Hearts defender gives Kye Rowles Edinburgh lowdown and warns Hibs 'bigger things to come' from city's 'biggest club'

The Australia team-mates took to Instagram for a live Q&A with their national side, as the Socceroos camp prepares to play-off against Peru for a place at the World Cup in Qatar this year.

As he recalled his own move from Down Under to Gorgie, Atkinson couldn’t resist joining in a cheeky wind-up at his team’s rivals’ expense, agreeing Rowles had joined the ‘biggest club’ in Edinburgh.

Atkinson told his new Tynecastle team-mate the lie of the land – as he sees it – during the social media stream and pitched into the city rivalry when asked what it’s like to be at the biggest club in Edinburgh.

"It’s great. I got there in January but got Covid but after that it’s been great to be at the biggest club. Obviously getting a couple of wins over the other team in Edinburgh is always good – and knocking them out of the cup, but bigger things are coming next season.”

Having seen Jackson Irvine and Martin Boyle depart in the past year, Hibs added to the Australian contingent in the city’s football community with the signing of Lewis Miller this week following Hearts’ recruitment of his Central Coast Mariners team-mate Rowles. The new signing admitted he was keen to get started with Robbie Neilson’s squad and already preparing an introductory song for his team-mates.

"I’ll try and dig out an Aussie classic,” Rowles said, but six months since signing Atkinson had an admission. “I haven’t done my initiation yet. We only had two away games we had to stay overnight and I was sick for both. I’m going to do Sweet Caroline.”

On his move Rowles added: “I have heard great things from Nate and Cammy Devlin. I can’t wait to get over there. I know it’s a massive club and I’ve heard it’s an amazing city so I’m very excited to see what it’s like over there and potentially make my debut – I can’t wait until that day.”

The pair are currently in their national team base camp in Doha for the games, having helped defeat UAE and set-up the one-off shot at qualification.