Immortality drives Tom Davies' Hull KR move in 'tides turning' warning

Tom Davies has revealed that the ability to create history with Hull KR by ending their wait for major silverware was too good to turn down. The Craven Park-bound winger is motivated by the opportunity to be part of a side that will be remembered forever and intends to make that a reality moving forward.

Davies is joining the club from Catalans and was part of the team that won the League Leaders' Shield, the first time the club had ever won the trophy. As for Rovers, they have been without major silverware since 1985, and when that wait ends, the team that achieves it will go down in folklore.

That was one of the key motivators for Davies, who is enthused by the prospect of playing in teams that will go down in folklore, similar to the Dragons one that succeeded in 2021.

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"What they're aspiring to do—more than anything, they have that hunger for it," Davies said. "They might not have gotten there just yet, but they're desperate to do it, and that, to me, being in and around that kind of environment, being around lads in a similar position who are striving to win trophies and each game, being better than the person opposite you in a game, was a major thing for me.

"Before I came to Catalans, Steve (McNamara) said to me they hadn't won one, but if we did, we'd be the first to do it. Catalans is a new club, and whatever you do here, it's the first time ever. That's a big thing because you want to leave your stamp on the game and make an impact. That was the big thing for me about coming to Hull KR, it's just the right time, the tides are turning and they're really coming into their own, and I thought it would be great to be a part of making history."

Of course, Davies didn't need to do that. Having tasted silverware at his two previous clubs, he could have joined a club or stayed at one more established for their silverware exploits.

The Robins are currently trying to break that glass ceiling and secure a seat among the elite. But Davies said: "They might not have broken the glass ceiling just yet, but they're banging on it.

"I've been very lucky throughout my career to never be at a bad team. Every club I've been to and the teams I've played in each year have been aspiring and pushing for things. I can't imagine being at a club that's happy being in the top six and buzzing to have got there. It's not my attitude or how I go about it. If you're doing something, you try to be the best at it and give it everything you've got. If you don't, what's the point of it all? That's my individual thought.

"Speaking to Willie, hearing what they're aspiring to do, seeing it and getting to the final last year, where they finished in the table and where they are this year, I knew it wasn't all talk. They're doing it."

Meanwhile, Davies is well aware that he has a job on his hands replacing Ryan Hall. He has essentially been recruited to take Hall's spot in the side, with the legendary winger returning to Leeds Rhinos next year.

Such has been Hall's longevity, Davies is among the growing number of players in the competition who can remember watching him as a youngster, and he admitted the challenge of succeeding him added further motivation.

"Big shoes, literally and figuratively. What he's done in the sport—you can't really comprehend the things he's won and what he does, even now to this day, and the role he has in that team.

"It's something I'm looking forward to. You're coming in, and you've got the person in your position who is a legend of the game. It's only going to make me push to fill those shoes, and I've got to make sure what I'm doing on that pitch is up to the highest standard because that's how he does everything.

"That's a big thing for me because when I'm coming in, I've got to make sure I'm on every single day. His high standards have indirectly impacted mine because they've affected mine. I know I've got to be on it every session—the carries he's taking and the metres he's making, the tries he's scoring and how he's defending, that's what I've got to live up to and make sure I'm doing the best job that I can for the team. On top of that, if I can live up to these expectations I'll be buzzing with that."