The 2023 season was Hull Kingston Rovers' seventh consecutive season playing in England's top division of rugby league. During the season, they competed in the 2023 Super League season and the 2023 Challenge Cup.

Prior to the sacking of Tony Smith as head coach on 4 July 2022 and resultant temporary appointment of Danny McGuire for the rest of the 2022 season, Hull Kingston Rovers announced in May 2022 the appointment of former South Sydney Rabbitohs halfback and Newcastle Knights assistant coach Willie Peters as the team's head coach for the 2023 season in a three-year deal.

Preseason friendlies

Date and timeVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceReport 20 January; 17:45 Featherstone Rovers A Post Office Road 0–28 2,976 5 February, 15:00 Leeds Rhinos H Craven Park 26–4 R. Hall (2), Opacic, Ryan, Litten Coote (1/2), Dagger (1/2)

Super League

Fixtures

Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVPos.Report 18 February; 13:00 Round 1 Wigan Warriors H Craven Park 27–18 Kenny-Dowall (3), R. Hall, Linnett Coote (3/4), Lewis (0/2)Drop-goals: Abdull 10,029 Channel 4 4th 23 February; 20:00 Round 2 Salford Red Devils A AJ Bell Stadium 24–10 Wood (2), Ryan, Halton Dagger (4/4) 5,565 Sky Sports 1st 3 March; 20:00 Round 3 Leigh Leopards H Craven Park 25–30 Kenny-Dowall, Lewis, Batchelor, Abdull Dagger (4/4)Drop-goals: Abdull 8,448 Sky Sports 3rd 10 March; 20:00 Round 4 Warrington Wolves H Craven Park 10–18 Halton (2) Coote (1/2) 8,082 Sky Sports 4th 18 March; 18:00 (GMT) Round 5 Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus 12–26 Milnes, R. Hall Lewis (2/2) 7,682 Sky Sports 7th 24 March; 20:00 Round 6 Wakefield Trinity A Belle Vue 34–6 Opacic (2), Wood, Senior, Linnett, Lewis, Minchella Lewis (0/3), Coote (3/4) 4,705 Sky Sports 7th 31 March; 20:00 Round 7 Leeds Rhinos H Craven Park 20–12 Senior, Sue, Linnett Coote (4/5) 8,512 Sky Sports Arena 5th 7 April; 12:30(Good Friday) Round 8(Rivals Round) Hull F.C. A MKM Stadium 40–0 R. Hall (3), Opacic, Batchelor, Coote, Lewis Coote (6/8) 20,985 Sky Sports Arena 4th 14 April; 20:00 Round 9 St Helens H Craven Park 26–14 Lewis (2), Coote, Litten Coote (5/5) 8,540 Sky Sports Arena 4th 21 May; 20:00 Round 10 Castleford Tigers A The Jungle 12–7 C. Hall, Parcell Coote (2/2) 7,110 Sky Sports Arena 3rd 5 May; 20:00 Round 11 Huddersfield Giants H Craven Park 28–0 R. Hall (2), Batchelor, (2), Opacic Milnes (4/7) 8,490 Sky Sports 3rd 12 May; 20:00 Round 12 Warrington Wolves A Halliwell Jones Stadium 14–21 Ryan, Linnett Lewis (3/3) 10,179 Sky Sports 3rd 25 May; 20:00 Round 13 Wigan Warriors H Craven Park 22–26 R. Hall, Parcell, Batchelor, Johnson Lewis (3/4) 8,068 Sky Sports 3rd 3 June; 13:30 Round 14(Magic Weekend) Salford Red Devils N St James' Park 16–26 Minchella, King, R. Hall Coote (2/2), Lewis (0/1) 36,943 Sky Sports 5th 10 June; 18:00 (BST) Round 15 Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus 4–38 C. Hall Lewis (0/1) 9,453 Sky Sports 7th 23 June; 20:00 Round 16 Wakefield Trinity H Craven Park 28–12 Opacic (2), Senior (2), Lewis Milnes (4/5) 8,185 Sky Sports 7th 30 June; 20:00 Round 17 Leigh Leopards A Leigh Sports Village 4–34 Lewis Milnes (0/1) 6,012 Sky Sports 7th 9 July; 12:00 Round 18 Hull F.C. H Craven Park 6–16 Walker Milnes (1/1) 10,050 Sky Sports 7th 14 July; 20:00 Round 19 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley Rugby Stadium 19–18 Schneider, Opacic, Senior Milnes (2/3)Drop-goals: Schneider 13,728 Sky Sports 8th 28 July; 20:00 Round 20 Castleford Tigers H Craven Park 34–16 Opacic, Kennedy, Linnett, Minchella, Batchelor, Ryan Milnes (5/6 + 1 pen.) 8,636 Sky Sports 6th 4 August; 20:00 Round 21 Wigan Warriors A DW Stadium 6–64 Walker Milnes (1/1) 11,464 Sky Sports 5th 18 August; 20:00 Round 22 St Helens A Totally Wicked Stadium 6–28 Lewis Schneider (1/1) 11,258 Sky Sports 7th 25 August; 20:00 Round 23 Leigh Leopards H Craven Park 52–10 R. Hall (2), Lewis (2), Linnett (2), Kenny-Dowall, Minchella, Senior, Litten Schneider (8/11) 8,013 Sky Sports Action 7th 1 September; 20:00 Round 24 Catalans Dragons H Craven Park 26–18 Kenny-Dowall, Linnett, Walker, Lewis Schneider (5/5) 9,012 Sky Sports 6th 8 September; 19:45 Round 25 Huddersfield Giants A Kirklees Stadium 26–18 Kenny-Dowall, Abdull, Linnett, Senior Schneider (3/4 + 2 pen.) 4,628 Sky Sports 6th 16 September; 19:30 Round 26 Salford Red Devils H Craven Park 12–0 Batchelor, R. Hall Schneider (1/2 + 1 pen.) 9,848 Sky Sports 5th 22 September; 20:00 Round 27 Wakefield Trinity A Belle Vue 56–12 Storton (2), Schneider (2), Litten (2), Walker, Lewis, Opacic, R. Hall Schneider (8/11) 4,710 Sky Sports 4th

