ELLIOT MINCHELLA is determined to build on the memory of last season’s near-misses and steer Hull KR to silverware starting with tonight’s Super League derby opener at Anlaby Road.
Minchella kicks off his fifth season at Craven Park and his first as captain having played a pivotal role in Rovers’ re-emergence last season, when they reached the play-off semi-finals and suffered an agonising Challenge Cup final defeat to Leigh.
But despite the plaudits directed at both himself and his team, the 28-year-old insists he was far from satisfied and wants to see his side take the next step and bring a first major trophy to club in almost 40 years.
“We came up short last year,” admitted Minchella. “It was a great experience to play at Wembley and in a Super League semi-final, but we came home with nothing and the trophy cabinet got nothing added into it.
“That’s massive motivation for me. When you get so close to success, it’s an addictive feeling, and you want to go one better and get over the line.
“We’ve made a few semi-finals in the last few years but I’m not happy with that. When I finish playing, I’m not going to look back and think that was really good. I want to have a medal around my neck and to win trophies for Hull KR.”
Minchella assumes the captaincy from Shaun Kenny-Dowall, who has retired to take up a place on the coaching staff, and is one of a number of high-profile departures in the off-season, including the less-than-serene exits of Jordan Abdull and assistant coach Danny McGuire.
But head coach Willie Peters looks to have recruited well, with Tyrone May their high-profile addition from Catalans, while NRL back Peta Hiku and rugged ex-Wakefield prop Jai Whitbread both look set to boost their hopes of another impressive season.
Hiku and May are both set to start for Rovers in one of the most eagerly-anticipated openers of recent times, while hosts Hull are without influential home-grown prop Brad Fash, for whom the derby means more than most.
Hull head coach Tony Smith, who is also acutely aware of the passions that swirl around the Hull derby having first tasted it at KR before his controversial cross-city switch, is also keen to use to kick-start a more promising campaign after last year’s poor 10th place finish.
“I think it’s great that the new season is kicking off with a Hull derby,” said Smith.
“We can sit here and say it’s just another game but when you live in the city you see how passionate people get about their teams, they have to live next door to rival neighbours and it’s a big deal for a lot of people.
“It’s also very important for us because in the previous few years we probably don’t have a good record against KR at our home stadium, so it’s important for us to get rid of that and give our supporters something to cheer.”
