WILLIE Peters hopes an opportunity for team bonding on the flight to Perpignan can help Hull KR turn around their dip in form against Catalans Dragons on Saturday.
The Betfred Super League leaders head to the south of France for Round 19 after suffering back-to-back defeats to play-off contenders Leeds Rhinos and Leigh Leopards, having previously won a club record 15 of their opening 16 games of the season.
Head coach Peters believes the best chance of getting back to winning ways, against a Dragons side which has misfired for much of 2025, is to use the extended time the players will spend together to reforge the bonds within the squad.
- Leigh Leopards’ Josh Charnley open to 2026 offers as he eyes Super League record
- Mike Eccles: London Broncos Super League talk sends out wrong message
- Subscribe to rugbyleaguehub.com on YouTube
“I think it’s a really good time for us to connect and get away together on the back of two defeats,” Peters told BBC Radio Humberside.
“When you are going through a couple of losses, the best way to try to turn that is to connect a little bit more – spending more time with each other, enjoying each others’ company, having a laugh and not being as uptight.
“We’ve got a very close group, they’re all tight and you don’t have the success we’re having this year if you’re not a tight group.
“The best teams in the competition are all good mates and what happens then is when you care about someone, you want to do that bit extra for them on the field.”
Despite the losses, Hull KR are still two points clear of reigning champions Wigan Warriors at the top of Super League with nine rounds of the regular season remaining.
The Robins have already tasted glory this year too after beating Warrington Wolves at Wembley in June to lift the Challenge Cup for the first time since 1980.
A maiden League Leaders’ Shield would mark the first time Hull KR have finished top of the pile since they were crowned winners of the old Slalom Lager Championship 40 years ago as well, and Peters is not unduly concerned by his side’s recent dip.
“Look at our season, look what we’ve done and what we’ve achieved,” Peters said.
“We don’t go out to lose any game, but you have the peaks and valleys of the season. I’ve been in rugby league long enough to know you don’t have the perfect season.
“People expect us to go out and win every game…we’ve got that expectation of ourselves to go out and win every game, but the reality is it’s not always going to happen because you’ve got a very strong competition.
“It’s how you handle the setbacks and it’s a good test of character for people in and around the club, and players and staff in how to handle adversity. We’ve lost two games, it’s not the end of the world.”