Hull FC and Wakefield Trinity doing it tough but both coaches need gift of time - James O'Brien comment

But unless the Black and Whites snap out of an alarming slump between now and then, they could find themselves in the firing line.

Tony Smith's men are second bottom after a dismal derby defeat to Hull KR on home soil, the kind of result that should set alarm bells ringing at the MKM Stadium, if they weren't already.

Hull struggled to keep up with the Robins in the first half and were blown away after the interval on their way to a record derby loss.

The 40-0 scoreline underlined the gulf between the rivals as they continue to head in different directions.

Rovers appear primed to challenge for honours under Willie Peters yet not so long ago, they were where Hull find themselves now.

Smith turned the Robins around and could do the same on the other side of the city – but he needs time.

It was not an overnight fix at Craven Park and there was a lot of short-term pain for Rovers.

Smith just about guided the club to safety after taking over from Tim Sheens mid-season in 2019 and struggled to get a tune out of a much-changed squad during a Covid-disrupted 2020 campaign.

With relegation off the table, Smith exposed the likes of Mikey Lewis to regular Super League rugby and the Robins are reaping the benefits now.

Within a year, they were play-off semi-finalists and reached the last four of the Challenge Cup last season.

Smith has a blueprint for success – as he proved previously at Huddersfield Giants, Leeds Rhinos and Warrington Wolves – but Super League's most experienced coach arguably faces his toughest assignment yet.

One of his main objectives was to improve the culture, which was never going to be a quick fix.

Hull – a club with a reputation for capitulating – are still suffering heavy defeats to leave them with the worst defensive record in the competition after eight rounds.

This season is already a write-off for the Black and Whites, even if the table suggests otherwise.

Smith must use the rest of the campaign to put Hull in the best shape for 2024, which essentially means ripping it up and starting again.

He needs to move on the bulk of the 20 off-contract players, land his top targets and the right characters to lead the culture change, and blood the youngsters he feels can make the grade.

The only way to do parts two and three is to dismiss the threat of relegation at the earliest opportunity.

With Leeds, Huddersfield and Wigan Warriors to come before the trip to Belle Vue, that won’t be easy.

Putting Hull in an early relegation battle may sound like hyperbole but if the fixture against Wakefield was played tomorrow, the home side would have every chance of claiming their first win.

Although Mark Applegarth's blunt team are averaging six points per game, they are showing more heart and fight than the Black and Whites in defeat.

Considering the adversity they have faced this year, Trinity are just about playing to their level; Hull have no such excuse given the comparative values of the two squads.

Even before an injury crisis robbed Applegarth of Max Jowitt, Lewis Murphy and Kelepi Tanginoa among others, the best Wakefield could have hoped for was survival.

An already modest budget was further slashed in the off-season, meaning the likes of Jacob Miller and James Batchelor weren't suitably replaced.

In his first head coach role, Applegarth was on a hiding to nothing before a ball was kicked.

An injury crisis was always likely to leave Trinity in the mire and so it has proved.

After failing to arm him with the necessary tools to avoid a season of struggle, the least the Wakefield board can give Applegarth is the gift of time, even if it means the 38-year-old overseeing a rebuild in the Championship.

Trinity have worked hard to strengthen the squad over the past month to the tune of five signings – four of them temporary – but they are just sticking plasters.

Applegarth is working with a cobbled-together squad and it showed in another disjointed performance in last week's damaging defeat at fellow strugglers Castleford Tigers.

The positives for Wakefield are there are still 19 rounds to save the season and the injury situation is easing.

With trips to Wigan and Warrington on the horizon, Trinity simply have to make the most of Sunday’s home date with Super League new boys Leigh Leopards.

If Wakefield can get to within two points of Hull by the time Smith's men arrive at Belle Vue on May 11, it will be all on.

Regardless of next month's result, both clubs must hold their nerve and see their long-term plans through.