Rovers can’t afford to let season go to waste
In equal measure, it is astonishing and frightening how quickly things can change in sport. Ten days ago, Hull KR had set their sights on breaking their Super League record and reaching seven straight wins.
They had a semi-final on the horizon and were chasing a place in Super League’s top four.
And here we are now, two dismal defeats and paltry performances later, Rovers are out of the cup and have mustered up four points in 160 minutes.
To describe two bad performances as a collapse would be an overreaction and in isolation you could make excuses for both displays.
But ultimately the manner of the losses has been concerning and a rather drastic decline.
Now, some are linking it to coach Tony Smith’s announcement that he will be leaving the club, something of an inevitability given the close proximity of the two.
It was inevitable that once Rovers suffered a few disappointing results that such a theory would be created, such was the suddenness and unexpectedness of the news.
Even the least cynical will wonder if there is a link.
Only the players could confirm if it has been a distraction.
Meanwhile, Smith is the only person on the planet who could tell you if the timing was intentional to get a reaction with the semi-final in mind.
From the outside looking in, it didn’t come across that way, not for one second. If that was his motivation, it has clearly backfired.
Whether you agree with the way the announcement was handled or not, Smith was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t.
Had he delayed his decision or kept it a secret he would have stopped the club from planning for the future.
Announcing the decision so early was always going to result in criticism if performances dipped.
The fact the latter has happened so soon after only adds fuel to the fire.
Combine that with the fact the dream of a Final has been dashed so disappointingly, there’s an obvious feeling of frustration among the fanbase.
But let’s not forget, at the minute, it’s two poor - admittedly very poor, performances. It’s not unheard of.
What happens in the next few weeks is now crucial. On the field Rovers need to react and get their season moving forward again. They still remain sixth and in a strong position in the league, plenty can still be achieved yet.
Off the field, announcing the next head coach would be timely. Doing so at this point would bring a muchneeded boost, remove a distraction and allow the focus to shift back to the rest of the season.
Rovers can’t afford to let this season go to waste and for that reason it’s important that they continue to move forward and nail down a play-off spot while Smith’s successor plans for next year with time on their side. The players’ respect for Smith is unwavering and two bad defeats aren’t enough to change that.
One thing is for certain, an interesting few weeks are ahead.
With the identity of the next head coach still a mystery and the recruitment window open, there’s plenty of uncertainty people would like addressing. All will become clear soon enough.