'We can challenge the top teams': Hull KR captain Shaun Kenny-Dowall excited about Willie Peters era

The ex-New Zealand international has helped transform the culture at Craven Park and will leave a legacy when he eventually returns home.

As well as captaining the Robins with distinction, Kenny-Dowall was chosen by Ellery Hanley to lead the Combined Nations All Stars and ends the season as a member of the Super League Dream Team.

The 34-year-old will play on into a 17th season after signing a one-year extension, giving him another crack at silverware on these shores.

After falling short in two semi-finals, Kenny-Dowall is optimistic about challenging for honours under incoming coach Willie Peters.

"He's been all over it," Kenny-Dowall told The Yorkshire Post.

"It's his first coaching gig so he's crossing all the right boxes and is well prepared and well across everything that's going on at the club.

"We just can't wait for him to get here and start building the foundations for next year.

"We're confident with the squad we've got. We've shown that when we're playing at our best and have got our best players on the field, we can compete at the highest level.

"We believe we can challenge the top teams next year."

Peters will arrive in England in the coming weeks after finishing up as an assistant at NRL club Newcastle Knights.

The Australian inherits the bulk of the squad that finished eighth this year, with improvements coming in the shape of the likes of Tom Opacic, Sauaso Sue and James Batchelor.

Rovers went into the off-season in high spirits thanks to a remarkable 36-4 win over fierce rivals Hull FC with 16 men.

Reduced to a spectator after being ruled out of the final four games with a knee injury, Kenny-Dowall saw all that is good about Hull KR.

"It was awesome," he said. "It was such a great atmosphere.

"It was important for us as a club to finish on a high and it was good to get one over our old rivals too.

"It's been an up-and-down year for us but it shows the character of the group. We can take a lot of optimism into 2023."

After finishing four points adrift of the play-off places, the Robins were left to rue their rotten luck on the injury front.

Even Kenny-Dowall succumbed after making 54 consecutive starts off the bat.

When he was on the field, the centre led from the front and took his team-mates with him to earn a Dream Team debut.

"It's a massive honour looking around at the calibre of players," he said.

"It's a great reward for having a pretty good year personally. I'm very proud.

"I was a bit taken aback because of the calibre of centres in the competition. Ricky Leutele is pretty unlucky because he's been playing some great rugby and is a pivotal player for Huddersfield.

"To be named ahead of players like that is a massive achievement."

An NRL Grand Final winner and a two-time Four Nations champion, Kenny-Dowall has spent his entire career in exalted company.

But he found himself awe-struck at last weekend's Dream Team event.

"James Roby is a legend of the game," said Kenny-Dowall.

"He's signed on for another year and it's the seventh time he's been named in the Dream Team.

"That's a marvel of excellence and you just have to take your hat off to him.

"It's some achievement and he's been some player. He's shown that over such a long period of time.

"It's no coincidence that Saints have managed to stay on top for that period of time as well."

At 36, Roby is two years Kenny-Dowall's senior as he prepares to go again in 2023.

Kenny-Dowall admits it is unlikely he will go on as long as the St Helens hooker, although he did not completely rule it out.

"I don't think so," said the Rovers skipper with a smile. "It's too much for me.

"But you never say never. I take it a year at a time.

"I'm still enjoying it so we'll cross that bridge when we have to sometime next year."

When Kenny-Dowall does call time on his career, he will look back on his Super League stay with a great deal of fondness.

"I obviously wanted to come and make the most of the opportunity I had but to have all these accolades and opportunities to represent myself and the club gratifies the reason why I came over here," he added.

"I'm really enjoying my time over here. I think Super League really suits my style of play.

"It took me a year to get going but then I started to feel comfortable and made myself at home with a great team around me, and the club has been awesome for me.

"I'm really enjoying my footy. It's been a breath of fresh air and I'm really noticing that in the way I'm playing."