Hull look to recreate derby passion for Giants challenge

Fri 31 Jul 2009

Hull FC will be looking to build on a spirited performance against Hull Kingston Rovers last week, as they prepare to lock horns with an in form Huddersfield Giants side.

The Black and Whites were on the wrong end of a 24-18 defeat at the hands of their close city rivals Hull KR, while the Giants recorded an efficient 36-12 victory over the Catalans Dragons to bag their fifth consecutive win.
Hull coach Richard Agar has named an unchanged 19-man squad for the clash on Friday night, with Kirk Yeaman included once again despite a groin problem.
The 26-year-old will be given until the very last minute to prove his fitness, while the game comes too early for Jamie Thackray who hasn’t quite recovered from a hamstring problem
Thackray is one of a string of players who are close to finally climbing off Hull’s extensive injury list, with the former Leeds man and teammates Danny Washbrook and Tom Briscoe, all in with a shout of a return against the Catalans in France, next time out.
Agar said, “We have a similar squad, the same 19. It is a week too early for Thacks and Kirk Yeaman is probably our biggest doubt.
“He has had a run around with the boys so we will see how he goes, but I am anticipating a pretty similar side to last week.”
He added, “ It looks more likely we’ll have a few back for next time, it is a bit like buses really, we might even have as many as four or five back, so we’ll see how that goes.”
Meanwhile, Giants coach Nathan Brown welcomes back Jamahl Lolesi, David Faiumu and Keith Mason for the trip to the KC Stadium.
All three players have returned to the squad, joining Danny Kirmond who made his comeback from injury against Catalans last week.
David Hodgson may also be one to watch, after a superb try scoring run of late, which has seen him mix it with the big boys at the top of Super League’s try scoring table, with 15 tries to his name already this season.
But despite the Giants recent good form, head coach Brown is underestimating the threat of Hull.
“Hull have lost a few of their games lately, but I just think they’ve been a bit unlucky; they’ve got plenty of good players,” he said.
“They’ve obviously had some injury worries, but I think pretty much across the park they’ve got plenty of strong players.
“ Its one of those games, if they can get themselves on the front foot against any team they’re hard to handle. They can all attack and don’t lack any ability in that department, so the start of the game will be really important for us.”
Likewise, Brown’s opposite number knows that Huddersfield pose a difficult challenge.
“They possess some great dangers and are going well with five wins and there will be a few, I am sure, trying to put their hands up for a cup semi-final next week,” said Hull coach Agar.
“I think they have been the achievers of Super League so far and with the confidence they have right now, I think they probably won’t be afraid of facing anybody.”
Despite what promises to be a full-blooded encounter between both sides, much of the talk during the build-up this week has been about the disallowed try for Hull’s Gareth Raynor against Rovers last week.
The Great Britain winger looked set to touch down with what could have proved to be the game winning try, only for referee Mr Silverwood to haul the play back because of an adjudged forward pass on the assist from centre Craig Hall.
Raynor certainly feels hard done by,
“Definitely a try, when I got home and saw the game I was even more flabbergasted. When it happened, no-one cried forward, not even the opposition fans,” he said.
“But the first thing I heard was the referees whistle and I was gutted and it just wasn’t to be.”
He added, “It was frustrating, because I think we deserved the win and it was good to show to everyone we can still play and when we offer that passion and pride we are a match for anyone.”
The Airlie Birds will be looking to re-create some of the passion, enthusiasm and commitment that was certainly on show last week in the derby, and both Hall and coach Richard Agar say that is exactly what they intend to do.
“It is a must, if we are to get anything out of the game we have got to get to that same level of commitment and emotion as we did last week,” Agar said.
“The team that we are playing work hard for each other and are very committed. They only missed 6 tackles last week which shows an amazing effort on their part and we have to match that.”
Hall added, “It was a great effort last week to get back into it and we were the best side.
“We need to re-create that now, we know how we can play and I thought we showed some of that last week against Rovers.
“If we can get on top of our game, cut out a few of the mistakes and carry some of the brilliant effort from last week we’ll be well in the game,” Hall said.

SQUADS

Hull FC: Shaun Berrigan, Mike Burnett, Mark Calderwood, Josh Cordoba, Craig Hall, Danny Houghton, Graeme Horne, Richard Horne, Paul King, Tommy Lee, Willie Manu, Sam Moa, Lee Radford, Gareth Raynor, Jordan Tansey, Danny Tickle, Chris Thorman, Richard Whiting, Kirk Yeaman

Huddersfield: Brett Hodgson, Martin Aspinwall, Kevin Brown, David Hodgson, Liam Fulton, Luke Robinson, David Faiumu, Darrell Griffin, Jamahl Lolesi, Stephen Wild, Simon Finnigan, Paul Jackson, Keith Mason, Danny Kirmond, Michael Lawrence, Scott Moore, Leroy Cudjoe, Shaun Lunt, Danny Sculthorpe