Bitter cross-city rivals Hull FC and Hull KR get the 2024 Betfred Super League campaign under way with a huge derby clash in front of a record Round 1 attendance at the MKM Stadium on Thursday evening; Watch every Super League match in 2024 live on Sky Sports
By Marc Bazeley, @MarcBazeley
Willie Peters experienced plenty of big games in his first season as Hull KR head coach, most notably the Betfred Challenge Cup final at Wembley and the Betfred Super League play-off semi-final against Wigan Warriors.
But, like many outsiders who have pitched up in Kingston Upon Hull, the former Gateshead Thunder and Wigan scrum-half quickly discovered just how much the matches against the Robins’ cross-city rivals Hull FC take on a life of their own as well.
It is why Peters understands the extra importance on Thursday’s 2024 Super League season opener against their bitter adversaries at the MKM Stadium, not just as far as Hull KR’s own ambitions for the year ahead go.
“It’s important to win the first game of the season, but also it’s a derby game,” Peters told Sky Sports. “It means so much to the city, it means so much to Neil Hudgell – our owner – and it means so much to so many people in the city.
“I know it’s a cliche, but we’ve got to go and put in a performance, and the result will take care of itself.
“But it’s an important game and it’s a different game when you go to MKM Stadium, there are 22,000 people there and you can hardly hear.
“It’s not your average game, we’re looking forward to it, and it will be great to get off to a positive start.”
While Hull KR were enjoying days out at Wembley and competing for a place in the Super League Grand Final in 2023, over in the west of the city it was a different story as Hull FC slumped to a 10th-placed finish and ended the regular season eight points outside the play-off places.