Hull take on fourth placed Wharfedale in this week’s latest National National 2 North contest. In the corresponding fixture earlier this campaign Hull ran out 34-24 winners and will need to show the same invention and resolve they showed that day to record a victory against a side that has found ways to win nine games and climb the table.
Hull will need to bounce back from last week’s defeat at Billingham to get their own momentum going and move up the league table. Last week’s side looked strong on paper and although Hull could rightly claim they did not get the bounce of the ball, Billingham played at high intensity and took all their chances well whilst Hull faltered a couple of times to let scoring chances slip.
This week, Hull will be without last week’s scrum-half Joey Barratt who has sustained an injury, but they can welcome back the highly experienced and competitive Harvey Harding to their starting line up.
With the rest of last week’s side available, there are very few changes likely to be made to the squad, but it could be the make up of the starting XV and the bench that the coaches will spend time considering.
It is no easy task to get all the combinations just right and some of last week’s impact players may get the starting roles this week. However that works out, Hull will have to improve their work at the breakdown where lost ball or penalties given away can be crucial.
Hull have had some good results on their own ground and can point to very close games against two the best in this league – Sheffield and Lymm. If that form can be repeated they are capable of getting back to winning ways.
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