Lewis: Parents convinced me to pursue rugby league dream

Mikey Lewis is one of the hottest properties in Super League but were it not for his parents he could have given up on the game.

The Hull KR half-back has started the new season with two tries in as many games but hark back five years and such a scenario appeared highly unlikely.

Having missed out on a place in the City of Hull Academy, a 15-year-old Lewis was considering whether he had a future in rugby league, only for his parents to intervene.

"I thought about doing something different," said Lewis, speaking to his childhood idol Danny McGuire ahead of Friday's Betfred Super League game with Castleford, live on Sky Sports.

"When Rovers and Hull merged into the City of Hull Academy my mum got a letter through the post saying I didn't get picked.

"That week was hard for myself and my family. I sat my mum and dad down and just said my heart's not in it anymore and that I might need another focus.

"But they saw how much hard work I'd put in and said I can't give up now. They gave me a few things to work on."

That perseverance paid off as Lewis' performances for West Hull earned him an academy spot for the following season. And he was soon moving across to the east side of the city.

"I was only 16 when Tim Sheens and Webbo [James Webster] spoke to me about coming down to train," he said.

"I was playing for City of Hull Academy then, I played in Catalans for my debut and did pretty well. They spoke to me just after the game, saying that if I wanted to train I could come down a couple of times a week.

"It was a shock really. The first thing I did was call my dad and told him the news. He was really happy for me."

After scoring seven tries in seven appearances during a loan spell with Newcastle Thunder, Tony Smith handed