This.

Are you 5?

So who will be our halfback combo on Friday is the big question. I think he'll go AH & Horne. Personally I'd put Whiting in there and play with three props Watts playing 13 and have AH on the bench as I think we really need to dominate them up front making Dobbo play off of the back foot whilst Whiting can get at Burns.

I'd be OK with Horne's partner being either Whiting or Westerman. Apparently Westerman has been doing some training in the halves so if I had to guess I'd say he would be picked there ahead of Whiting. I hope we don't try AH again as I don't think that works.

Yup, that's how I see it also.

Rovers to edge it I reckon. I cannot believe people who actually watched the 52-0 vs Castleford, are actually using it as a justification of points scoring. Cas must have gifted us 30 points, at least. Fine if Rovers make mistakes, we will punish them, if they don't, we will probably lose.

i know im looking forward to the saints v wigan game aswell

We need to sort our attack out. Defensively we're sound. The dobbins attack is rubbish. They let 22 points in from nowhere v cas, and let 20 go v Salford.

I don't see how we can lose this one; rovers are cr@p full-stop. Yes I know; it's Hull and it's a derby and all that but come on there should be nothing for us to be too concerned about here. Player for player apart from say dobson and patterson, this rovers side are the worst since coming up and if we lose we need bullwhipping.

I cant call this. If we go with Heremaia in the halves then i can see us getting beaten. He is so ineffective there its unbelieveable. Our defence is good on the whole, but I can imagine Dobson's kicking game will have us coming off our line time and time again, which fatigues you quicker. It then only takes 1 missed tackle and its try time for someone like Eden.

Eden is a liability. Just look back to last night. We need to suppress Dobson. Without him the wovers are nothing.

im sure u mean defence

and its not rubbish its not defence at all. its the 1st derby im struggling to get up for, the bragging rites this year will read were the slightly less awful side in hull. Sad really as i remember when our derby results usually had an effect on who would win a cup or win the league, Id love us both to be a top 4 team but i dont see it for either club

I would be a little concerned defencively playing Westerman there for the full eighty.

Easier said then done.

It's rubbish our attack is it? What a load of crap you speak

You'd be concerned about Westerman's defence in the halves? That's the one thing I'd be confident in.

I think we will go with Westy there, whenever we make a change in the halves in-game it's always him that goes to 6 first not Whiting. Not necessarily what I'd do myself but it's what I think will happen.

Good , sensible post.

Us by 18 - 22pts

I think we'll have enough to sneak the win on Friday. Hodgson apart I think the Rovers threequarters and Eden will be their achilles heel. With Browns naive positioning something I think we will exploit. For all Browns attacking strengths I think the door will be open on his side. Horne or Westy must test Eden from the off, in the end he will crack. He's no Gary Kemble
Our normal defence and patience in attack will get us the win, as long as we don't try to score on every set, in the end we'll find ways to get over the line.
At 6 I'd be happy with Westy or Rich. Westy offers more creativity and I rate his defence too when he's switched on. Rich's defence is perhaps the best in the club and he's a clever footballer too, but we might not get the same tricks Westy can offer us near their line. But for sure he will keep Mr Burns quiet. I'd go with Rich, I think PG wil go with Westy.
With patience, an 80 minute focus and Horney closing down Dobbo's kicking game we will win.
Their attack deserves respect and they will cross our line, but we will have too much if we stick to simply respecting the ball and a high completion rate.

Home advantage and our recent poor record at the KC (Barring the playoff game) points to an FC win. However, they have no half backs and are missing Yeaman, who loves to play against us. I think it has draw written all over it. 20-20

Good summary I concur

very generous of you but i don't see were we are going to get 20 points from lol even with rovers shabby defense we have to get in the position to score which means us winning the forward battle and a quick play the ball 2 things we are finding very difficult at present!!
i can see our defense keeping it close but like most games this year we cant withstand all that pressure for a full 80 its impossible

Browns defence is where you can get 20 points. Hopefully Eden will be peppered with high bombs in training to try and get his confidence back otherwise you can get more than 20.

i know your weaknesses pal but its who can execute a play to expose them weaknesses we don't have the confidence at present to play the ball through hands and we have no dummy runners for some strange reason nothing we throw at you on Friday IMO will trouble you

Monaghan X2

Time for Whiting in the halves.

He never lets us down.