Hull FC fan – Sarah Mackenzie
The talk ahead of Sunday’s match is injuries, injuries and more injuries. It’s coming out of both camps and feels a little like a competition to see who has it worse! How much of the injury news is genuine and how much is mind games will be seen when the players take to the pitch. With Hull re-registering Kirk Yeaman it appears we will have two centres playing who always seem to pull out their best against Rovers.
After last week’s cardathon I would like to see a better-tempered match but ultimately the important thing for us is the two points and stay within touching distance of the top four.
I think we should have a fairly strong pack playing and it is imperative that they lay a good platform for Connor and potentially the debutant Harris to be able to distribute the ball from.
I am confident that even with the players we have out we can pick up the points as long as we turn up with the right attitude, unlike last year’s magic fixture!
Score prediction Hull FC 28-20 Hull KR
Hull KR fan – James Deighton
I would like to place on record my sincerest sympathy after hearing the announcement that Hull FC have been forced to liquidate their club as a result of the current apocalyptic injury crisis. With 8,496 first grade players out injured, the back to back Challenge Cup winners have already written themselves off against a full strength Hull Kingston Rovers side.
After the news was broken on Friday that Danny McGuire will be sidelined for two months with a blood clot, the influential half-back becomes the 12th Robins player to feature in the treatment room this Magic Weekend. However, the Red and Whites are not feeling sorry for themselves unlike the self-proclaimed underdogs (yet favourites with all bookmakers – please gamble responsibly) who have had their shorter eight-man injury list plastered in every newspaper under the sun, including The Sun.
Nevertheless, said disaster gives the opportunity for Lee Radford to bleed some of the academy players into the first team, including a youngster named Kirk Yeaman. I remember the ridicule we received when Jamie Peacock and David Hodgson came out of retirement, yet this decision is better than sliced bread left in a dustbin in West Hull. I can almost guarantee, the badge will be kissed after crossing for a try, however I just hope he doesn’t trip over his zimmer frame trying to match Junior Vaivai’s footwork.
Without an experienced six or seven in either side’s halves, I expect a forward battle to dominate an extremely flat climax to the weekend, with all Salford’s, Catalans’, Wakefield’s and Huddersfield’s fans having already left the ground on the same mini-bus. It’ll be a big ask for the two best away followings in the league to create an exhilarating atmosphere at St. James’ Park, and completing the match unscathed seems priority over the two points.
Score prediction: Hull KR 27-20 Hull FC
