Newton is hoping to go out on perfect high with Robins

Walking out against Catalan Dragons tomorrow evening will signify the dynamic Australian’s 100th appearance for the Robins.

However, as much as that will serve as a great honour for the former Melbourne star who has made east Hull his home for the last four years, it is not what he wants to be remembered for.

“Hopefully, I’m going to finish on 103 – that’s what I want and there’s no reason why not,” Newton told the Yorkshire Post.

If that record is achieved, it means the influential second-row will have aided Rovers’ unlikely passage to a first-ever Grand Final appearance at Old Trafford on October 8.

Newton, 30, will leave Hull KR at the end of the season to return to the NRL with Penrith Panthers.

Rovers’ decision to allow him a release from the final year of his contract is testament to the epic impact he has had at Craven Park.

This season alone, his return from injury has been one of the principal reasons behind a remarkable renaissance which saw them gatecrash the play-offs last weekend with an all-or-nothing win against Castleford.

Now they head to Perpignan as a vibrant and confident team that many will fear facing.

“Considering around 10 weeks ago that the team was staring at third last, the players should be really proud,” said the player who knows all about winning Grand Finals from his time at Melbourne.

“People had written us off and even some of our most hardened supporters had probably started looking toward 2012.

“But it shows the character of the players, this club and the coaches what we’ve done; now we have some momentum and I’d like to think that’s going to continue.”

Having won seven of their last eight games to secure a play-off berth at the final moment, Rovers will need no introduction to the pressure of knock-out football having flown out to France yesterday morning.

They made the same trip a fortnight ago, crucially defeating Catalan to keep that play-off dream alive. Now Newton – one of six senior players plus coach Justin Morgan departing at the season’s end – is urging them to make the most of their unexpected chance.

“Semi-final footy is a different type of game altogether,” he said,

“It’s do-or-die, there are no tomorrows and, for teams like us outside of the top four, we know we have to win so we have to play that way.

“You have to have confidence in your own ability; there’s no place in semi-final football for players who are low on that because you will just get found out.”

Rovers’ recent success in Perpignan will serve as a major fillip as they look to knock out Trent Robinson’s side.

“Not many sides go to Catalan and come away with two points,” said Newton.

“We did and that display made us really proud. We still made mistakes though and we can’t afford any of those this time.”