. Oliver Gildart had some rib issues. Tom Opacic went on and did a good job. There were a lot of guys out there that haven't played long minutes - Jack Brown, Matty Storton, Tom - I thought they did extremely well."
Litten is interesting as someone who also had a cameo at loose forward in the convincing win over Castleford Tigers which was notably praised by Peters. Litten was picked in the England squad despite relative lack of game time as a hooker recently and Peters was asked a week ago about that, saying: "Jez played a large stint of the first half of the year and then, when he has come on, he has been playing extremely well. Matty Parcell is playing great as well. It just depends on the game and how the game is going. But if you look at certain actions that we want from our players, Jez has come on for less minutes than what he was playing, and it says a lot around what he values and what we value. Shaun Wane knows what Jez can do."
A repeat of this kind of attitude and spirit among the squad will serve them well in the current circumstances.
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