Warrington Wolves v Hull KR: Play-offs will bring out the best in us, declares Willie Peters

The defending Super League champions have more big-game pedigree than any of their play-off rivals outside of red-hot favourites Wigan Warriors, yet they are being written off as contenders.

Wigan are clearly the team to beat – but beyond them, there is still much to prove.

Rovers are the obvious exception. This is a side that dominated the Warriors in last year's Grand Final. They held all four trophies before losing to Wigan at Wembley earlier this year – their only defeat in knockout rugby since the 2024 Old Trafford decider.

That body of evidence offers encouragement to Willie Peters despite a sixth-place finish that leaves the Robins with the hardest route back to Manchester.

"I'd like to think that these games have brought out the best in us," said the KR boss ahead of today's eliminator at Warrington Wolves.

"I hope it brings out the best in us this weekend. Well, it's not a hope – it will bring out the best in us.

"I'm big on evidence and the evidence says that our team thrives under pressure. You can't buy experience and we have experience in big games.

"We understand what knockout rugby is about and what's needed. What comes first is how hard you want to compete and the effort you want to put in. On the back of that comes the technical stuff.

"We've got a plan in place for this weekend but the energy we invest is going to be the key."

Talk of fatigue has followed the Robins around during a campaign that has taken them from world club glory and Las Vegas to the brink of burnout.

But Rovers have had opportunities to recharge after Peters' decision to protect key personnel in the closing stages of the regular season.

"There are no excuses this week," said Peters at the Old Trafford play-off launch on Monday. "We'll be picking a strong team and they've had chances to freshen up.

"In this competition, you get what you deserve. If we're here in three weeks, we'll deserve it; if not, we don't.

"We're fresh this weekend but so are Warrington because they rested their players. But this is about us. We're looking forward to the players putting in a Hull KR performance.

"I'm confident that you're going to see a team that is going to be energised and giving their all. If you don't see that, it's going to be disappointing.

"We've been able to freshen some players up and give them what they needed. As I said after the Toulouse game, they were spent."

That home loss to their French visitors was one of four defeats for the Robins in the final five rounds, a run of results shaped in part by Peters' selection approach.

The Australian believes Rovers are in better form than most would give them credit for after a young team provided timely inspiration with a gutsy display against Saints.

"If we're going by the Huddersfield and St Helens games, I think we're in a really strong position," said Peters.

"We can draw from what the young guys did last week. We need to replicate that effort, competitive spirit and will to win.

"We had a team of 17-year-old players, first-year academy players, guys that aren't under contract for next year – but it didn't matter. There was a certain way they played, which we call the Hull KR Way.

"And I thought the Huddersfield game was more like us. We were energised and beat a really good team comfortably."

The win over the Giants ultimately proved the difference in the battle for the final play-off spot.

With Rovers left needing to come from the back of the field in the race to Old Trafford, most of the pressure appears to be on Warrington.

But Peters does not see it that way.

"Pressure is what you put on yourself," he said. "I expect a lot from the team and they expect a lot from themselves.

"We're probably the underdogs this week in terms of the betting but we don't look at it that way. It's a two-horse race and we need to win this game. We'll do everything we can to do that."

After all the talk about form and fitness, it comes down to straight shootouts in the play-offs.

This is where Rovers have thrived under Peters - and he sees no reason why they cannot lift themselves when it matters.

"I've always believed in this team," he said. "I'll believe in them until the end. I'll even believe in them next year when I'm not here.

"I truly believe that we can go all the way because they've proved it before. When it's time to play in these big games, we often stand up."

As for the narrative about his swansong, that can wait.

Peters added: "We'll hopefully catch up next week and be here again in three weeks."