Whereas the 2024 final was a tense and a low scoring affair, Hull KR flipped that script on its head with this year’s war of attrition.
Gone was the caginess of last year. And nerves? What nerves? This was a side made for the occasion, that knew they were on the cusp of greatness and took their opportunity.
Yet it might not have been that way as they were off the pace in the opening stages, and were lucky not to fall behind when they failed to pick up French on the turnover prior to his score being chalked off.
Other than that if they seemed unnerved by the occasion, knowing they were 80 minutes from a history-making treble, they did not seem to show it.
Much had been said in the build-up to the game about Hull KR’s recent and distant past – whether that is relegation in the Million Pound Game in 2016 or finishing bottom of Super League in 2020.
Indeed, outside of some second-tier honours, you had to go back 40 years to the last time the Robins reigned supreme.
Bolstered by the retiring Waerea-Hargreaves – who almost missed the game through suspension prior to KR’s successful appeal this week – and Micky McIlorum, they soon carved open Wigan and never looked back.
Robins talisman Lewis has gone from strength to strength in recent seasons but, much like his team, this feels like the moment in his career where he truly came alive.
But this was a team performance. It was not won by individual moments of brilliance.
It was a display befitting a treble-winning side and masterminded by an elite coach in Willie Peters.
Hull KR have got better every season under Peters’ tutelage and, on this evidence, it makes you wonder if they could be even more formidable in 2026.
WITH winter approaching there’s a simple step you can take to attract robins to your garden.
Santa’s little helper will be drawn to your outdoor space with this budget buy.
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Making a simple addition to your garden can help to attract robins (stock image)Credit: Alamy
Adding this one plant to your garden will boost the wildlife, particularly robins.
As Britain’s favourite bird, robins provide ecological benefits to your space.
This includes acting as a natural pest controller and aiding in seed dispersal.
While you can try to attract these birds with food, providing nest material can also be a huge draw.
Ivy benefits
According to the experts at Woodland Trust, robins are drawn to nest boxes if they’re under a natural cover.
This makes ivy or other climbing plants ideal additions to your garden set-up.
And you can now pick up pots of Ivy Mix for just £1.99 each from Wilko.
Available in classic green or with white detailing on the leaves, this budget plant makes the perfect autumn addition to your garden.
According to the product description, this “vigorous climbing foliage” can be “wonderful for creating dense coverage to create shade, cover structures, or act as a backdrop to other plants”.
It is also versatile and hardy, making it ideal for even the most inexperienced of gardeners.
Five autumn plants perfect to put in your garden the first day of Fall as they grow even better than in Spring
And with the decline in insects during the colder weather, robins are known to forage more on the ground.
This can help to aerate the soil in your garden throughout autumn and winter.
Meanwhile, their droppings can help to act as a natural fertiliser in your garden.
And since the species mainly feed on fruits and seeds, they can also help with seed dispersal.
October gardening jobs
The Sun’s Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the jobs you need to tackle in October.
“It’s a good time to trim deciduous hedges – like box, yew, hawthorn, hornbean and beech – plus hedge trimmers are a great upper body workout!
Make leafmould – gather up all the fallen leaves and fill either bin bags or plastic carrier bags. Seal the top, stick a few small holes in the bag – and then store for a year or more. Free compost!
It’s unlikely you’ll get any more red tomatoes so have one final harvest and chuck the plants on the compost. See if you can get the green ones to ripen by putting in a drawer (some say with a banana). Also keep the seeds from a couple – and plant again next year if they went well.
Finish getting in your spring bulbs. Ideally you’d have done daffs and alliums, but tulips are better in the ground when the soil temperature gets a bit colder.
It’s good to leave some plant litter in the ground – it adds to the nutrients as it rots down, and provides shelter and food for insects. But remove the manky brown bits collapsing all over the lawn/winter structure.
Mulch – it not only suppresses weeds, but keeps the soil warm, improves water retention and adds a little winter duvet to your outside space.
October’s a good month for carrots, peas, asparagus, broad beans, and rhubarb.”
More on garden tips
A gardening pro revealed the £1.99 Lidl plant that is the secret to filling outside space with colour all autumn.
