Hull KR set to replace Ian Watson as Nathan Cayless creates new backroom staff role

Hull KR will look to bring in a replacement for Ian Watson in the coming weeks but the role will look a little different, head coach Nathan Cayless has confirmed.

Watson was with KR throughout the 2026 season, working under Willie Peters at Craven Park as an assistant coach. However, he has made the decision to leave the club in order to join Kevin Walters' new look backroom team at St Helens for next season.

It's a club that is closer to his North West home and after a year in Hull, he has made the call to head back across the Pennines.

It means KR are currently a coach light, but Cayless has confirmed that they will be appointing a new coach in the coming weeks to work as a development coach. Luke Gale and David Hodgson will be Cayless' two recognised assistants next year, while the new man will be focused on those on the fringes of the first-team group.

Their primary aim will be to help the young players transition into first-team players, with the suggestion that they'll also have a hand in the reserve team as well next season.

"We will bring another coach in, we'll bring in a development coach," Cayless confirmed in his first interview as head coach with the Robins. "There'll be myself, Luke Gale, Dave Hodgson, those two guys have done a great job and we've built up a really good relationship over the last month just talking to them and we're really clear with how the roles sit.

"As the head coach you come in with a vision and how you'd like the team to play with the ball and without the ball, so we have a very clear philosophy of the footy and how we want to play.

"Then it's up to all of us as a group to make sure we're owning our areas and that's not only the coaches, it's performance staff, welfare, everyone in the club. I've got full confidence that everyone will contribute and everyone will do a great job because that's what's been done in the past."

He added: "Ian Watson has done a great job for the club, he's served the club really well this year. It's tough that he is leaving but he's leaving for family and personal reasons.

"I can't wish Watto any more than all the success at St Helens. For us, it just means that we can bring in another coach that can really focus on the development of squad member number 20 down to 36 and help those young players transition and play their footy like a first team player, getting them ready as early as possible so we can continue to strengthen our squad and drive that sustained success."

Choose Hull Live as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.