Reiss Butterworth: Dewsbury Rams skipper thanks club after sealing ‘dream move’ back to Super League with Hull KR

The 24-year-old, who captained the Rams to League 1 glory in 2023, has signed a two-year deal with Rovers, returning to the sport’s head table having featured for Huddersfield Giants in Super League in 2019.

However, the Wakefield-born hooker spent most of his time on loan before signing for Dewsbury ahead of the 2021 campaign, where he also began training to be an electrician.

That apprenticeship came to a premature end after he put pen to paper to join the Robins.

“It is a dream move,” Butterworth said. “I was still planning on playing at Dewsbury next year and completing my apprenticeship to be a qualified sparky. That was the goal. All of a sudden there was some interest, one meeting led to another and, luckily for me, I have been given the opportunity to go back into that full time environment.

“I have put all my eggs in one basket to get another opportunity at playing Super League. It has been a dream of mine to get back there. I am just going all at it and giving it one final crack and giving it the best chance I can.

“It wasn’t really a difficult decision to say ‘yes’, as you don’t play rugby forever and I want to play at the top level. When Hull KR come calling you can’t say no to it.”

He added: “I just didn’t think I would get this opportunity again. That’s why I got an apprenticeship to be an electrician. I thought, ‘That’s it for me, I’ll play part-time and learn a trade.’

“Thankfully, after a good year, Hull KR have taken notice and it’s my time to work hard and show that I can hopefully play at the highest level in the country.”

Butterworth - who can’t wait to join up with “familiar faces” Matty Storton and Elliot Minchella, who he knows from his time at Bradford Bulls, as well as his team-mate from his college rugby league days, James Batchelor - however, knows he is in a competition to claim a spot in KR’s starting 13 when the new season arrives.

He said: “I can’t wait. I have got to turn up in November, train hard in pre-season and put my best foot forward to be given an opportunity at some point because, obviously, there are two great hookers there in Jez Litten and Matt Parcell.”

Thanking the Rams after three seasons at FLAIR Stadium, the former captain said:

“It’s just a massive ‘thank you’ from me. I can’t thank the fans enough and the club itself. It is a well run club and it is a family orientated club.

“People that work there, everyone behind the scenes, the coaching staff, people behind the bars and in office - I can’t thank them enough.

“People like Ray Abbey, who sorts everything out, Chilly (Chris Hill) the kit man - it is an outstanding club and I can’t thank them enough for helping me progress my career.”