Any mileage in putting Marsh in at full back to give him game time? Play Ben on the wing (for his goal kicking!) to avoid chucking the young lad in. If Thornley isn't fit maybe we'd be better with a forward at centre than Sio. For me we might as well play Dixon - if it comes off we might get some excitement.

I'm just hoping for no more embarrassments like the last derby / cup. Just lets be competitive and look like a rugby team.

I don't think we've many real options though, unless Campo makes a surprise return we've no game changers to introduce so we've just got to stick to the usual suspects and hope they play like a team that's more than the sum of its parts. Sometimes they do, just hope its Sunday.

Cockayne
Sio
Minns
Horne
Thornley
Campo
Kelly
Tilse
Lunt
Walker
Blair
Greenwood
Clarkson

Allgood
Green
Donaldson
Lawler

That team would be the strongest line up by far we have been able to field all season and certainly good enough to be competitive.

The only major absentee is Mantellato , ok there's still Larroyer, Salter, Shaw, Dixon, Mulhern (have I missed anyone?) unavailable but it's doubtful if many if any of those could displace those who will be playing.

Joe Wardill in any other season would have been told well done a couple of weeks back and would now be furthering his education again in the COHA. If he plays against Hull he will be targeted and exploited he doesn't need that. Thornley is a highly experienced and prolific try scoring winger so Horne can play at centre and Blair back to his best position in the back row.

I think we might win this game. Hull are a very good team and will be there or thereabouts but like everyone else will have their blips now and again. The mental part is the biggest thing, they have been massively intense - they knew they had to be - in beating Saints & Wigan so however they talk this game up they may not quite have the same edge 3 weeks running. They are due a dip and I just sense Rovers will give them a challenge they don't need.

fair post mate

I'm out of the 19 due to alcohol poisoning. Those pesky Geordies spiked my Diet Coke with JD.

My head feels like it's had a Frenchman living in it.

Old Blackadder line ...