Hull KR travel to Leigh Leopards on Saturday afternoon with James Batchelor ruled out by concussion protocols, and Willie Peters has named his strongest available squad for the trip to Leigh Sports Village.

The Hull KR coach did not rule out changes before next week’s Super League clash with Wigan Warriors, but said he would wait until after the Leigh game before deciding whether to tweak his plans. Peters said the team is moving in the right direction and becoming more reliable in defence after winning its last seven games in all competitions.

Batchelor’s absence only became clear yesterday, adding another late adjustment for a side that is trying to keep momentum while managing a schedule that is tightening around a Challenge Cup final that is drawing nearer. Peters has been through a similar build-up before. Last year, he rested players including Peta Hiku and Dean Hadley as Wembley approached, showing he is willing to balance short-term selection calls against the bigger picture.

That is why the Leigh fixture matters beyond the two points on offer. Hull KR arrive with form on their side, but Peters is still asking for more than results. He said the side was once too focused on getting the win rather than the process, and now he wants performances to carry them through the closing stretch. “I always say this around the time where you know where your teams heading,” he said. “We're heading in a positive direction, that's for sure.”

He added that the team is not at its final level yet. “Are we finished product yet? No we're not. There's still a way to go to get to where we want to get to,” Peters said, while stressing that the emphasis has shifted to doing the basics well and letting the result follow. “What we've done well is at the start of the season we were probably too focused on getting a result more so than the process and performance,” he said. “It's basically perform well and see where we are at the back end of the game.”

For Hull KR, the next step is simple enough: get through Leigh first, then turn to Wigan next week with a clearer view of how much room there is for rotation. Peters did not sound eager to commit either way. “We'll get through this week first, we'll have a look at it and see where we're at,” he said. “That's obviously changed a few things, and in general, you might have a plan and things happen. We’ll get through this game first, and see where we’re at.”

The unbeaten run has given Hull KR a cushion, but the late loss of Batchelor underlines how quickly that cushion can narrow. If Peters chooses to make changes, it will be because the larger picture is coming into focus. If he does not, it will be because the team is still strong enough to keep pushing on both fronts at once.