Thomas Minns returns to Hull KR until end of 2019 season

Hull Kingston Rovers can confirm that centre Thomas Minns has returned to the club for the remainder of the 2019 campaign.

The 24-year-old left KCOM Craven Park in April 2018, and will be able to rejoin the team following the expiration of his doping ban on July 15, resuming first-team training from June 1.

Minns first arrived at the club in time for the 2016 campaign, and went on to make 49 appearances for Rovers until his exit, scoring 34 tries.

Part of the side that earned promotion back to Super League in 2017, Minns proved a popular figure in east Hull and comes back to the team for the rest of the year.

“I’m absolutely over the moon to be back here. It’s been a long journey, I’ve learned a lot about myself and I’ve put a lot of wrongs right in my life,” Minns exclusively told Hull KR TV.

“I really appreciate Mike (Smith, CEO) Neil (Hudgell, owner) and Tim (Sheens, head coach) for offering me a second chance to represent this great club and I am raring to go.

“I cannot wait for that first time when I get to pull on that Hull KR jersey again. It’ll be quite an emotional day for me and my family.

“When I received my ban, Neil, Mike and Tim got a lot of support for me through my psychiatrist, so we’ve always been in touch with regards to them helping me, checking up on me.

“They were great in that respect and we kept on speaking as friends so to speak. We were coming up to the date to return training and had a chat about potentially coming back to the club. It was brilliant of them to even think of that – a lot of clubs who have been in similar situations haven’t done that so I appreciate it.

“I want to keep up that try-scoring record that I have here at the Robins. I’m going to bring a lot of enthusiasm and I have a totally different outlook on life now. I want to help people who are struggling too, but also want to put my personal thoughts to one side and concentrate on rugby whereas before, it wasn’t like that.

“I came to see a lot of the boys the other day and it felt like I’d never left – we reminisced on good memories. The club aren’t in the best of positions at the moment but I hope I can lift the mood and when I play I will absolutely give 100 per cent like I always did.”