Forward Danny Addy joins exit list in Hull KR shake-up

Rovers lost 17-16 in Golden Point extra-time at Salford Red Devils on Friday and finished joint-bottom of Super League.

However, they avoided demotion as they had a superior points difference to London Broncos who also lost on the final night, falling 19-10 at Wakefield Trinity who were one of four clubs level at the bottom at the start of play.

Scotland international Addy –called up on the eve of the match due to Mitch Garbutt’s injury – revealed afterwards it was his final game for the Robins.

The versatile 28-year-old, who has operated at loose forward, back-row, hooker and half since joining from Bradford Bulls at the end of 2016, conceded he wanted to stay with Tony Smith’s side and had enjoyed his time there even if the road had been rocky.

“It has been tough,” Addy told The Yorkshire Post.

“When I first signed they got relegated (in the Million Pound Game against Salford) before I actually got here.

“So my first season was in the Championship but that was probably one of the best years of my career really. Obviously it was playing in the second-tier but then getting promotion was great.

“The week before the following season started in Super League, though, my knee went. I missed the full year (with ACL rupture).

“This year has been a little bit up and down. I’ve never run into the last year of my contract before so I’ve been playing for a deal.

“I got offered one but then (previous coach) Tim (Sheens) left so it was all a bit up in the air, really.

“Then obviously it was Tony’s decision. You have to respect that.

“I’ve known for a while and I have something lined up.”

The East Yorkshire club confirmed last week that Chris Atkin, Josh Drinkwater and James Greenwood would all be leaving.

They confirmed today Ryan Shaw is also departing for a “new challenge” with Yorkshire Carnegie understood to have signed the former Bradford winger.

Just as Rovers had led against London the previous week only to lose late on, they did so again versus high-flying Salford who have now won eight successive games leading into the play-offs.

There was just seconds remaining when Joey Lussick scrambled over to level the game and Krisnan Inu then slotted a drop-goal in extra-time.

Addy conceded: “It was a weird one; it’s buzzing to stay up but it would have been nice to finish off with a win. Half of us didn’t know what the score of the other games was until pretty late on so we weren’t sure what the state of play was.

“With a few minutes to go we did sort of know. Maybe we took our foot off the gas a little...

“But we really took it to Salford and knew all week we were going to take it to them like we did.

“They are a class side, though, and had a bit to play for as well knowing they could still get third place. We’ve showed over the year what we can do at times and this has summed up our year; ups and downs. We’re just happy to get through and survive really.”

However, Rovers owner Neil Hudgell was less at ease.

He released a statement on Saturday and said: “Personally, this has been the most frustrating of my 15 years in charge.

“We should have put the job to bed six weeks ago. The delay in securing our position in Super League 2020 has hampered our planning already for next year.

“We have missed out on several very good appointments, on and off the field. Sport is often about small margins, and maybe we can point to the six games that we have lost by two points or less.

“In the eight games, though, against the bottom three teams around us we have won only two. That’s ultimately what has made life so difficult for ourselves.”

He added: “It is a new beginning for the club under head coach Tony Smith, with a major focus on young and ambitious players. We have a fair bit of recruitment to do, some tough calls to make, and a lot of hard work to get stuck into. We have to break this cycle and start to fulfil the enormous potential here.

“I’m not celebrating averageness, just a sense of relief that we can crack on with that journey.”

Among other business, Rovers now hope to confirm a deal for Newcastle Knights and ex-Kiwi winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall.