Australian Willie Peters has enhanced his glowing coaching reputation after guiding Hull KR to a rare trophy treble as they outplayed world club champions Wigan to win the Super League grand final 24-6 at Old Trafford.
Peters' side, inspired by English ace Mikey Lewis and the former NRL great Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in his farewell match, delivered a superb four-try display to add the British game's biggest trophy to the Challenge Cup and League Leaders Shield that they'd annexed earlier in the season.
The 46-year-old former Wigan, Illawarra and South Sydney player Peters, who'll be a key part of Kevin Walters' Kangaroos' coaching team in the Ashes later this month, is increasingly becoming a target to oversee NRL clubs after his extraordinary transformation of Rovers.
"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.
But the Robins' joy came on a grim night for favourites Wigan, who were guilty of a host of mistakes, two of which came early when they had Hull KR rocking.
Bevan French, the Australian playmaker so often their hero, produced a dazzling inside pass that Liam Farrell should never have spilled with the line at his mercy.
Then it was French's turn to make a mess of getting on the end of a neat cross-field kick, failing to ground the ball over the line when under pressure from the electric Lewis, who lived up to Peters' demand for him to "own this grand final just like Reece Walsh did the week before."
He did just that, brilliantly slaloming through Wigan's undermanned ranks after Wigan's Brad O'Neill had been sin-binned for a tip-tackle on former Penrith NRL grand final winner Tyrone May.
"Mikey Lewis has arrived," declared Peters.
"I mean, in big moments, and it doesn't get bigger than a grand final. He owned that first half ... I'm so proud of him."
Joe Burgess, who had a brief spell in the NRL with the Sydney Roosters and Souths, went over for a score when Wigan were down to 12 too as Hull KR overcame early nerves to take control.
Despite Aussie Adam Keighran's long-range penalty just before the break, Wigan were well on the back foot and trailing 10-2 at the interval.
But they looked right back in it when their other Australian ace Jai Field, short-listed as one of Super League's players of the season, jinked his way into space and sent Harry Smith over, but Hull KR soon reasserted control as Jez Litten started and finished a slick attack.
Burgess then snapped up a late interception to swan-dive over, relieved to avoid becoming the first man ever to lose in five grand finals, and launch Rovers' celebrations for their first triumph in the Super League era.
It proved an emotional night for New Zealander Waerea-Hargreaves, who saved one of his best, most barnstorming performances for his last ever match, capping a glorious career just days after he feared he'd be banned for the final for a high tackle, only for Rovers to successfully appeal.
"It's all over," smiled the 36-year-old prop who also celebrated three grand final triumphs with the Roosters in 2013, 2018 and 2019.
"I'm doing it for my kids, I wanted them to see dad, be proud of what he does. I absolutely love what I do, it's been an amazing journey. I've been fortunate to play in Sydney for many years, and then to come to such a great club over here."
