McCarthy keen to take on fresh ‘challenge’ with Rovers

The Ireland vice-captain has spent this season with Australian side Northern Pride but will return to Super League with the East Yorkshire club.

McCarthy, 26, replaces Rhys Lovegrove, the long-serving back-row who has been allowed to leave Craven Park a year early to head home to Sydney for family reasons.

“It’s been a great experience playing in Australia and it’s going to leave me in good stead coming back to Super League with Hull KR,” said the player, who won the 2009 Challenge Cup with Warrington and again three years later.

“I could have stayed at Warrington this year and been comfortable but I wanted a challenge.

“I’ve developed physically and I’ll be coming back bigger, stronger and probably the fittest I’ve ever felt.

“I’ve been playing back-row this year and that’s been good for me in terms of my execution of plays and getting my hands on the ball, but I’ve played a lot of my career in that middle part of the park too.”

Hull KR head coach Chris Chester, who takes his side to Hull FC on Friday, added: “Tyrone gives us plenty of options in the pack, is about to enter his prime as a forward and he’s had big raps over in Australia for his professionalism on and off the field.

“He’s come through a good system over at Warrington too.”