2006 Hull Kingston Rovers season

The 2006 season was Hull Kingston Rovers ninth consecutive season playing in England's second tier of rugby league. During the season, they competed in the 2006 National League Cup, the 2006 National League One season, and the 2006 Challenge Cup.

2006 was Hull Kingston Rovers' first season in which they fielded a squad of fully professional players, funded by sponsorships from companies such as Lloyds TSB. The club's victory in the National League One final against Widnes Vikings resulted in their promotion to the Super League, marking Hull Kingston Rovers' return to top-flight rugby league for the first time in 20 years.

Preseason friendlies

Date and timeVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceReport 8 January Hull F.C. A KC Stadium 6–34 Goddard Morton (1/1) 12,737 22 January Sheffield Eagles A Don Valley Stadium 44–24 Ford (2), Goddard, Garmston, Rivett, Murrell, Walker, Williams Morton (2/4), Couturier (4/4) 1,164 27 January Bradford Bulls A Odsal Stadium 12–28 Murrell, Cockayne Morton (2/2) 5,800 5 February Gateshead Thunder A Gateshead International Stadium 10–28 K. Welham, Brett Skelton (1/2) 287

National League Cup

Hull Kingston Rovers, defending champions of the 2005 cup, were drawn into Group 6 of the 2006 National League Cup:

Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVReport 12 February; 16:00 Round 1 York City Knights A Huntington Stadium 32–2 Morrison, Ford, Murrell, Fisher, Smith Morton (1/1), Murrell (1/1), Couturier (3/3) 2,809 Not televised 19 February Round 2 Featherstone Rovers A Post Office Road 32–6 Cockayne (2), Murrell (2), Smith Morton (4/4), Couturier (2/3) 2,046 Not televised 24 February Round 3 Sheffield Eagles A Don Valley Stadium 44–22 Cockayne (2), Steel (2), Gallagher, Barker, Ford, Goddard Couturier (5/7), Morton (1/2) 1,347 Not televised 5 March Round 4 Featherstone Rovers H Craven Park 50–18 Couturier (3), Goddard, Williams, Morton, Webster, Tangata-Toa, Murrell Morton (5/6), Couturier (2/3) 3,130 Not televised 19 March Round 5 York City Knights H Craven Park 52–14 Ford (5), Smith (2), Joseph, Steel, Fisher Morton (1/2), Couturier (4/6), Murrell (1/3) 2,649 Not televised 26 March Round 6 Sheffield Eagles H Craven Park 52–12 Ford (4), Morrison, Gallagher, Couturier, Goddard, Murrell Couturier (7/8), Murrell (1/1) 2,314 Not televised 23 April Round of 16 Halifax R.L.F.C. H Craven Park 88–6 Steel (2), Ford (2), Smith (2), Goddard (2), Aizue (2), Couturier (2), Barker, Joseph, Morton Couturier (14/15) 2,306 Not televised 7 May Quarter-finals Whitehaven R.L.F.C. H Craven Park 37–10 Morton (2), Tangata-Toa, Gallagher, Cockayne, Steel Morton (6/7)Drop goals Murrell 2,366 Not televised 18 June Semi-finals Doncaster Lakers H Craven Park 38–6 Ford (2), Morrison, Gallagher, Webster, Cockayne Morton (6/6), Couturier (1/1) 3,016 Not televised 16 July Final Leigh Centurions N Bloomfield Road 18–22 Goddard, Ford, Cockayne Morton (2/3 + 1 pen.) 7,547 Sky Sports 2

