
Hull KR fan: James Deighton
Catalans fan: Chris Evans
Looking at the final scoreline from Saturday, it would be easy to think that the Dragons gave a good account of themselves against the early pacesetters. However, once you realise that St Helens only had 12 men for a significant part of the game, the result looks somewhat less favourable.
There was some good news this week as Tony Gigot saw his two-year ban overturned on appeal. This news will hopefully give the side a much-needed confidence boost ahead of the trip to East Hull, but it will be some time until he is match fit and ready to slot back into the side.
If last week’s opposition were the worst possible team to face after the torrid opener, this week’s test may be more welcome. Hull KR have started slowly too, and Catalan may recall happy memories of last year’s last-gasp victory at the KCOM in the middle 8s.
As with all teams who lack confidence, the start here will be crucial. Hull KR were very unfortunate last week against Leeds. They dominated the first half, yet still ended up well behind by the final hooter. If Catalan can keep things tight and frustrate them early on, I can see Rovers trying too hard to score, which will lead to errors. Maybe that is just wishful thinking. No team is consigned to the Million Pound Game after round 3, but the loser here will be facing a huge uphill task to get their season up and running. I am still hoping that the late start to the pre-season is behind the sluggish start, but if we lose this, we have to look for other reasons.
Score prediction: Hull Kingston Rovers 18-10 Catalans Dragons