Walker signs for Hull KR after short spell in union

Chev Walker is back in rugby league after a year away and will not be Hull KR's last recruit for next season. Walker yesterday signed a three-year-deal with last year's promoted club.

"It's a huge signing for us," said the Robins' coach, Justin Morgan. "It's a statement of intent about where we want to take the club." Morgan plans to use Walker exclusively as a centre rather than in his usual international role in the second row. "He will add a lot to our back line," he said. "He had plenty of other offers and we are delighted he chose us."

Walker started just eight matches in the season since he left Leeds Rhinos to play for Bath on a lucrative three-year contract partly funded by the Rugby Football Union. "He's a rugby league lad through and through and I think he regrets trying his hand at rugby union," Morgan said.

Rovers have already recruited the New Zealand threequarter Jake Webster, Ben Galea, Shaun Briscoe and Peter Fox, and Morgan said there would be at least two more next week.

Relegated Salford have lost another player with their prop, Gareth Haggerty, joining Harlequins.

The final place in the Super League play-offs will be decided tonight. Wigan will sneak into the top six, despite their four-point deduction for breaking last year's salary cap, if they beat St Helens.

Wigan have Harrison Hansen back from suspension and Gareth Hock from injury and the match will be the last at the JJB – and, if they lose, the last anywhere – under the chairmanship of Maurice Lindsay. Lindsay is standing down after almost 30 years as the game's most high-profile administrator.

If Wigan fail to win, Warrington can grab sixth place by winning at relegated Salford. While they might normally be expected to manage that, they are without eight first-teamers.

Leeds need to beat Wakefield to make sure of second place. They have Ali Lauitiiti back in contention after a knee injury. Should they slip up, Bradford can leapfrog them by winning at Hull. A major boost for the Bulls is the return of Shontayne Hape.

Apart from second place, Leeds have a number of records in their sights. They should record their highest average attendance since the war, Kevin Sinfield could become their first player to score in every match of a season and Keith Senior will be the first in the game to play 300 rounds of Super League.