I think the first 20 minutes will be a huge arm wrestle between to the two big packs. We've got to play to our strengths which is said big pack, good halfs and great finishers. Like you say they'll probably be lots of one out plays to the Props, especially with the likes of Fifita, England and Huby playing, to try to smash some meters down the middle, plus also with them utilising the offload. Keep picking out their middle men and running at them, making them tackle more and more, trying to get them flat footed to then create spaces. Then the likes of Wood will then be looking at scooting from halfback if there's any gaps in their defense.

The weather will depend on how much we sling it about but we have to use our back line, especially with the finishing talent we have. If Williams can do his magic, with his long passes and kicking game, that will let him feed the likes of Johnstone, Tupou etc. Also getting good accurate kicks to their wings when attacking in their 20 is a must, as I don't think their wingers are the best under the high ball.

Obviously starting well is a must, everyone on it from the whistle, with a fast line defense and we've got to be all over Kelly from the go . We don't need to give Hull a start and let them gain early confidence, otherwise it will be a long day. Also this year we've seriously got to cut out on the silly penalties, and the unforced errors. That alone will keep us well in the games, especially against the top teams.

On paper I think we are stronger, certainly of the backs were we have lost, Pryce and Yeaman, who have been replaced by Connor, Griffin and Kelly, who should give us the a better attacking edge than we lacked at times last year. Our strongest area our forwards are weaker as we have lost Pritchard, but we have plenty of cover including a couple of young forwards.

Tough game this for us, we haven't impressed in pre season, but haven't played many first team players and I don't read too much into them.

Very impressed with your signings, your pack looks good and have pace and good pivots, fully expect you to improve on last season.

What is the capacity, as expect we will bring over 3k plus, will have to get get my tickets before the game.

I actually disagree I think Hulls team is weaker... signing Kelly is a risk ... as every club he has played for realised... no Pritchard! Both Ellis and Minechello over 35 now... Griffin is a hit and miss player... and Connor needs time to settle... Yeaman gone.

We are bigger and more stable in the pack. Our younger players are a year more experienced.



This will be and excellent measure of our development and (and thus says something about the way I approach life) will be disappointed if we don't win this home fixture

Any which way you look at it, this is a tough match. Hull were very good last year and as a young coach Redford will have learned a lot from mistakes he made.

We are stronger than last year, more settled and we have more game breakers than any season in the last 6 or 7 years.

Didn't Hull play a full strength team in the defeat to Salford last week?

Pretty much full strength, this is the only game out of 5 friendlies we have played near full strength, we sounded poor to be fair, but it's only a friendly.

It easier to pick out the negatives (and positives) about any signings, same could be said for some of your signings like Grix, Huby and Williams. On paper our starting 17 is better than last year IMO, but we will have to see how it goes.

Really looking forward to this game, good test for both sides.

Dave K.

I think our capacity at the moment is around the 8k mark.

My advice would be to get there early.

Call in for a pint in the Ruddy Duck pub, about 10 minutes walk away from the ground, I will be in, as it is my pre match ritual

All the heroics in the world from the forwards will come to nought if we don't tighten up our right side online defence. The likes of Sneyd and Castlefords Gale have exploited this weakness to the full in the recent past.

Probably agree with your post spook more than most of the others. Hull haven't done well in the friendlies and you're correct in that they are an aging side. I've only seen the stills from the Salford game but Kelly looks to have quite a spare tyre for a half back.
Over the season I think Wakey will be like Cas have been for the last 3, they will have to score a lot of tries (which they are quite capable of) to offset a defence that looks very leaky to me on the evidence of the fist half of the Cas friendly.

He'll have learnt to stop whispering to the horses on Heath common for starters.

For me the defensive problems that we faced with Gale is something we struggle with against most halves we come across, and that is the fact we allow our opposing pivots far too much time and space.

Dont know how many times last year Miller and Finn were put on the floor or getting a poor kick in on the last due to been pressurised, we never did that.

Agreed; we seem to be in the habit of standing back and watching them do their thing - and if Kelly is on form, he'll make hay with that. I would very much like to see us targeting the halves and smashing them to bits at every opportunity.

First and foremost we have to get the fundamentals correct and start better.
To match Hull we need to start with decent linespeed, cut out daft errors/penalties and make sure our kicking game is up to scratch.

We can build from there as we will get some field position if we are able to stop Hull making 60+ metres every set.

ageing side? apart from ellis and mini, we have two players who have just turned 30 in january, the rest are all under 30!

whilst uncertain about the kelly signing, after seeing him in our club shop on monday, he didnt seem to have a spare tyre! especially when out pacing the wolfpack players the other week

aging side ? not really, shaul fonua tuime griffin, sneyd Kelly watts green Bowden taylor Hadley turgut, all 26 or under, manu 28, so not a team of old agers really,yes we have ellis and mini who are getting on a bit but nobody else over 30, sorry washy is,