AB FAB SHOW
Jordan and Rovers turn on the style to shock leaders
TONY SMITH pledged that Hull KR will continue to throw the ball about after Jordan Abdull steered their expansive style to a stunning win.
Coach Smith has committed to a bold approach this season with the threat of relegation gone, and it paid off properly for the first time as bottom beat top.
Stand-off Abdull and hooker Jez Litten were central to a first Robins’ win since round one against Wakefield on January 31.
Smith also had big efforts from Elliot Minchella, Dean Hadley and Kane Linnett, who all thrived with the shackles off.
Smith said: “I like the way we’re playing – we ask a few questions and it’s a bit different. The boys are excited in the dressing room – they’re excited about the style, buy into it and they’ve got some reward for it.
“If we go five drives and a kick we’re not going to win against these big boys and we know that.
“It’s an attractive way to watch and play rugby league and we’ll continue to do it.”
Rovers’ victory was built on a blistering spell of three tries in seven minutes after Sam
Powell opened the scoring for Wigan.
Litten created the first by splitting the Warriors’ defence through the middle to send Minchella over, before good hands to the left saw Greg Minikin finish Linnett’s pass.
Abdull then provided a superb ball out of the tackle for Minchella’s second. Although Harry Smith responded with a disputed Wigan effort, Rovers were 22-12 in front at the break after Minikin scored again from another Abdull assist.
Within the first six minutes of the second half Abdull provided a brilliant offload for Hadley to score before more smart handling saw Will Dagger send Minikin in for his hat-trick.
Wig an onl y stirred when Rovers’ Shaun Kenny-Dowall was sin-binned for persistent team o f fending and Jackson Hastings touched down.
But fittingly Abdull put the final seal on victory with a late penalty.
Warriors coach Adrian Lam said: “We’re really disappointed – we just looked flat and a lot of the players looked tired.”