Tony Smith's defence of Rowan Milnes as halfback looks to overcome difficult period

Hull KR coach Tony Smith has ensured Rovers playmaker Rowan Milnes will undoubtedly benefit from the amount of game time he has already received in 2022 and is on the right track to learning how to develop into a leading halfback each time he steps onto the field.

Since making a move from Bradford in 2020, Milnes has only made 20 Super League appearances for the Robins but has shown that he has the potential to become a regular in this Rovers side, with his sensational solo try in last year's derby defeat showing the level of composure and awareness he possess in his locker.

Milnes has come under scrutiny recently as the Robins have looked flat in attack and struggled to create dents in the opposition defence. Still, Smith believes the former Bradford Bulls star is ticking along nicely and learning to control different situations in good ball and bad ball as the current lead halfback, with partners Mikey Lewis and Jordan Abdull unavailable.

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"Rowan's got a big chance with Abdull out," said Smith. "It's a fantastic opportunity for him to nail down plenty of games. The only way to develop him is by playing, and that's what he's doing. He's experiencing some tough times at the moment but also doing some good things.

"He's learning how to manage games during different scenarios. All our young halfbacks are. The mix up in our spine hasn't helped. But, our connections are slowly getting there. Rowan is learning a lot this year."

Over recent weeks, the Robins have struggled with ball in hand, only scoring two tries in four games, but the stats show that Rovers are managing to break into the opponent's end of the field but are