Hull KR may have been crowned the new world champions – but it’s not enough to convince former prop Willie Mason that the Robins would finish anywhere but bottom in the NRL.
Rovers stunned the world last week after beating Brisbane Broncos to claim the World Club Challenge for the very first time. It prompted a fierce debate after the game about how they and other leading Super League clubs would cope in the NRL.
Brisbane coach Michael Maguire seemed to hint he thought the Robins would perform well – but Mason and Levels co-host Justin Horo seemingly disagree.
Mason, who had a stint with Hull KR in the latter stages of his playing career, insisted that NRL clubs simply do not care about the World Club Challenge like English teams, and in the week-to-week grind of the competition in Australia, Rovers would stand no chance of competing.
He said: “Because we (the NRL) don’t care as much about the game. You go over there and smash the drink all week and turn up.
“I know they keep beating us but they’re not better than us. There’s no way. If you put Hull KR in the NRL, (they would get the) wooden spoon. For that one game, they get up when we’re just not on that level. It means so much more to them, they smashed the Broncos.”
His thoughts were echoed by former Wakefield Trinity forward Horo, who insisted Rovers would be dead last if they were to have a crack at the NRL.
“Hull KR would get the spoon in the NRL and whilst I do believe that, it’s not like they’re complete mugs,” he said. “I still think that they would run the table in New South Wales and Queensland Cups.
“Some of these players like Jez Litten and Mikey Lewis have got NRL potential. There’s a heap over there. Potential is the word though because you might not be able to do it week in and week out but you can get up for a game and ambush them.”