Hull KR capture Melbourne Storm prop Albert Vete

The Tonga international, 27, started out his NRL career with New Zealand Warriors but moved to Storm in 2018.

Rovers have been looking to add a powerful front-row to their squad all season, ever since the unfortunate career-ending injury to Mose Masoe in January.

Vete is their first new recruit for 2021 and he said: "Once I talked to a few people they convinced me it was the right move for me.

"I’m only 27 so I know I have a lot of footy in me.

“The reason Hull KR came about – my manger knows Tony Smith, so he got in contact with him and I spoke to Tony a couple of times.

“With part of our season with the Storm we were stuck on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and I had a few phone calls with Tony. He just wanted to get to know me."

Vete added: "I’d been coached by a family member of his, Rohan Smith when he was at the Warriors.

"We were just talking footy and it got serious when the season finished.

“I caught up with Tony and he told me where the club was heading and he was pretty disappointed with the way the season went this year.

"He wants me to come and add value to the club and that’s what I’m hoping to do."

Hull KR finished bottom of Super League this season, in direct contrast to the team that Vete is now leaving, Melbourne having just secured another NRL title.

The Aucklander has trained and played alongside greats like Cameron Smith and he said: “One of the biggest things I learnt from the big-game players at Melbourne, they’re never satisfied with how they’re going.

"They were filthy last year about not making the Grand Final.

“They are always looking for ways to improve how they are playing and they taught me a lot about my game and not letting me get comfortable with where I am.

“A big reason with why Melbourne were so competitive this year was how intense training sessions were. That’s something I’ll be trying to bring along with me and try lift the intensity of training."

Smith said: “It’s a great acquisition for us; he’s the right age, right size and at the right stage of his career.

"He’s got some go-forward, lots of rugby left in him, so he’ll have a really good impact for us in the future.

"He’s a really nice young man, who’s come through a really good programme at Melbourne Storm.

"We’ve had lots of good reviews on him from the Melbourne staff.

"We are delighted that he’s coming over here for the right reasons, with the right attitude and the right maturity to help us in our rebuilding here.

"Coming from the current NRL champions he comes with good pedigree and a good understanding of what it takes to be successful.

"He’s able to bring some of those experiences to us, and to our young people to help them along the way, whilst leading from the front.”