One of the highlights of the Super League calendar is the traditional derby day slot for Good Friday and this year is no different. There are five matches in Super League on Friday and they begin in Hull as red and black collide in the first Hull derby of the season.
These two have been in Super League long enough now for this to have been re-established as a stand out occasion in the season and whenever they come together we get fireworks aplenty. I’m expecting no different here.
Hull KR haven’t got off to the best of starts this season but they came good last week when they were too good for Salford but for the fourth week in a row they shipped 30pts and you’re not going to win many matches in this competition doing that.
Rovers will be delighted to have Albert Kelly back from injury and they will need him with Terry Campese missing for the home side once again. Kieran Dixon is back in the squad for this match while Graeme Horne and James Greenwood are in the squad too despite picking up knocks in last week’s win.
Hull FC flew out of the traps this season but then hit a bit of a wall but they came back to life last week albeit against a Wakefield side who already look out of their depth at this level. That was the perfect pick-me-up to take into this match though and it will be interesting to see if FC start fast off the back of that.
Mahe Fonua is back for the visitors for this match which is a further boost to their morale. He replaces Jack Logan in the squad which means that Hull FC head across the city with near enough a full strength squad. Leon Pryce remains an absentee though which is a bit of a blow.
This should be a perfect starter to a big period of sport over Easter. There is never any love lost here and I don’t expect there to be when they collide in this one either. Both sides go into the match off the back of positive results last week which should add to the quality of the match too which is good.
I’m going with the visitors here though. I accept taking on Hull KR on their own patch isn’t always the wisest thing to do but there is a massive gulf in class between the two forward packs in my eyes and as a result Hull FC are much more effective defensively.
The Black and Whites have won the last three meetings between these two sides and I’m not really surprised by that. Hull KR are so reliant on Albert Kelly and one or two others but Hull FC aren’t stupid. They’ll have plans in place for him and once his impact has been minimalised they can ride on the back of their forwards to feast on this weak Rovers defence and win this one with a bit to spare.
Back Hull FC (-6) to beat Hull KR for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Coral
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