Hull KR hooker Micky McIlorum played the Super League Grand Final on a fractured ankle and he’s explained the decision, confirming he was never going to miss it given it was his final game in rugby league.
Saturday night’s 24-6 win for Hull KR at Old Trafford marked the last game in McIlorum’s prestigious career that started back in 2007 and saw him make almost 350 Super League appearances.
Perhaps at the peak of his powers when Wigan won the 2013 Grand Final, he had to wait 12 years to play in and win another. He’d been part of the 2016 Wigan squad that won but played just three games that year, whilst he twice lost with Catalans Dragons.
But in his final year, he tasted Old Trafford glory again and did so as part of a treble, something he hailed as a ‘dream come true’ when reacting post-match on Sky Sports.
The 37-year-old said: “It’s absolutely amazing. I’ve played a long long time and I’ve never won a treble so to do it in my last year is a dream come true.”
“Pretty sore” – Micky McIlorum on fractured ankle
Something that likely made the win sweeter was the fact there had been doubt over whether he would play given that he fractured his ankle in August and the bone is not fully healed, something that Willie Peters confirmed post-match.
In explaining that, Peters labelled McIlorum as the toughest he has ever coached, which McIlorum shied away from before explaining his decision to play through the pain.
“He’s not been coaching a long time so that’s why he’s saying that,” McIlorum joked, before admitting: “It’s pretty sore.
“Willie put the faith and trust in me and said ‘if you tell me you’re alright then you’ll play’ and obviously I’m not going to miss the Grand Final so I said I’m alright.”
McIlorum started the game for the Robins but was also brought back on with minutes to play so he can end his rugby league career on the field, basking in the glory of becoming a treble winner.
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McIlorum signs off after helping Hull KR over the line
The game was a swansong for him and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, both signed at the start of the year to add experience and a winning mentality to Hull KR and McIlorum noted that.
He explained: “I think the last couple of years before we came, and I’m not saying that we’re the reason, but in bigger games, they’ve not clicked as well.
“Even at Wembley when we won, it was a clunky game that we managed to win at the end but then today, the likes of Jez and Mikey have stepped up and showed their class.”
Set to become assistant coach at Catalans Dragons, he then joked: “I’d like for them to continue that in the next few years but not against Catalans, hopefully.”
Born in Leeds. Forged in Wigan. Refined in Perpignan.
Micky Mac. Immortalised in East Hull 🏆🏆🏆#UpTheRobins🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/DEBxLci2Cg
— Hull KR (@hullkrofficial) October 12, 2025
