Hull KR v Leigh Leopards: Robins out to prove they are genuine Super League contenders after recovering from Challenge Cup heartbreak

There is no trophy up for grabs at Craven Park but the season is on the line for both teams.

While Leigh will always have Wembley, it is Super League or bust for the Robins following their heartbreaking golden-point defeat at the national stadium.

Willie Peters' side are not getting wrapped up in thoughts of revenge after reacting positively to the crushing setback to win five games in a row and secure a home eliminator in the play-offs.

"There will be some vision there that we show from the cup but it's not going to be so much around tapping into it," said Peters.

"The players have enough motivation. If they don't, we're in trouble.

"Naturally, we're in the same year. We said to them after we lost that we were in a really good position because we can do something about the feeling that we had.

"The players have responded to that. The last five weeks, we've gone back to doing what we worked on during the pre-season and earlier in the season. I think that's a really good sign."

The Robins launched their late top-four assault in a 52-10 rout of Leigh at Craven Park little over a month ago, a result that went some way to easing the pain of Wembley.

The margin of defeat eventually came back to bite the Leopards after missing out on a home play-off tie on points difference, while they have also lost to Catalans Dragons, St Helens and Wigan Warriors since lifting the cup.

Whereas some are writing Leigh off as a spent force, Peters has not been fooled by their recent run of results.

"When they've got beaten, it's only been narrowly," he said. "There was obviously the scoreline against us but people talk about the hangover from the cup.

"We're not reading too much into that. It's a new ball game and a semi-final.

"We've got to build our game again and not worry too much about them."

A hard taskmaster with high standards and expectations, Peters has previously made it clear that Rovers "aren't in this competition to be in semis".

The Australian is not about to change his message ahead of the biggest game of KR's Super League season.

"We've done well this year but I don't like to put a ceiling on us," he said. "If we say we've done alright and are content, we'll lose this week.

"We finished in the top four and finished in the top four in some key stats as well. We deserved to be a top-four team – but I don't think it makes you a top-four team.

"St Helens and Wigan do it year in, year out. That's what we need to do."

Regardless of tonight's result, Peters believes everything is in place for Rovers to be perennial contenders after making huge strides on and off the field in his first year at the helm.

"We talk about being a top-four club in everything that we do," he added.

"Just because you reach the top four, doesn't mean you're a top-four club and you're content with that.

"That's what we're striving to do as a club and have certainly got the foundations. We've got a really strong board in place and are getting a really strong roster for next year.

"We're heading in the right direction but like anyone will tell you who is successful, you've got to work hard.

"We need to work hard for hopefully the next three weeks and go again in the pre-season."

The Grand Final winner is expected to come from the three teams that finished the regular season eight points clear of the rest.

But Peters has warned Wigan, Catalans and Saints that Rovers in particular are not in the play-offs to make up the numbers.

"The Challenge Cup proves that we're capable of it," he said. "One team is capable of it, that's for sure.

"Leigh came up from the Championship and we hadn't been to the cup final since 2015. We had a new winner this year for the first time in a long time.

"I don't see why that can't be the case in Super League but I'm sure St Helens and Wigan will have their reasons why they should be there again.

"The evidence tells us we beat Wigan who won the League Leaders' Shield in a game that mattered (a Challenge Cup semi-final). We've shown we can do it. Does that mean you will? No, you've got to work, build and execute.

"St Helens are back to peak form, Wigan are a better team than when we played them in the semi-finals but I'd like to think we're a better team than what you saw in the cup final.

"There's no doubt that anyone that is left can win the comp."