The remarkable unwanted statistic Hull KR still need to shake after Catalans Dragons defeat

Hull KR finished fourth last year, enjoying a tremendous campaign. The task this year was – and still is – to improve upon that, but a heavy defeat at Catalans Dragons this evening put a dent into the Robins’ top three hopes. And having gone back through the results lists, we’ve discovered a rather remarkable fact.

Since their promotion back to the top flight in 2017, KR haven’t won an away game in the regular Super League season against any side which went on to finish in the top three – a run which spans 21 games and could get worse come the end of this campaign!

Having already lost out at home to Warrington Wolves this year, who you’d expect to be in the mix come the end of the year, Willie Peters’ side went down 36-6 to Catalans in Perpignan this evening.

We, and most with any interest in Super League, would be very surprised if the Dragons aren’t well in the mix for a top three finish again this year, too.

Of course, we don’t know for sure that the Dragons will finish in the top three. But if they do, we could well be coming back to this article at the end of the year to add another game to the list…

The remarkable unwanted statistic Hull KR still need to shake after Catalans Dragons defeat

This is KR’s seventh year back as a Super League side, and across the six seasons that have gone before it, they have faced 21 away games in the regular campaign against teams who ended up finishing in the top three.

The full run down of the 21 games is below, with a mammoth 20 defeats and one draw, that draw back in 2018 – their first season back amongst the elite.

Not included is KR’s play-off victory at Warrington in 2021, as this was not a regular league game. The Wolves had finished 3rd that season.

Elsewhere, KR did actually win two ‘away’ games against Salford – who finished 3rd – in 2019. One though was in the Challenge Cup and the other was at Anfield during Magic Weekend that year, so doesn’t count as an official away game for either team.

2023 – Hull KR finishing position: 4th

Away games against:

1st place: Wigan Warriors – Lost 64-6 (Round 21)

2nd place: Catalans Dragons – Lost 26-12 (Round 5) & Lost 38-4 (Round 15)

3rd place: St Helens – Lost 28-6 (Round 22)

2022 – Hull KR finishing position: 8th

Away games against:

1st place: St Helens – Lost 26-18 (Round 15) & Lost 38-12 (Round 24)

2nd place: Wigan Warriors – Lost 46-4 (Round 21)

3rd place: Huddersfield Giants – Lost 26-12 (Round 2)

2021 – Hull KR finishing position: 6th

Away games against:

1st place: Catalans Dragons – Lost 29-28 (Round 1 – Held behind closed doors at Headingley during COVID-19) & Lost 32-30 (Round 24)

2nd place: St Helens – N/A (Didn’t play an away game against them due to format changes during COVID-19)

3rd place: Warrington Wolves – Lost 50-26 (Round 5)

2020 – Hull KR finishing position: 11th

Away games against:

1st place: Wigan Warriors – Lost 30-16 (Round 6)

2nd place: St Helens – Lost 21-20 (Round 12)

3rd place: Warrington Wolves – Lost 40-10 (Round 8 – Held behind closed doors at Headingley during COVID-19)

2019 – Hull KR finishing position: 11th

Away games against:

1st place: St Helens – Lost 36-24 (Round 8)

2nd place: Wigan Warriors – Lost 52-10 (Round 21) & Lost 36-18 (Round 25)

3rd place: Salford Red Devils – Lost 17-16 (Round 29)

2018 – Hull KR finishing position: 10th

Away games against:

1st place: St Helens – Lost 26-4 (Round 17)

2nd place: Wigan Warriors – Lost 44-6 (Round 9)

3rd place: Castleford Tigers – Drew 24-24 (Round 18)