Hull KR head coach Willie Peters has provided an injury update on Micky McIlorum whilst also discussing the prospect the veteran hooker plays on in 2026.
McIlorum signed from Catalans Dragons ahead of the 2025 season on a one-year deal, meaning he is out of contract at the end of this season and Peters has previously spoken about what a shame it would be for a player of McIlorum’s status to end his career on the sidelines.
When initially confirming the veteran’s ankle fracture, Peters said: “He doesn’t deserve to end that way. It would be cruel if that happened.”
Offering an update to the press today, Peters confirmed that McIlorum will not have surgery and that Hull KR are “hopeful” of getting him back in time for the play-offs.
It remains to be seen if they will have any success in that and having previously noted what a shame it would be for McIlorum’s career to end in such fashion, Peters was asked if he felt the veteran was ‘considering whether to play next year’.
“Look, he may play. Micky being Micky, he’ll go to 50, so you never say never,” Peters responded.
Hull KR doing ‘everything we can’ to get McIlorum back for play-offs
Expanding further on that, Peters explained that he didn’t want to commit one way or another on a decision that ultimately isn’t his to make.
The Hull KR boss added: “I don’t want to say, yes, he’s going to play or he’s not, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he does.
“(As it stands) he’ll be heading back (to France), and he’s been everything that we signed him for in terms of his experience and his leadership and what he brings around the place.
“He only plays smaller minutes to what he’s used to, but he certainly adds to what we’re about.”
As for the actual injury, Peters did confirm that McIlorum won’t have surgery and that the veterans chances of returning this season will be revisited further down the line.
The Robins boss explained: “We’re not going to go down the surgery route. We’re going to be hopeful that we can get him right but we won’t know until a few more weeks at least. It’ll be one of those that we need to look at in a few weeks’ time. We definitely can’t make a decision now.
“We certainly don’t want Micky’s career ending that way so we’re all doing everything we can, the medical team and Micky himself, in terms of getting back, for finals, hopefully.”
With McIlorum out for the foreseeable, Jez Litten will likely remain as the 80-minute hooker with Bill Leyland an unused sub against Wigan and then not named to face Leeds Rhinos.
