ROWAN Milnes could turn out to be a secret weapon for Hull KR without even playing after returning to the club on an initial two-week loan.
The halfback has spent the past two seasons with Castleford Tigers, who the Robins host on Saturday afternoon, but was brought back to the Betfred Super League leaders with Danny Richardson injured and Tyrone May suspended.
Milnes will provide cover in their absence, but head coach Willie Peters sees the 25-year-old playing a crucial role in helping them prepare for future opponents as well.
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“We need to bring in a back-up half for a couple of reasons,” Peters told BBC Radio Humberside. “Possibly for games, but also for our training.
“We do a fair bit of 13-v-13, so we like to have a senior half there running the different plays that the opposition are going to run against us, and Rowan will obviously do a great job doing that.
“Having that senior player to run that team certainly helps and makes our team defend better and prepares them as best we can for the weekend ahead.
“We value our training, it’s important to us, so we wanted to bring in someone who could help us with that. Down the track, Rowan could possibly play for us, so that’s one we’ll look at, at some stage.”
Milnes previously made 49 appearances for Hull KR between 2020 and 2023, scoring seven tries and kicking 41 goals, and returns to Sewell Group Craven Park ahead of Saturday’s visit of his parent club, Castleford.
Peters’ side then face a battle of the top two when they travel to Wigan Warriors on Friday, August 12, when Milnes will be tasked with leading the practice squad in replicating the challenges posted by Matt Peet’s men.
May, meanwhile, was suspended for two weeks after being found guilty of questioning the integrity of a match official in Hull KR’s Round 20 win over Salford Red Devils.
“It is what it is,” Peters said. “You can’t speak back to referees, so we didn’t challenge it.
“He’ll learn from it and we move on.”