Broncos learn World Club Challenge opponents as JWH in more controversy in Super League final
Willie Peters and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves helped Hull KR make Super League history.
Joe Burgess scored a double and Mikey Lewis crossed in the first half when Brad O’Neill was in the sin-bin for a lifting tackle on former Panthers player Tyrone May. Only the Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos, St Helens and Wigan had ever won in a Super League grand final before Hull KR’s breakthrough moment, adding a third trophy this year having already won the Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield.
Waerea-Hargeaves was immense for Hull in the final game of his professional career. After winning three premierships with the Roosters in the NRL, he’s now a Super League champion as well. The 36-year-old is heading back to the Roosters in 2026 to work with the club’s young forwards in a coaching role.
His performance in the Super League final didn’t come without controversy, with many believing he was lucky to stay on the field. He was penalised for a high tackle in the first half before what looked to be an elbow on Junior Nsemba that was missed by officials in the lead-up to Hull’s decisive third try.
Waerea-Hargeaves was originally rubbed out of the grand final by a three-match ban, before it was overturned on appeal and he was allowed to play. One person wrote on social media on Saturday night: “How did any of the officials miss the clear elbow to the head by JWH on Ensemba in the tackle? A straight red and I’m a Rhinos fan. HKR then go into score.”
Another wrote: “Did nobody see JWH elbow Junior in the head as he got up?” While a third added: “Let’s ignore the blatant elbow to the head by JWH that shouldn’t be playing…”
Peters enhanced his growing reputation as a coach, and will be an assistant to Kevin Walters for the Kangaroos’ Ashes campaign against England later this month. “They’re all legends to me – we’re the fifth team to do it,” beamed Peters of the ‘treble’ that only one other Australian coach has ever achieved – St Helens’ mentor Daniel Anderson back in 2006.
Broncos to play Hull KR in World Club Challenge
Hull’s victory sets up a tantalising showdown with the NRL premiers Brisbane if the World Club Challenge goes ahead in 2026. The game was scrapped in 2025 because the Panthers refused to play Wigan due to concerns over player welfare.
Penrith didn’t want to travel to the UK for the game before then heading to Las Vegas for the opening round of the NRL season, believing it didn’t give their players enough time. NRL CEO Andrew Abdo and Broncos boss Dave Donaghy have both declared they want the World Club Challenge to go ahead in 2026.
The Broncos appear likely to have to travel to England for the game because Hull are playing in Vegas in 2026, while Brisbane aren’t. “We’ll wait and see who wins both competitions and then work with the RFL (Rugby Football League) to facilitate that,” Abdo said last week.
“In terms of when it’s played and where it’s played, we wait until we have both winners and work with both clubs. The World Club Challenge is pretty important to the game and quite unique and it’s definitely something we’ll work with the clubs on.”
Broncos CEO Donaghy said: “We understand it wasn’t played last year with Penrith playing in Las Vegas, but we do see it as an important concept for the growth of our sport internationally. I’ve seen it work both here and in the UK, so we’ll have those discussions with the NRL, understand how they see it working, and we’ll go from there.”
