Hull Kr stun Brisbane to lift World Club Challenge after Litten admits he 'had nightmares'
Hull Kr sealed a historic World Club Challenge triumph in a match that blended early dominance with a nervy finish, while hooker Jez Litten revealed he had been having nightmares about one opposition player in the build-up. The Robins built a commanding lead, survived a fierce comeback and completed a season that cemented their remarkable resurgence.
Hull Kr roar out of the blocks with five-try blitz
The contest swung decisively in the first half as Hull Kr produced a sensational attacking display. A series of precision kicks and opportunistic finishing — including a standout kick from Jez Litten that set up Elliot Minchella's try — propelled them into a 30-4 advantage. Debutant Tom Amone, Joe Burgess, Oliver Gildart and Peta Hiku also crossed, with the side seemingly in full control after the opening exchanges.
That early onslaught owed much to an effective kicking game that forced errors from the visitors and created one of the clearest first-half scorelines in recent fixtures. When the second half began it looked as though the match might be a comfortable closing act to an already extraordinary campaign for the English club.
Litten nightmares and a breathless finish
Jez Litten admitted he had been ill during the week and had been having nightmares about the Broncos' full-back, a fear that added personal stakes to his sharp contributions on the night. His kick to the corner that sent Minchella in remains a defining moment from the first half, part of a sequence that seemed to put the game beyond doubt.
Brisbane, however, mounted an unforgettable fightback, scoring four tries in a 16-minute spell in the second half to trim the advantage and set up a frantic finale. The visitors produced a 20-point burst that left the stadium tense as the Robins had to defend desperately to preserve a 30-24 outcome. In the end, the exhausted yet resolute side held firm and claimed the trophy.
From brink of extinction to holding all four major titles
The victory confirmed a full-circle moment for the club. Hull Kr entered the match on the back of a domestic campaign that saw them secure the treble of Challenge Cup, League Leaders' Shield and Super League Grand Final, achievements that followed a recovery from the brink of extinction in the past quarter-century. Their World Club Challenge success means they now hold all four major titles, the first club to do so since a quadruple-winning side in 2024 and the first to achieve that spread over two seasons since a team did so in 2006-07.
That context transformed the night from a single-game triumph into the culmination of a wider revival. The players, coaches and supporters saw the win not only as a club milestone but as a statement for the wider game in their nation, delivering a rare international club success for an English side.
The match will be remembered for its contrasts: a dazzling, clinical opening from Hull Kr, a terrifying mid-game resurgence from their opponents, and a final period of defence that preserved a slender margin. Jez Litten's candid pre-match fears and decisive involvement encapsulated the drama — a player who had been unwell and unsettled by opposition threats still helped fashion the key moments that led to silverware.
