Hull KR star Jez Litten has been touted to make an NRL switch alongside head coach Willie Peters with a possible landing spot also named.
Litten, who is contracted until the end of the 2029 season, was the standout in the World Club Challenge win over Brisbane Broncos but the 27-year-old had already impressed in last year’s Ashes and throughout the 2025 campaign.
In the eyes of former Hull KR player Willie Mason and his podcast co-host Justin Horo, who also spent time in Super League, Litten could be convinced to make the jump to the NRL alongside Willie Peters.
Peters is widely viewed as the hottest coaching prospect on either side of the equator and he’s been dubbed as ‘next up’ for an NRL coaching gig, having previously turned down an interview for the Newcastle Knights job.
Speaking on the Levels podcast, Horo said: “I’ve got a plan and I feel like we’re on the same page with this. Willie Peters, for me, is up next. He’s done an incredible job and every single player I spoke to for the Ashes over there absolutely loved Willie Peters.
“He’s next up and I think Seibs (Anthony Seibold), I’m slightly concerned about Manly, so I think he’s coaching for his job. Willie Peters was an assistant coach for Manly.
“Willie Peters, enjoy him while you’ve got him. I think he’s next man up, I think he’s going to get a job.”
Jez Litten and Willie Peters backed to swap Hull KR for NRL
Peters, like Litten is under contract, but the pulling power of the NRL is strong and clubs would have the financial assets to buy out contracts, with former KR player Mason claiming that both Peters and Litten could make the move as a duo.
On Peters, he declared: “He’s ready. If they (Manly) don’t make the eight this year, Seibs is gone and Willie Peters comes in.
“They don’t have a nine and Jez Litten is a nine. That’s it, that would get him over here. He trusts Willie Peters and Willie Peters trusts him and they don’t have a genuine nine.
“That would be the thing to set Jez Litten off, he’d go ‘I’ll come because of Willie Peters’.”
The pair also lauded Litten’s World Club Challenge performance, as well as his efforts in the Ashes with Mason claiming that the 27-year-old could ‘easily play NRL’ but that he might have to make the switch sooner than later, particularly given the fact he turns 28 in March.
On learning Litten’s age, Mason argued: “He better make the jump, I don’t think it would be a lack of the NRL wanting to get him, I think it would be him not wanting to come over.
“I reckon if he’s played for England and we’re watching him now, and there’s a shortage of nines in some teams. He could easily play NRL.”
“I’ve been super impressed with the small sample size I’ve seen,” Horo added.
“He didn’t start game one (of the Ashes), I think Daryl Clark started but he had a really good series.
“I’ve watched highlights of Hull KR during this run and he’s a f***ing gun. He’s a good player.
“He’s a genuine nine, he set up a try off a second phase kick as well and hits Minchella (for the second try). He’s a real player for them over there.”
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