Time to step up Patrick Mago! This exactly the kind of game we signed him for.

Satae and Sao have been great for Hull when I’ve watched them and Evans off the bench should be a handful.

Mago has been pretty quiet the last few games imo after a hot start but needs to step up here big time.

Really looking forward to this game and, as you say, Mago in particular. Shame Ellis not playing as would be good to see the difference those two guys have made to your front row against a big pack.

Like you say, shame Ellis isn't playing as a front row rotation of Ellis, Byrne, Havard and Mago should be good enough to mix it with any in the league if they're good enough (if you get my drift). Plenty size, metres, workrate and impact in those 4. It's early days in some ways as Mago and Ellis are new to the country, although they seem to have settled quite well so far, and Havard is only 1 game into his return.

Hull are a big pack and probably start favourites to win the middle but we need to see our guys at least compete.

Those 4 just need to keep improving. It feels like a 4 prop rotation that isn’t quite ‘there’ yet in terms of taking it to Catalans or Saints but there’s loads of development in them all and we just need to make sure they keep progressing. I’ve been really impressed with the strides Byrne has made this season and the early signs are that Havard will make similar progress as well. In terms of a middle forward (as annoying as that term is) Morgan Smithies has also had a good start to the season and is playing well.

I agree NK, and is what I meant by 'if they're good enough'. Individually they each bring something to the table. They need to do it consistently and, perhaps just as important, as a unit.

I think the comment that it's not quite 'there' yet is also right. However, as I've posted elsewhere, it's early days in many ways. There is improvement to be had across the board.

Byrne has had an excellent start and now just needs to go out with the attitude that he's there on merit. I think it's easy to forget he's only 22 and he probably still feels like a young player coming through, which of course he is. The sky's the limit with both him and Havard but we need to give them time.

Smithies has surprised me a little this season. He seems to have curbed his temper and is concentrating on his rugby and he's much better for it. He's gone well at prop in an understated way. Solid rather than spectacular but putting good drives in and his usual quality defence.

They’re all going to be good players. Let’s just hope it’s with us and for a long time. I’ve been happy with Ellis and Mago but with the feeling that there’s more to come. As well as our homegrown players being young, it’s easy to forget those two are reasonably young and certainly in experience terms they are.

I look at the elder statesmen of that front row in Singleton and it’s he that we really need to make sure he’s leading them and is playing at his best. The side were awful at the back end of last season but Singleton was actually very good for the last couple of months. He started this season slowly bar one really good showing against Huddersfield. We need that level out of him on a regular basis. I feel we’re one experienced prop light at times but when Singleton is at his best, he can be that man. We just need it more often, starting tonight if he plays.

There's undoubtedly more to come. It's easy to forget that it often takes time to settle into a new country and work environment. Singleton needs to step up for sure or his place shouldn't be guaranteed. The four mentioned are all currently better and I think both Partington and Smithies are more than capable of doing his job too. He was very good against Huddersfield. That's the standard he needs to set for himself. Anything less shouldn't see him in the side when everyone is available.

Definitely big up the middle but if we can get a few offloads away with the speed in the pack we should be able to get them on the back foot

Bateman starting at centre, French on bench, Smith/Singleton start

Not really sure how to read this one. Are we saying that Bateman is above Zak in the pecking order, or that they just don't trust Miski (yet)? Or is it Bateman off, Zak to centre and Bevan to wing?

Yep, strange one, looks like a fair bit of shuffling around when/if French comes on unless he does a straight swap on the wing but then we lose our main goal kicker

No.
Yes.
Yes.

Great to see the starting props do a full 20. Smithies looks our best option at 13 whenever he plays there, he’s doing it from the off this weeks which is promising.