I have mentioned earlier that our fitness levels are not good enough and i was concerned when Smith came out with the comments about taking the pre season fitness training easier.
I think it was part of keeping pre season injuries to a minimum but clearly the team is one or two levels below the fitness they should be at this part of the season.
As for HKR from what i have seen they are certainly fitter and faster than Hull FC

Agree that we dont look fit enough but playing devils advocate...has he seen how we have dropped off at the end of seasons and decided to start slow and then increase the intensity later in the season? Whatever we were doing previously on fitness hasnt worked for approx 10 years, even in 2016 had a post cup win slump.

If we somehow manage to drop even further yet again this summer then honestly I really do give up

That night, Club Hull, was Shaul. Horne, Yeaman. Houghton and Green.
So the only 2 at the club now are Shaul and Houghton..

Staveley and Lane in for Sao and Scott

Litten
Macintosh
Carlos
Sutcliffe
Swift
Hoy
Clifford
Tag
Houghton
Evans
Savelio
Griffin
Cator
Subs
Dwyer
Satae
Brown
Fash/Lane
I'm leaving Lover, Gardiner and Staveley out and I'd be tempted to rest Fashy this week.

Not far off a full strength squad.
I think Litten has to go to full back as Lovodua at 6 just isn't working.

We need some size in our forwards. Having the probability of Brown fash Cator lane on at the same time isn't great. We can have a couple no problem. Think we will see a couple of big boppers signed for next year.

With Staveley playing 80 minutes each week in the back row at Newcastle, I don't see the wisdom of naming him in the squad, if he isn't going to get any game time?

Newcastle are playing in the CC this weekend so our DR players aren't eligible afaik so a lot of it will be giving him experience of being around the 1st team squad I'd imagine.

Ah ok, makes sense then!

I'm half in the mind of leaving Evans out the 17 and having Gardiner on the bench but purely for his experience is why I'm considering Evans when going up against Warringtons pack. I'm not convinced by Houghton if I'm honest as he just looks done, even his good point in terms of his defence is now lacking, just don't see what he brings anymore.

Something i have mentioned several times.
Most teams have bigger backs than these players.
Also Cator and Lane are penalty machines

Evans in the 17

Hardly surprising and McIntosh back on the wing
Its the old drop you for one game and lets see a reaction

The club posting highlights of our last win at the HJ in 2016. Can’t believe it’s the same
Club. Ellis and Minichello were something else.

Certainly highlights just how poor the recruitment and retention has been over the past 5 years and how far we’ve gone backwards from our best group of players in SL to a group of bang average players in the main.