Hull FC v Huddersfield Giants - Top-four finish would be '˜mission accomplished' ... for now

Having lost their last three games, the Airlie Birds suddenly find themselves outside of the top-four going into this final regular round despite being in it for most of the campaign.

Only a win this evening will see them stand any chance of retrieving the situation but even then Wakefield Trinity will keep them out if they avoid defeat against St Helens on Sunday.

Connor, who has played wing, centre, half-back and off the bench since joining from Huddersfield last winter, has retained his place at stand-off despite last week’s 10-7 loss at Leeds Rhinos.

He featured there when the prolific Australian half Albert Kelly – who is in the 19-man squad again this week – was left out and will get another opportunity to impress tonight.

It means plenty of responsibility has been put on the 22-year-old’s shoulders as he prepares to face his veteran former Huddersfield colleague Danny Brough but he maintains he is ready to grasp the opportunity.

“It’s another chance to show what I can do,” Connor told The Yorkshire Post, with a Challenge Cup semi-final against Leeds looming next Saturday, too.

“I’m in the halves again and I know my performances lately haven’t been consistent but Radders has given me that chance to get back on the ball.

“He’s put a bit of faith in me by keeping me there and hopefully I can do a job and claim a spot.

“I’ll be on Broughy’s side, too, so I’m looking forward to it.

“On his day he’s one of the best halves in the game, who can control matches comfortably and his kicking game is second to none.

“But the forwards help him get on the front foot and get that platform.

“Big Seb (Ikahihifo) runs very hard and gets more quick play the balls for him and then there’s Ukuma Ta’ai coming after so it won’t be easy.

“But hopefully our middles do the job and lay the platform for us instead.”

Hull’s chances of negating the power of Ikahihifo and Ta’ai are aided by the long-awaited return of captain Gareth Ellis, the veteran loose forward who has missed the last three months of action due to a sternum injury.

Radford hailed that as “huge” for his side, while prop Chris Green could also feature after a similar problem.

Nevertheless, notwithstanding the need to get some positive form in time for next week’s crucial game, the coach is adamant his Challenge Cup holders simply must get a result tonight.

“It is Judgement Day for us,” said Radford.

“We have an opportunity to go third – and we have an opportunity to go sixth.

“The latter option is not what we strived for at the beginning of the year.

“We are striving for the top-four. If we can finish the 23 rounds inside the four and with the semi-final on the horizon that will be mission accomplished.

“But if that doesn’t happen we have done ourselves an injustice.”

Some would argue the time to finish in the top-four is predominantly at the end of the Super 8s as that is when the semi-finals for a place at Old Trafford are decided.

But there is, of course, an extra home game in those Eights to the sides that finish in the top-four and the importance of that cannot be under-estimated according to Radford.

He said: “The extra home game is big. The M62 is shut every Friday night and the last thing I want to be doing is taking an extra trip to Salford, Wigan or St Helens.

“The home game is big financially for the club, too, and for the fans. I’d like to avoid getting in at 3am on a Saturday morning as much as we possibly can.”

Hull won 48-8 at Huddersfield in March and for much of this campaign Giants have looked like a side destined for a second successive season in the Qualifiers.

However, they are in form of late, losing just one of their last seven games with last Friday’s victory over Leigh finally confirming their top-eight place.

Indeed, they could still mount a push for the Super League semi-finals and have earmarked a win at Hull as being vital towards that admittedly unlikely goal.

Radford said: “They had a fear of dropping into the Middle Eights solely because of injuries.

“When we played them earlier in the season they had upwards of 13 blokes missing.

“I almost felt sorry for them that night and was worried we’d take them for granted.

“I don’t think that it’s a coincidence that they have got some troops back now and are winning.

“They’ve made some recruits like Jordan Rankin and Jordan Turner and are pushing up the table. That’s credit to their coach.”