Litten has been one of Super League’s standout performers this year.
10:17, 07 Sep 2025Updated 11:58, 07 Sep 2025
Hull KR’s Jez Litten made his England debut in 2023 against France.
Jez Litten revealed Hull KR boss Willie Peters never lets him “chill” – but he’s more than happy feeling the heat. The England hooker signed a new four-year deal with the Robins this week ahead of today’s huge derby against Hull FC.
Rampant Rovers hoped to be able to tie-up the League Leaders’ Shield this afternoon. But Wigan’s win in their own derby at St Helens on Friday means they can still mathematically catch Peters’ side, although the East Yorkshire club remain massive favourites with three rounds remaining.
On the back of that, and having also won the Challenge Cup in June, there’s little wonder Aussie Peters has attracted interest from his homeland. He went on record this week to say he’d turned down the chance to interview for the Newcastle Knights vacancy because he wanted to be fully-focused on helping the Robins – without a major trophy in 40 years before that Wembley glory – win the ‘treble.’
Litten, 27, said: “It’s great that Willie’s sticking with the club. Obviously he’s going to get those types of interest with the success he’s had with us and where he’s brought the club forward. I’m just happy that he’s sticking with us really and hopefully it’s for the long-term.”
On how he’s developed the game of Litten, who’s emerged as a Super League star this term, he added: “He’s honest with me. We have honest conversations. He speaks about where he thinks I can go but he pushes me a lot in training and pre-season as well. He’s that coach who never really lets you chill; he’s always onto you and that has been good for me.”
And it’s been good for the Robins as well who will move four points clear of champions Wigan with just two rounds remaining if they prosper today. Given KR’s vastly-superior points difference, that would all but seal a maiden League Leaders Shield.
But homegrown Litten, who played for Hull before crossing the city in 2019, conceded: “You can’t buy into these games thinking about outside noise and how good it would be [to win]; it’s the derby and history shows anything can happen.
“We’ll just focus on performance and make sure we get the stuff right we need to do performance-wise, and then hopefully we can get the stuff off the back of that. It’s something we want to pride ourselves on: being consistent each week and sort of where your best performance and worst performance isn’t too far off.
“The League Leaders’ Shield shows that because you’re being the most consistent team throughout the year and you’re pushing for the play-offs. It’s one of our goals at the start of the year to go after all three trophies. We’ve got one ticked off and we’d love to go get a second one. But Hull are a good team.”
Their fierce rivals could. Crucially, claim the sixth and final play-off spot if they sprang a major surprise at Craven Park. Wakefield’s shock loss at Castleford on Friday has left them vulnerable.
Litten continued: “They [Hull] are just a team that don’t go away. It showed when we played them on Good Friday and they had a red card and they nearly came back to win. It just shows, in a derby anything can happen; we’re expecting a hearty, and best performance from FC. We know we have to do that as well.”