Mose will inspire Robins’ own fight

TONY SMITH says Hull KR will use Mose Masoe’s fight against his spinal injury as inspiration to prove the relegation doom-mongers wrong.

The Robins are most pundits’ favourites for the drop after only surviving on points difference last year. Talisman Danny McGuire then retired amid a huge turnover of stars.

Rovers have also seen Masoe’s career ended by a spinal injury suffered at Wakefield in pre-season that has left him facing a battle to walk again. But Masoe (right) will still be joint captain of the team in 2020 and head coach Smith says his presence will remain prominent in his squad.

Smith said: “Nothing will change in terms of Mose – the spirit we will have he’ll be part of. It hurt us, but at the same time it strengthened us as well through some of that adversity.

“All we want, first and foremost, is a great recovery for Mose in the best way possible, whatever that may be.

“We want to do well and we want to do well for Mose because he was going to play a big part for us. We want to do our own payback for Mose.”

Smith has also lost key forwards Weller Hauraki and Dean Hadley for several weeks through injury, but insists he has a group of hungry players ready to defy the odds.

He added: “We’ve got some good young blokes champing at the bit to make a name for themselves.

“They’re looking to make reputations rather than already have reputations, and that’s exciting.

“Hopefully these young guys are hungry and determined enough.”