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Rugby League Rumour Mill - name says it all

You have trotted out the "no home advantage garbage" before and was proved then to be talking out of your rear end. In fact the only "evidence" you came up with showed how the norm is for home teams to win more. Its rather more than just fan noise. For example sports arenas have different dimensions and home players are more familiar with them and the effects of local weather conditions - all these areas of familiarity and difference add up.

You are also so desperate now that you have included the Olympics, even though some sports are notably not influenced much by crowds and stadium factors (shooting, archery, rowing) in the way team ball games are. And in any case Rio wasn't the most successful Olympics for Britain, not even close, that was 1908 which was guess where.

Anyway the worry about Hudders has gone now.

Lee Radford said they're waiting on an elbow scan.

Hull squad

Shaul, Faraimo, Carlos, Kelly, Taylor, Houghton, Hadley, Mini, Connor, Green, Washbrook, Fash, Manu, Paea, Logan, Miloudi, Matongo, Scott, Westerman.

If they all make it and are at least close to 100% then we have a real chance.

Strong team if all fit.


Shaul
Faraimo
Logan
Carlos
Miloudi
Kelly
Connor
Taylor
Houghton
Paea
Mini
Manu
Westerman

Hadley
Green
Matongo
Fash

Shaul
Faraimo
Scott
Los
Miloudi
Kelly
Connor
Taylor
Houghton
Green
Manu
Mini
Westerman

Hadley
Paea
Fash
Masi

Much stronger than expected. Los coming up against Percival is a huge boost for us defensively.

That would be my team aswell. Carlos would usually play left centre but I guess they will switch him to the right to snuff out Percival. It's also sensible to split up Faraimo and Carlos to have one experienced guy on each side of the field. The only real question for me is do you go with Scott or Logan at centre. Logan is obviously the more experienced, but Scott looks the bigger talent to me and provides a bit more size. Picking Miloudi is a no brainer, so it has to be between the other two imo.

Seeing as we beat you with no Barba and Roby for the last 30 and you had pretty much a full team out, strangely enough, no.

Yeah Los has played plenty of right centre for us so I’m assuming LR will put him up against Percival. Agree about Scott, he looks a much more natural centre than Logan.

… apart from missing Faraimo, and a back 3 of Hadley, Minichiello and Manu.

The players missing this time are more important and Kelly and Tuimavave won’t be fully fit. We’ll have Barba meaning Lomax can play at 6 with Fages coming on for Roby late on. So, the point remains you’re weaker and we’re stronger than the last time we played you and that time we won easily.

It counts for nothing. It's all on the day.

You’ve got to be joking? Hulls injuries count for everything, reality is you’ve got key players in Sneyd, Talanoa and Griffin missing and you’re bringing two back early in Tuimavave and Kelly and as a result they won’t be anywhere near match fit. Even with a full team you’re fairly average but with the team that’ll likely be playing on Sunday only Connor and Taylor class as quality (Kelly and Tuimavave would if they were fit). Last time we played it was easy and this time we’ll be even better. We had this debate last time and I said we’ll win comfortably and we did. Similar will likely happen this time as well.

I mean the last time we played counts for nothing. Yes you beat us, and yes we were stronger on paper that day, but it might surprise you to know that not every game is the same. We were really flat that night. I guarantee we won't be this time, even if the quality of player is lower.

You are favourites, but we don't have anything to fear. Last year the Cas fans all took great joy in telling us what they were going to do to us and they couldn't lay a glove on us when it came down to it.

However well you are playing the same rules apply as any other game. Control the ptb, complete high and take your chances and you will probably win. I aren't really bothered about Barba, Lomax or any of the others. We won't show them the respect that Cas have shown the last few weeks I am sure of that.

That's what everyone said back in 2005 Semi Final hull had no chance against the all conquering St's team (which was a far better than today's side).

Whilst it will be a very difficult task its not an impossible one and as Hull FC have shown in the past couple of years we can seem to raise our game for the cup. Whether that will be possible with the injuries to key personnel who knows but all the pressure is on St's as Hull have nothing to lose as written off before the games even started.

Sarcasm not your strong point is it?

If Tuimavave plays i dont think Radford will move him to right centre.I like Cam Scott but lacks a bit of pace so Logan for me at right centre.
My worry is we seem to to be looking to play Kelly and Carlos before they are fully fit.
I understand the problem we have and its disappointing, but in reality we wont beat St Helens and as usual as soon as we switch off Barba will run riot.
If they do play and break down again and thats a real possibility especially with Kelly, then that blows away any chance of a top four finish.

Such faith in our team!!

You don't know how fit either of them are though. They might be ahead of schedule, but if they pass whatever tests are required then they are good to go. Beating the initial prognosis by a couple weeks isn't necessarily rushing them back. If they are ready they are ready.

I disagree that in reality we won't beat Saints. We are outsiders for the game, but we absolutely can beat them. It would hardly be the upset of the year. There are only 3 trophies to play for, and one is as good as gone already. So even if we only have a slim chance we have to do whatever we can to take it.

Good that you're acknowledging the magnitude of our key man injury crisis. FWIW I hope you go on and win it. I do like Jon Wilkin.

Ahead of schedule? Carlos was out for 12 weeks a fortnight ago. We must have been in touch with McGuire's fitness team.

Well it was ten weeks, three weeks ago but I take your point.

Sneyd was out for "a big chunk of the season" last year, but a magic boot got him back playing a lot sooner than expected (for the rest of the season).

Now it's Talanoa's turn to wear it.