Nathan Cayless determined to uphold Hull KR Way and carry Willie Peters' legacy forward

Influential figures may move on but the ingrained principles and beliefs remain.

Willie Peters coined the phrase the 'Hull KR Way' to capture the values he wanted his side to live by: hard work, high standards, togetherness and a determination to make the club and their community proud.

During his four transformative years at Craven Park, the Australian brought those principles to life and delivered unprecedented success.

Now the torch has been passed to Nathan Cayless, a respected player before setting out on a coaching journey that led him to Rovers.

And there were early signs in his first press briefing as KR head coach that Cayless shares many of the ideals that underpinned Peters' reign.

"I think the biggest thing is the community," he replied when asked what pulled him to Hull KR.

"The community is so much behind the club. I know I'm going to get to know a lot of people within the community and how important this football team is to them. That's something that really attracted me.

"The club that I was lucky enough to play at all my career, Parramatta, I see a lot of similarities. We're out west in Parramatta. It's a good, tough, hard-working area. People love their rugby league. I see a lot in that.

"It's important that we make our people proud of what we're putting out there each weekend."

At times, it was almost like listening to Peters, only with a different Antipodean twang.

That extends to the way the Robins will play under Cayless.

"The community can expect to see a team that work really hard for each other and compete hard on every play," said the new boss. "And a team they'll be proud of.

"I'm not going to give any more than that away. I'm not going to give any more ammunition to my opposition over here.

"You'll also see it right throughout the club. From the first team and then when you go watch reserves, academy, scholarship – the vision is that all teams will play the same way."

The Cayless era will begin in earnest next week when the bulk of the squad report back to Craven Park for the start of pre-season.

If any of the players are secretly hoping for a slight drop in intensity under their new coach, they are in for a rude awakening.

"They'll work hard," said Cayless. "They'll put the club and the team first and will be very, very prepared for the start of the season.

"When they come in, they'll be looking to improve themselves."

That is the order of the day for Rovers following a disappointing defence of the trophies they won in 2025.

A gruelling start to the season eventually caught up with the Robins, who were never quite the same after losing heavily to Wigan Warriors in the Challenge Cup final.

Peters' men did enough to sneak into the play-offs but a first-round exit exposed the issues that had dogged them throughout the campaign.

Even in those tough times, Cayless saw a group that had retained their appetite for the fight.

"They compete really hard," he said.

"There were a lot of things that they had to deal with throughout the season but I just love the way they've continually gone about their work.

"They've had to deal with some situations earlier on in the season with World Club Challenge and going to Vegas but not once did I see the group actually lay down.

"I just saw a group that's very keen on competing hard and you don't do what they did in '25 unless you've got those traits. I love that about the group.

"That's often where you find out about people when it's hard and when it's tough. You can go to the highest of highs but then when you're challenged, you want to see a group of men that are going to stick together. That's what I saw."

As well as observing from afar, Cayless had the luxury of picking the brains of his predecessor.

"Willie was really good in giving me a lot of time throughout the year and having some good conversations," said Cayless.

"It's quite fortunate when you find yourself in a situation where you can talk to an outgoing coach. We had a joke where he's obviously been able to leave on his own terms and so he should.

"Everything that he's done for the club, he's left the club in a great position. It's my job now to add to that and improve on that."

Ultimately, Cayless must oversee a return to the lofty heights of 2025. He believes those standards are still within the group he has inherited.

"One hundred per cent," said the New Zealander, who also hinted at the possibility of another addition to his squad following the signings of Moala Graham-Taufa, Eddie Hampson and Salesi Ataata. "It's the reason why the job's so exciting.

"I've spoken to every single player. They've been very honest with me around their assessments on their individual performances in the team.

"They've owned a lot, which I like about the players and the group. That's some good signs for me."

For Cayless, success will be measured as much by the team's attitude and connection with the supporters as by results on the field.

"If we're making our community, the people that are in the stands, our sponsors, the people that support us, wherever they might be, if we're making them proud when we're playing, the results will look after themselves," he said.

"I'm not going to make any outlandish statements. We're here to work hard with the players. I know they're keen to work hard as well. We'll improve our game every day and everything else will look after itself."