Experienced duo are ready to help Hull push on again

ENGLAND international Tom Briscoe believes the return of Hull's experienced campaigners can kickstart their faltering season.

The Airlie Birds have lost four of their last five games to slip six points behind the top three in Engage Super League.

Their hopes of a recovery have been damaged by news that Richard Horne, Willie Manu and Epalahame Lauaki are all facing extended spells on the sidelines due to injury but that is offset by the expected comebacks of captain Sean Long and pivotal former Australian Test back-row Craig Fitzgibbon for Saturday's trip to bottom-placed Catalans.

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Goal-kicking second-row Danny Tickle is also ready for his return in Perpignan and Briscoe is confident there will be a response.

"We've shown we can match the best teams and beat them," said the winger, following early-season victories over St Helens, Huddersfield and Bradford.

"Against the lower sides and Wigan, though, we have just dropped off.

"We've got to get back to doing what we were at the start of the year – carrying hard, ripping in and dominating teams again.

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"We have lacked that in the last few weeks but getting some bodies back will help.

"Fitzy is just a workhorse who will grind out the hard stuff and, off the back of that, Longy will give us more shape.

"Our performances will pick up and we can definitely push on into that top four."

THE RFL board of directors are today expected to announce the fate of Halifax after they fielded the ineligible Michael Ostick in last month's Carnegie Challenge Cup fourth-round win over Swinton.

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The indiscretion only recently came to light with Sunday's fifth-round game against Batley subsequently postponed just hours before kick-off.

If Halifax are expunged from the competition and not fined, a decision will have to be taken whether to reinstate Swinton or give Batley a bye through to the quarter-finals.

The BBC have selected the two all-Super League quarter-finals for live coverage with Leeds v Wigan taking place on Saturday, May 29 (2.30pm) and holders Warrington tackling Bradford at Odsal on Sunday, May 30 (3.30pm).

Leeds prop Kylie Leuluai has been cautioned by the RFL for dropping on to Mark McCully with his forearm in Friday's fifth-round win over Blackpool.

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