1 week Ago By [email protected] (Arindam Rej)
Hull Kingston Rovers academy coach Rhys Lovegrove has his sights on producing young players for the first team - even though he knows it is the "hardest-ever" time for them to do it in Super League. The Australian returned this year to Hull KR, where he was a Super League player from 2007 for eight seasons, having initially joined from NRL side St George Illawarra. Since leaving Rovers, he has worked in coaching roles at Bradford Bulls and London Broncos - and been a head coach at Keighley Cougars for four years, promoting them into the Championship and making signings including ex-Robins Jake Webster and Ben Crooks.
Lovegrove said: "We have to have a first-grade team that has our own players playing in it. That's the aim of every academy. I think it's even more important here at Hull KR with what we have here, the community that we have.
And the standard of rugby league we have in the amateur game here has got to be some of the best in the country as well. What we need to do is to get more of those kids to the standard to play in that team. "Unfortunately for the kids these days, it's the hardest it's probably ever been because this is the best Hull KR team in Super League history.
Trying to bridge the gap for these kids to get there is probably the hardest it's ever been but on the flip side these kids also get to go in and play for one of the biggest teams in the country currently. So just trying to get these kids in that team is everyone's goal, is everyone's drive." Speaking about his time away, Lovegrove said: "I've gone away and coached at other clubs in the last few years.
But now is a good opportunity to come back and continue my development as a coach under someone who has just got Coach of the Year, Willie Peters. Even before that, he was probably one of the best young coaches in the country. It appeared to be one of the fast-growing clubs in the country also, with Paul Lakin at the helm.
" The Sydney-born coach is loving being back in Hull, explaining: "When I'd say to people I'm going from Sydney to Hull, there'd be gasps and people going 'you're joking, right?' - but I explain that Hull has always been about the people. I just find people in Hull extraordinarily unique. All of Yorkshire is very family orientated.
I think Hull is a great example of that. And how much there is hard work and connection. "When I first got back, I got half a dozen messages off people from Hull about being back in the city and wanting to catch up for a coffee and straight away they are on the front foot trying to help you out, asking if you need help picking up furniture or if you need any milk and things like that.
And that's the biggest thing about Hull and that's the one thing that will never change. "As much as Hull KR is now a top-two team and an amazing club and we play in front of 10,000 people and things like that, the connection is still there, it's still about family and friends. That's what Hull's been built on.
It's great to see that, even though the club has progressed, they are still built on those values down at Craven Park as well." There have been plenty of familiar faces too including Rovers assistant coaches Danny Ward and David Hodgson, head of academy Jason Netherton and chief executive Paul Lakin. Lovegrove said: "Pretty much all of my Super League games were with Jason Netherton, that was really cool.
There's Danny Ward, who I played first grade with in 2007. And there's Dave Hodgson who I played with as well. There are a lot of memories there.
Paul Lakin actually signed me to my first contract in 2007. It's great to see how the club has progressed in recent years and a credit to everyone involved." Click here - Get the latest news on our Rugby League Live WhatsApp channel.
