But isn't this the problem? We gift possession with errors and our attack is non-existent. This could be the perfect storm of a result.

I think you have a chance, we aren't playing brilliant, but are winning, discipline and handling is still not where it should be, against Wigan our defence was amazing for 60 minutes, Wigan has some much possession, due to the above factors, eventually we got too tired and gaps appeared, it certainly didn't help Houghton going off after 8 minutes (already had made 12 tackles), he wont play on Saturday. Watts will be back though and could have a couple of outside backs returning for this one.

Our defence looks excellent this year, but our attack hasn't fully clicked, although it has in parts, if we that does, we won't be far off winning something again this year, Kelly has been amazing and Griffin has started to play well.

On paper it should be a Hull win, but you look at your squad and see very dangerous players, so for some reason I am not that confident.

I would quite like to see some changes this week.

Firstly drop Russell. When he is on form he can make big yardage but he isn't, and we can't afford the errors.

Move Gidley to FB and Ratch to centre. Ratchford is our best FB but he is needed in the centre of the field where he can both create chances and defend the line.

Bring back Patton with Brown in the halves. I wouldn't say Patton has been outstanding, but he is young and needs the game time. This year should be all about seeing if he will make it as our HB for 2018. Brown hasn't exactly impressed either, but he needs runners around him to provide options, and so far that just has not happened. Between the two of them they ought to be able to produce a kicking game with perhaps Ratchford contributing. If we can't make good field position on the last tackle we will be dead in the water.

From our youngsters, King needs to stay in the centre and Livett on the bench, whilst Johnson provides pace on the wing. Ryan Jones (U19) is also very quick but it may be too much to expect him to make a wing debut, which I suppose only really leaves Evans for the other wing spot.

I don't think there are many options for the pack. You could swap Westwood for Philbin, but what we really need from the pack is the desire to simply run hard at the opposition and get the ball played quickly. We need to see some dummy running as well rather than just one man taking the ball up.

No off-loads inside our 40m (Cooper / Sims), no charge-downs at all (TS). No speculative 20m passes, keep it simple and lets see if we can at least get a close score against a very good Hull side.

Gidley
Evans
Ratchford
King
Johnson
Patton
Brown
Hill
Clark
Cooper
Westwood
Hughes
Westerman

Simms
Crosby
Dwyer
Livett

....and now more CHARGE-DOWNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And kick to try and regain possession from every kick off...not just the last kick when 20 odd points down and 3 mins left on the clock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looking at the that side, it is hard to explain why you haven't won a game, backs lack a bit of spark, but your spine of Gidley, Brown and Clarke are good and your starting pack has 5 England Internationals (plus Hughes who is a good player) in it.

Maybe it is lacking in the backs to get into the top 4, but you should easily be top 8.

Was Sandow that good last year?

Anyone else on here wondering how Jack Hughes has escaped any criticism in the media from TS like Dec Patton has, Hughes has been by far the worst of our lot so far for me , even despite his miss tackles and handling errors he seems to run aimlessly infront of defenders and end up going no where, great athlete Shite Rugby player

I think our beloved Airlie Birds may have to fly through a perfect storm on Saturday if they are to keep your losing run going.... and our winning run too.
You're lads are going to throw absolutely everything at us first 30, I'm sure of that. TS won't need a team talk.
If we can weather that storm and keep our heads then our rugby may have to be played 2nd half. A reversal of what happened at Wigan the other night.
But thats usually the way we go, were normally strong finishers even with our biggish pack.
Its going to be a great spectacle of head to head physical attrition from the off. I can't wait to get there.

Hull 2nd have stunk against the Pies...and with it your theory.

Just out of interest ,Who do you think these very dangerous players are? Personally I think we have Clark, Hill and Ratch who are only just back from injury and Currie who is a long way from coming back..
If Hull turn up with anything like a decent attitude on Saturday you'll have it won at HT.

Sandow (IMO) was very good in the first half of last year but decidedly average in the second.

But to get back to the match, we are playing so poorly atm that all you need to do is make five decent drives and kick to our 20m. After that we will fail to make the half way line and make a string of errors in the process. It's basic rugby errors and a pack that can't seem to make the yardage that is our main problem. Consequently we play most of the game in our own half of the pitch. It would be a luxury to complain that our pack was getting us close to the opposition line but that the backs were unable to score. In our last 4 matches we have averaged 11 points.

If you watch most of the penalties he has given away in the ruck he has be quite harshly judged IMO and never seems to win a 50/50 call. A second rowers job isn't just simpley to run the ball in. that's the job of a prop. He is supposed to provide the same service to his centre that his centre is supposed to provide the winger. The problem is that our attack is so Pi** poor and our back line is that woeful that the ball reaches the second row only for him to find his centre standing flat and doing pretty much next to nothing. Which results in having no choice to take a tackle. If by some miracle the ball reaches the centre the centre is stood flat, drawn no defence, and gets caught with the ball.

I don't think many people realise just how important the centre position is. Good centres take pressure off the two men either side of them and open up gaps in the defence for exploitation. Its a position we've been very weak in for many years now, since King left really.

The last 2 or 3 years have seen the Wire struggling to score from within 15 yards of the line ,our best chances have been coming ,until this season ,from 20 to 30 yards out.

I think a valid question is "Do the players want to win this match ?"

Well I'm going for Hull score 1st where our heads drop which results in another defeat + a club record consecutive 7th at that which hopefully results in Smith resigning buts that's wishful thinking on my part.

The 3 you have mentioned, Russell, Brown and Westerman, although that is mainly based on past form, rather than current

Hope he resigns I really do, but I can't see it, he's too proud
But surely the club have gave him an ultimatum by now because 6 points off middle eights no matter what point in the season is abysmal, it's beyond the pale.