Play-offs or no play-offs it’s imperative FC finish season on a real high...
THERE’LL BE NO FANS, BUT PLAYERS WILL GENERATE INTENSITY
Hull FC will look to claim the bragging rights when they take on Hull KR at the Totally Wicked Stadium tonight.
Opinion
Whether Hull FC can finish the season in the play-offs or not, it’s absolutely imperative they end the season on a high.
In its current format with three games remaining, Hull can mathematically still make the top four, despite it looking rather unlikely from their position of sixth.
There has been talk of restructuring the season, though, by bringing an end to the regular competition and enlarging the playoff picture to five, six or even eight teams, which could see Hull qualify.
That’s all hypothetical and FC can’t allow themselves to focus on the ifs and buts of the next few days as discussions continue.
Instead, they must focus on the three games they have left to play in the hope they can take some positivity into 2021 and that starts with a win in the derby.
Hull KR will approach the game with a similar mindset after their own miserable campaign and despite playing and losing twice in the last week, they’ll fancy their chances of shocking FC.
There’ll be no fans at the Totally
Wicked Stadium, which will give the clash a strange feeling, but it certainly won’t be a sterile affair, with both sets of players knowing the importance of the game and prepared to bring the intensity needed to claim bragging rights.
Rovers have struggled for form and on Sunday they hit the foot of the table with a convincing loss to Wakefield Trinity.
However, on occasions this season KR have been able to turn it on for the big contests. They’ve seen off Wigan at Headingley and they’ve pushed St Helens close on a couple of occasions, too.
Make no mistake, they’ll be up for this one and despite their lowly status, they’ll fancy their chances of an upset.
Hull will have to be on their game. They’ll have to keep their heads if things don’t necessarily go their way and they’ll no doubt be challenged right until the 80th minute.
They have set themselves high standards under Andy Last, particularly over the last month or so, and they’ll have no excuses should they come up short. Prediction: Hull by 18
What they said
Tony Smith: “Derbies are great occasions, usually with supporters there. But that rivalry is still there regardless of whether supporters are there or not.
“It’s certainly a match both teams traditionally get up for and look for special performances. We’re going to have to dig real deep.”
Andy Last: “You get a lot of derbies which can be won and lost and you get the odd comment like ‘they wanted it more than us’.
“I don’t feel as though that’s been the case in the last three or four years, I feel as though it’s the team that settles into their style of play and gets that momentum which is the most important part.
“The players will generate the atmosphere and emotion and we have plenty of local boys in there.”
The danger men
The Robins may be down on numbers but they still possess plenty of strike in dangerous areas. Ben Crooks has found joy against Hull in the past and he’ll be looking for another try against his former side, while Shaun Kenny-dowall and Kane Linnett can be a threat on the edges.
Jordan Abdull will be fired up to face his old club in Hull KR colours for the first time. He carries a real threat with the ball in hand and with the boot and FC will be keen to avoid giving him the space and time to pull the strings.
How Hull can win
There are seven Hull-born players in FC’S 21-man squad and while not all of them will be involved, they know how big this clash is for the city.
Last has been careful not to stress the emotion of the game and it’s imperative that those involved approach the clash in the right frame of mind, particularly the likes of Joe Cator and Jack Brown, who are gearing up for their first derbies in a Hull shirt.
FC will be confident but have to keep their heads if they struggle to find the breakthrough. Rovers might look to frustrate Hull at times so it’ll be up to the Black and Whites to break them down.
Hull KR 21-man squad: Ben Crooks, Shaun Kenny-dowall, Kane Linnett, Jordan Abdull, Robbie Mulhern, Matt Parcell, Weller Hauraki, Harvey Livett, Dean Hadley, George Lawler, Will Dagger, Mikey Lewis, Nick Rawsthorne, Matty Gee, Will Maher, Elliot Minchella, Matty Storton, Nathaniel Peteru, Will Tate, Rowan
Milnes, George King.
Hull FC 21-man squad: Bureta Faraimo, Carlos Tuimavave, Josh Griffin, Jake Connor, Marc Sneyd, Scott Taylor, Danny Houghton, Chris Satae, Josh Jones, Manu Ma’u, Ligi Sao, Joe Cator, Jordan Johnstone, Jordan Lane , Brad Fash, Josh Bowden, Andre Savelio, Mahe Fonua, Jack Brown, Cameron Scott, Ratu Naulago.