Table

Play-offs Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVReport 29 September; 20:00 Eliminators Leigh Leopards H Craven Park 20–6 Walker, R. Hall, Luckley Schneider (3/3 + 1 pen.) 9,305 Sky Sports Main Event 7 October; 12:45 Semi-finals Wigan Warriors A DW Stadium 12–42 Minchella, Litten Schneider (2/2) 15,162 Sky Sports ArenaChannel 4

Challenge Cup

Hull Kingston Rovers were first drawn on 24 April to play the Batley Bulldogs at home in Round 6, confirmed following Batley's Round 5 34-16 victory against the Keighley Cougars the day prior. Following a 50-0 victory against Batley, Hull Kingston Rovers entered the quarter-finals and were drawn at home to the Salford Red Devils.

After winning 28-10 against Salford, Hull Kingston Rovers were drawn into the semi-finals against league leaders Wigan Warriors, to be played at the neutral Headingley Rugby Stadium. A contentious match saw Hull Kingston Rovers win the match in extra time on golden point rules with a drop goal by Brad Schneider, sending the club to the Challenge Cup final for the first time since their 50-0 defeat to Leeds Rhinos in the 2015 final.

Hull Kingston Rovers emerged as runners-up at Wembley Stadium against the Leigh Leopards, who won the match in extra time on golden point rules with a drop goal by Lachlan Lam. The 2023 final was the first time a Challenge Cup final had been held without either Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves or St Helens participating since 1986.

Date and timeRoundVersusH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceTVReport 19 May; 20:00 Round 6 Batley Bulldogs H Craven Park 50–0 Ryan (3), Linnett (2), Kenny-Dowall (2), Lewis, Luckley Lewis (5/7), Wood (2/2) 5,143 Not televised 17 June; 12:00 Quarter-finals Salford Red Devils H Craven Park 28–10 R. Hall, Zenon, Linnett, Kenny-Dowall, Hadley Milnes (4/5) 6,289 Viaplay Sports 1 23 July; 17:00 Semi-finals Wigan Warriors N Headingley Rugby Stadium 11–10 Senior, Ryan Schneider (1/2)Drop-goals: Schneider 10,926 BBC One 12 August; 15:00 Final Leigh Leopards N Wembley Stadium 16–17 Litten, Parcell Schneider (2/2 + 2 pen.) 58,213 BBC One

Transfers Gains Player Club Contract Date Rhys Kennedy Brisbane Broncos 2 Years June 2022 Louis Senior Huddersfield Giants 2 Years July 2022 Sauaso Sue Newcastle Knights 3 Years July 2022 Tom Opacic Parramatta Eels 2 Years August 2022 James Batchelor Wakefield Trinity 2 Years August 2022 Yusuf Aydin Wakefield Trinity 2 Years August 2022 Sam Luckley Salford Red Devils 2 Years September 2022 Corey Hall Wakefield Trinity 2 Years March 2023 Brad Schneider Canberra Raiders End of season July 2023

Loans in Player Club Loan period Date Tanguy Zenon Catalans Dragons Two weeks June 2023 Fouad Yaha Catalans Dragons Two weeks June 2023 César Rougé Catalans Dragons Two weeks August 2023 Isaac Shaw Wakefield Trinity Two weeks August 2023 Luke Thomas Warrington Wolves Two weeks August 2023

Losses Player Club Contract Date Korbin Sims N/A Retirement August 2022 Albert Vete Castleford Tigers 2 Years September 2022 Ben Crooks Keighley Cougars 2 Years September 2022 Adam Rusling Cornwall R.L.F.C. 1 Year October 2022 Tom Wilkinson Dewsbury Rams 1 Year October 2022 Nathan Cullen Cornwall R.L.F.C. 1 Year October 2022 Will Maher Halifax Panthers 2 Years October 2022 Bailey Dawson Castleford Tigers 1 Year December 2022 Charlie Cavanagh N/A Released January 2023 Brad Takairangi Dapto Canaries January 2023 Tom Garratt N/A Retirement February 2023 Will Dagger Wakefield Trinity 1 Year March 2023 Lachlan Coote N/A Retirement June 2023

Loans out Player Club Loan period Date Greg Richards Toulouse Olympique End of season January 2023 Connor Barley York Knights End of season March 2023 Jimmy Keinhorst Keighley Cougars One week March 2023 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e Keighley Cougars Two weeks June 2023

Squad

Notes

References