Hull KR have the opportunity to get back to winning ways this Friday night when they host top two challengers St Helens.
The Robins saw their lead at the top of the table cut to four points last week after their surprisingly one-sided loss to Leeds Rhinos but they know they can all but wrap up the League Leaders’ Shield with a win over the Saints at Craven Park.
Paul Wellens’ side have plenty to play for themselves and if they can become the latest to peg Rovers back, they’ll leapfrog Wigan Warriors and move into second for 24 hours at the very least.
Indeed, Friday’s clash is huge for both teams and having fallen short emphatically last time out in east Hull in May, the Saints will be keen to get their own back and silence the Craven Park crowd.
Given what’s riding on the contest, we’ve taken a look at the early team news before both head coaches speak.
Hull KR team news
Last Thursday’s loss at Headingley could well prove to be a costly one with Willie Peters reporting three injury concerns after the game. Sauaso Sue was the most notable issue with the prop injuring his knee in the opening stages of the contest against the Rhinos.
Jai Whitbread and Arthur Mourgue picked up issues, too, with the latter taking a blow to the shoulder. Willie Peters will hopefully be able to give an update at his press conference this afternoon, but right now all three players must go down as doubts.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves will miss the game as he serves the final game of his two-match ban, while Micky McIlorum’s ankle injury rules him out of the contest. Oliver Gildart is looking at a return to action in around two or three weeks’ time after missing much of the season with a knee injury, but Lee Kershaw won’t play again this year.
St Helens team news
Compared to some, it seems as though St Helens are in a relatively good spot when it comes to injuries at present. That’s despite Owen Dagnall going down with what looked like a hamstring injury on Friday night against Hull FC.
The winger hit the deck in the second half of the contest and must be rated as a doubt on a seven-day turnaround. Lewis Murphy is more than likely done for the season after a reoccurrence of the thigh injury he suffered at Craven Park back in May.
Lewis Wingfield looks set to miss the rest of the year too after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury.
