Galea senses play-off history about to be made by Rovers

That may sound like sacrilege given the history and rivalry between the derby rivals but the Australian is looking towards the bigger picture.

If his side overcome the Airlie Birds in the sudden-death contest at KC Stadium, thousands of Rovers fans will undoubtedly head back east across the river delirious having ended their opponents' season.

The hype is constantly growing with the contest billed as the biggest game between the sides since Rovers' famous 1980 Challenge Cup final success over the Black and Whites.

However, influential second row Galea maintained his side are not losing sight of their ultimate aim.

"This game is very, very important for the club and the city," he told the Yorkshire Post, with a crowd in excess of 20,000 expected.

"It is something that will go down in history and is hugely exciting. But at the end of the day we're not here to win this match and then get thrown out in the next round.

"We've spoken about this a lot; our goal at the start of the season was to try and win the comp.

"That hasn't changed and our focus is trying to win Super League, not just defeat Hull."

Given they finished seventh in the table, one place behind the Black and Whites, that will be a massive test.

But Galea insists Rovers' squad – priced at 66-1 to succeed at Old Trafford – have the potential to stun the rest and lift their first Championship since 1985.

The experienced forward will be crucial to their cause as he looks to overpower the likes of Craig Fitzgibbon, Mark O'Meley and Willie Manu and he harbours hopes of repeating the feat he achieved with unlikely NRL winners Wests Tigers five years ago.

"I remember our first semi-final back then didn't have anywhere near the same build-up as this," said Galea, who helped the Sydney side to their first title from fourth spot.

"But the passion and excitement I saw in those players in 2005 is just the same as I'm seeing here now with Rovers.

"They do talk about 1980 so much here but we're looking to give our fans something else to cheer about.

"This is the biggest game I've played since that Grand Final without a doubt and we're confident we can go out and achieve our aims."

However, Hull have won both games so far this season, edging Rovers 20-16 at the same venue in July having also pipped them at Craven Park on Good Friday.

Furthermore, Rovers endured a miserable first taste of play-off football last season losing against both Leeds and Wigan.

But Galea insisted: "Last year we had a lot of young lads in there playing in semis for the first time.

"Maybe the occasion did over-awe a few but we're all a year older now and we'll be better for that experience. The games have both been tight with Hull this season but once it comes to semi-final football, it's a totally different ball game.

"Everyone is more focused and intense. We just can't wait to get out there."

Hull received a boost yesterday when Lee Radford successfully appealed a one-match ban and is now free to play against Rovers.

The prop had initially been handed the suspension and a 300 fine having been found guilty of punching Ryan Bailey during last week's Super League game with Leeds Rhinos.

However, the RFL appeals tribunal have withdrawn the suspension, citing provocation and Radford's previous impeccable record, but the fine stands.

Hull, meanwhile, have banned supporters from taking alcohol to their seats during the game in order to try to prevent a repeat of the problems which marred last weekend's match while also potentially staving off a RFL fine.

The match was initially held up while stewards tackled a fan who ran onto the pitch before, later on, Rhinos winger Scott Donald was grabbed by another spectator who entered the fray while he was trying to defend his own goal line.

Hull are set to impose a lifetime ban on the second offender and chief executive James Rule said: "The SMC (stadium management company) are in the process of conducting a full investigation into the incidences of anti-social behaviour that took place on Saturday.

"The investigation is not yet complete. However, I believe that we need to take pro-active action to ensure that the good name of this club is not tarnished by the action of one or two individuals."

Three of the best Hull derby encounters

May 3, 1980

Hull KR 10 Hull FC 5

THE most famous derby meeting of all, Steve Hubbard is the hero as Hull KR defeat their rivals in the Challenge Cup final.

Despite suffering a broken jaw in the 15th minute, legendary captain Roger Millward battled on to lead the Robins to what remains their only victory in the competition, winger Hubbard scoring a try and kicking three goals in front of a capacity 95,000 crowd.

Rovers prop Brian Lockwood won the Lance Todd Trophy.

April 9, 2007

Hull FC 22 Hull KR 14

THE inaugural Super League meeting of the old foes and first competitive derby since 1997, Hull edge home in front of a capacity 23,000 crowd at the

KC Stadium.

With stand-off Paul Cooke outstanding, they take control with tries from Shaun Briscoe, Matt Sing and Danny Tickle but newly-promoted Rovers stage a valiant comeback and it is not until Sid Domic's last-minute touchdown that their hosts seal the points.

July 15, 2010

Hull FC 20 Hull KR 16

WITH just 20 seconds remaining, Airlie Birds winger Tom Briscoe produces a dramatic last-ditch tackle in the corner to deny England colleague Peter Fox a certain try and earns Hull a narrow victory.

A typically feisty encounter, featuring an all-in brawl which saw Rovers' Ben Cockayne and opponent Mark Calderwood sin-binned, the gutsy visitors come mightily close to pulling off another spectacular comeback.