Written by Mike Carter, Hull KR Shirts
It was announced on Friday, 13th December 2024, that Hull KR would reinstate their iconic number 6 shirt and it would be awarded to star halfback and reigning Steve Prescott Man of Steel, ‘Magic’ Mikey Lewis. The shirt number was previously retired in May 2016 after the sad passing of Club and Rugby League legend Roger Millward MBE.
Should the shirt number have been reinstated?
The decision to reinstate the number has been greeted, almost equally with support and opposition based on the comments I have seen online and the conversations that I have had with friends and fellow supporters.
I thought it could be quite interesting to consider both sides of the decision and formulate my own opinion based on the facts I have available to me. I don’t necessarily expect to cover everything, but I will do my best to consider as much as possible. Wish me luck!
At the time (back in 2016), I don’t think I fully understood what retiring the number 6 shirt would mean. Even as someone who was born years after Roger stopped playing, I was more than aware of Roger’s standing in the game and specifically at Hull KR.
Roger played 406 times for Hull KR over a 14-year playing career, and while a lot of his appearances did come in the number 6 shirt, he did play quite a few games at 7, and even some at 14 from the bench. Roger would then have a further 11-year spell as head coach in East Hull.
Roger’s legacy at Hull KR was also celebrated by the naming of the West Stand, known fondly as the Roger Millward West Stand, at our home, Sewell Group Craven Park. The naming of the West Stand allowed everyone to see (and say) Roger’s name as it sits proudly atop of the stand. Where as, in hindsight, the retiring of the number 6 shirt – which felt like a good thing to me at the time, actually inadvertently took away an opportunity from future generations of Hull KR players who aspire to be like Roger and continue the legacy of the number 6 shirt.
Two years after Roger’s passing, in 2018, Hull City Council announced that Garrison Road had officially become Roger Millward Way. Plans to rename the road had been revealed in the summer of 2016 a few short months after his passing, and on 26th January 2018, the name-switch was complete. Roger isn’t the first sports player to have a road in Hull named after him, as Clive Sullivan and Raich Carter, amongst others, also have a similar honour. Hopefully, we will be able to add Phil Lowe to that list in the near future as well…
The point that I am trying to make is that I believe there are better and far more fitting ways of commemorating former players than retiring shirt numbers. Player names and specific squad numbers are now a thing, and are something I look forward to being revealed year on year, but realistically it shouldn’t matter what number a player wears, it’s all about the job they do on the pitch.
Now this reversal has happened, I don’t expect or want there to be any ‘talk’ of retiring squad numbers at Hull KR ever again. It’s been done and reversed, and that says to me that we should never consider doing it again.
(Credit: Hull KR)
Naturally, the U-turn, which has come around 8 and a half years after the initial decision, has left some supporters with a bitter taste in their mouth. Whether the decision was correct or incorrect, should it have been stood by? Many would argue so, suggesting the original gesture becomes meaningless if you revaluate and change your stance.
I have noticed somewhat of a generational gap between the opinions on this, too. The older generation who were privileged to see Roger play appear to be less happy than the younger generation, who look to be more accepting of the return of the number 6. Granted this doesn’t cover everyone in each demographic, it is just an observation from what I have seen.
The 2010s are a bit of a blur for me, the club found itself in a strange position on various occasions and with hindsight in mind, was the shirt number being retired a knee-jerk reaction? As I previously mentioned, it removed the possibility for someone else to one day make it their own. Was this an oversight? In the past, we’ve been accused of “living in the 80s” and it can’t be argued that this decision has been made with the future in mind.
I know the decision to reinstate the shirt number will not have been taken lightly. Carol Millward, Roger’s wife, will have been heavily involved and consulted, as will Club Owner, Neil Hudgell. In fact, this was briefly covered by the YouTube video titled “The Number 6 Returns”…
The digital application of reinstating the number has been outstanding, though. The content created has been excellent, with Carol Millward, featured quite prominently throughout with Mikey, as she delivers a ringing endorsement for the shirts’ new heir and his ability to back it up.
For anyone who hasn’t yet watched the full video on YouTube, I would wholeheartedly recommend it.
Who was the last to wear Hull KR’s number 6 shirt and when?
Terry Campese was the last Hull KR player to wear the famous number 6 shirt, and that was against Leeds Rhinos on April 1st, 2016, on what was only the second occasion that he played in it. Terry would continue through the 2016 season with squad number 32, the lowest available number at the time of the retirement.
(Credit: Hull KR)
The first opportunity for Mikey to wear his new number will be in the Amsterdam Challenge, on Saturday 25th January 2025 in the Netherlands. As with any ‘friendly’ fixture, this isn’t a classed as a competitive game, so the yet to be decided Challenge Cup 3rd round tie will be the first ‘documented’ opportunity for Mikey Lewis. The most fitting occasion arrives the following week, though, as Hull KR welcomes one of Roger’s former clubs in Castleford Tigers to Sewell Group Craven Park in Round 1 of Super League 30 as both sides begin their campaigns.
I do have to add that I believe this isn’t a good scenario at this stage, but as most things do, I think it’ll work itself out over time. One thing I have been overly critical of in Rugby League is the sports lack of commitment to create superstars. Every major UK based sport you think of has at least one and more than likely multiple. Mikey Lewis could be not only a Hull KR superstar but a Rugby League superstar, too! Yes, he could have done that with the number 7 shirt, too, but how many times have you said to yourself, “Mikey isn’t a 7…” I know I have!
There is evidently a marketing tact at play here, too. The amount of kids (and even some adults) who will want “Lewis ‘6’” applied to their 2025 shirts is going to be ridiculous. I wouldn’t be shocked if the club had to order another heat press machine to help them cope with the demand!
(Credit: Hull KR)
Ordering name and number printing before the official squad number list is out is risky, and I would always advise against it, but just spare a thought for anyone who thought it was a banker that Mikey would retain the number 7 shirt ahead of the 2025 season and already has their shirt printed.
Mikey Lewis appears to be a magnet for pressure. The bigger the better for him and this move will only add to that. It almost strokes the ego of a man who is clearly destined for big things in the sport of Rugby League. Thanks for that line, DM-D!
To start to round this post out, I do think it’s the right call, at the right time and for the right person. I did wonder if this would happen in 2023 when Mikey signed his long term extension with Hull KR until the end of 2028, but when it didn’t, it felt like the ship had sailed. 12 months on, and Mikey has won the Steve Prescott Man of Steel, a feat not achieved at Hull KR in decades (since Gavin Miller in 1986) and he also guided The Robins to their maiden Super League Grand Final.
Players like Roger and Mikey are once in a generation talents. They don’t crop up all the time, and with so many comparable traits in their skill sets, I genuinely believe Mikey Lewis is worthy of this accolade. The stars have aligned themselves quite well here, and the fact it was even considered tells you how much the club and its board thinks about Mikey and his prospects for the future. It’s easy to forget that Mikey is still only 23-years-old with his best years ahead of him…
Here’s to many years of ML6 with Hull KR and hopefully the distinction of following further in Roger’s footsteps by winning many a trophy with Hull KR…
Up the Robins!
Never miss a new article when you subscribe to Hull KR Shirts. Just pop in your email below and tap ‘Subscribe’…
Hull KR Shirts 