National League One

Fixtures

Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendancePos.Report 9 April Round 1 Oldham Roughyeds A Boundary Park 48–8 Webster (3), Murrell (2), Couturier, Gallagher, Cockayne, Rivett Couturier (6/9) 1,658 1st 14 April Round 2 York City Knights A Huntington Stadium 51–18 Couturier (2), Smith, Steel, Webster, Aizue, Rivett, Cockayne, Goddard Couturier (7/9)Drop goals Webster 2,822 2nd 17 April Round 3 Leigh Centurions H Craven Park 30–6 Goddard, Rivett, Steel, Murrell, Fisher, Joseph Couturier (2/6)Drop goals Webster (2) 4,647 1st 30 April Round 4 Halifax R.L.F.C. H Craven Park 30–22 Cockayne (2), Netherton, Gallagher, Goddard Couturier (5/5) 3,045 1st 14 May Round 5 Widnes Vikings A Halton Stadium 42–28 Cockayne (2), Gallagher (2), Morton, Murrell, Webster, Goddard, Morton Morton (7/8) 4,331 1st 28 May Round 6 Oldham Roughyeds H Craven Park 80–6 Steel (3), Smith (2), Martins, Gallagher, Webster, Murrell, Ford, Joseph, Price Morton (12/14) 2,859 1st 7 June Round 7 Doncaster Lakers A Belle Vue 28–24 Ellis, Goddard, Murrell, Gallagher, Webster Murrell (3/6 + 1 pen.) 2,190 1st 11 June Round 8 Whitehaven R.L.F.C. H Craven Park 74–12 Fisher (3), Morton (3), Steel (3), Cockayne (2), Joseph, Rivett Morton (11/14) 3,151 1st 25 June; 12:45 Round 9 Rochdale Hornets A Spotland Stadium 66–16 Cockayne (3), Ford (2), Tangata-Toa (2), Aizue, Murrell, Joseph, Morrison, Morton Morton (9/12) 1,131 1st 2 July Round 10 Batley Bulldogs H Craven Park 42–8 Ford (3), Webster, Morton, Murrell, Cockayne, Rivett Morton (3/5), Couturier (2/3) 3,013 1st 9 July Round 11 Halifax R.L.F.C. A The Shay 38–14 Gallagher (2), Goddard (2), Webster, Fisher, Ford Morton (5/8), Couturier (0/1) 2,106 1st 23 July Round 12 Widnes Vikings H Craven Park 49–24 Steel (2), Webster (2), Netherton (2), Cockayne, Goddard, Whittle Couturier (4/5), Morton (2/5)Drop goals Webster 4,128 1st 2 August Round 13 York City Knights H Craven Park 21–10 Aizue, Cockayne, Fisher, Steel Brooks (1/1), Weisner (1/3) 3,036 1st 6 August Round 14 Leigh Centurions A Hilton Park 10–36 K. Welham, Joseph Couturier (1/2) 2,810 1st 13 August Round 15 Rochdale Hornets H Craven Park 26–12 Cockayne, Gallagher, Goddard, Webster, Smith Weisner (3/5) 3,111 1st 20 August Round 16 Whitehaven R.L.F.C. A Recreation Ground 12–48 Brooks, Ellis Couturier (2/2) 2,063 1st 3 September Round 17 Batley Bulldogs A Mount Pleasant 28–24 Ford (2), Webster, Steel, Weisner Couturier (4/5) 2,027 1st 10 September Round 18 Doncaster Lakers H Craven Park 30–22 Ford (2), Smith, Tangata-Toa, Cockayne Couturier (3/5 + 2 pen.) 3,631 1st

Table

Play-offs Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceReport 24 September; 15:00 Semi-finals Widnes Vikings H Craven Park 29–22 Aizue, Steel, Cockayne, Fisher Morton (4/4 + 2 pen.)Drop goals Murrell 6,872 8 October, 15:00 Final Widnes Vikings N Halliwell Jones Stadium 29–16 Goddard (2), Ford, Murrell, Weisner Morton (4/5)Drop goals Murrell 13,024

Challenge Cup

Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVReport 12 March Round 3 York Acorn H Craven Park 62–1 Goddard (3), Morton (3), Rivett (2), Smith (2), Fisher, Gallagher Morton (6/9), Couturier (1/3) 1,748 Not televised 2 April; 15:30 Round 4 Hunslet R.L.F.C. A South Leeds Stadium 22–0 Cockayne, Rivett, Fisher, Stephenson Couturier (3/4) 1,259 Not televised 21 May; 15:30 Round 5 Featherstone Rovers H Craven Park 44–12 Fisher, Netherton, Barker, Murrell, Rivett, Smith, Goddard, Cockayne Couturier (3/4), Murrell (3/3), Smith (0/1) 2,432 Not televised 4 June; 14:05 Quarter-finals Warrington Wolves H Craven Park 40–36 Ford (3), Cockayne, Aizue, Goddard, Morton, Barker Morton (4/9) 7,012 BBC Two 29 June; 12:30 Semi-finals St Helens N Kirklees Stadium 0–50 12,868 BBC One

Transfers

Gains Player Club Contract Date Ben Cockayne Doncaster Lakers 2005 Ben Fisher Halifax R.L.F.C. 2005 Jon Goddard Oldham Roughyeds 2005 Kirk Netherton Doncaster Lakers 2005 Gareth Price Rochdale Hornets 1 year 2005 Desi Williams Wigan Warriors 1 year September 2005 Iain Morrison Huddersfield Giants October 2005 Francis Stephenson London Broncos 2 years October 2005 Phil Joseph Swinton Lions October 2005 Scott Murrell Leeds Rhinos December 2005

Loans in Player Club Loan period Date Sébastien Martins Catalans Dragons One month May 2006 Jon Whittle Castleford Tigers End of season July 2006 Matty Brooks Bradford Bulls One month July 2006 Pat Weisner Harlequins RL End of season July 2006

Losses Player Club Contract Date Dale Holdstock Sheffield Eagles 2005 Andy Raleigh Huddersfield Giants 2 years September 2005 Paul Fletcher Sheffield Eagles 1 year September 2005 Phil Hasty York City Knights September 2005 Kane Epati Doncaster Lakers September 2005 Paul Pickering Sheffield Eagles September 2005 Loz Wildbore Doncaster Lakers September 2005 Mark Blanchard York City Knights October 2005 Jamie Bovill York City Knights Part-time November 2005 Alasdair McClarron Sheffield Eagles January 2006

Loans out Player Club Loan period Date Phil Joseph Celtic Crusaders End of season July 2006

Squad

Notes

References