Jewitt pens new two-year contract

Hull Kingston Rovers forward Lee Jewitt has signed a new two-year contract extension to keep him at KCOM Craven Park until at least the end of the 2020 season.

The 31-year-old prop was out of contract at the end of the current campaign but has become the latest first team player to commit his future to the club.

Jewitt told www.hullkr.co.uk/tv: “It was probably one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make. The club is such a good club, the fan base is phenomenal and the lads and the coaching staff are brilliant.

“The way training is structured is spot on and I think we do things differently to how any other club trains. If you look at most clubs, everybody trains in a similar way and does the same things day in, day out so when I came here I was kind of taken away by it.

“It took me a bit of time to adjust to how we train and the processes we go through, but it’s a lot better on the body and mind. The conditioning staff are probably the best I’ve worked with. That was another massive factor for me and then obviously you’ve got Sheensy who again speaks volumes for himself. It was a no-brainer to stay.”

Having completed a number of qualifications away for the game, Jewitt has also taken a great interest in player welfare and the mental health aspects of the sport in particular, with this something the ex-Wigan, Salford and Castleford front-rower will be continuing during his new contract with the Robins.

“I had the choice to go into player welfare or to start working with psychologists on cognitive behavioural therapy and the mental health side of the game, but I would have had to retire because it’s hard to do that alongside playing rugby.

“I’ve signed up for two more years here and after that I’ll make a decision on where I’m at and where I want to go. For me, it’s about improving mental state and I speak with a lot of the younger guys at the club on that because for me it’s under-estimated.

“Off the field over these next two years I want to help instil a culture and a mindset across the club because that’s something we talk about a lot.

“On the field, I just want to give it my all. I don’t want this club to be fighting for where we are now, I want to be turning it around and thinking ‘Are we going to the Grand Final?’ For me it’s just a big two years of giving it everything I’ve got.”

A full interview with Jewitt is available at hullkr.co.uk/tv now. Sign up for a Hull KR TV membership via the link from just £5 or purchase individual videos On Demand for £1.99.