Lee Radford has admitted that the Hull derby might have lost its appeal somewhat, but Sunday’s trial match is still vital in the club’s preparations for the new season.
His comments come one day after Chris Chester said the games between the two fierce rivals were ‘not as special’ due to the teams locking horns at least four times a year.
And although Radford understands the KR head coach’s thoughts, Radford believes the intensity of the games between the two teams make it an integral part of the pre-season calendar.
“It is a catch 22 situation,” Radford told the Hull Daily Mail.
“Playing each other three times in the league, once in a trial match and possibly once in the Cup, it probably is overkill for the fans.
“But if you look for preparation going into the campaign, what Sunday guarantees is an intense game leading up to the Salford season opener.
“In terms of our preparation for the derby it is going to be exactly what we need. I can see from a spectator side it could be deemed as an overload from that point of view.
“The new blokes can get a taste of the derby environment. I’ve been involved in some friendlies where there is a handshake at the play of the ball.
“But that’s not the case when we play Rovers. The two words friendly and Rovers should not really come in the same sentence.
“The fact that KR got physically dominated against Huddersfield means they are going to come up physically charged and ready for the weekend.”
//www.totalrl.com/derbies-not-quite-as-special-anymore-says-chester/