Hull FC v Catalans Dragons: We don't want the season to end, declares John Cartwright

The Black and Whites must beat Catalans Dragons tonight and hope that sixth-placed Wakefield Trinity – a point better off heading into the final round of the regular campaign – suffer a shock defeat to Super League basement side Salford Red Devils 24 hours later.

Cartwright has vowed to make Wakefield sweat on their play-off fate.

"We just don't want the season to end," he said.

"I feel like the best is still to come and we've got a lot more to offer.

"If we win this week and we get a result go our way in the other game, I'd be so confident going into whoever we would play the following week.

"The whole squad feel like that and that's a good sign for us. We're not finished yet."

Trinity may have the upper hand in the fight for sixth but Hull could gain an edge from the staggered schedule.

By playing first, Cartwright believes his side can pile the pressure on Wakefield.

"I think it's an advantage," he added. "Runs on the board are really important.

"It's just important that we don't think about their game too much. We know if we win on Thursday, we'll be sitting in the six."

A final-round shootout for a play-off spot is a world away from last season when Hull shared the wooden spoon with London Broncos.

The Black and Whites have won more games than they have lost and rediscovered their identity under Cartwright, whose depleted side underlined their progress by beating Warrington Wolves last week with 11 academy graduates in their ranks.

"It's round 27 and we're still alive," said Cartwright.

"That's what we spoke about at the start of the year: competing all the way and seeing where that took us. We're still doing that.

"If we get another really good performance, we can look back on the season with 14 wins and a draw. Without knowing the facts, I'd say 99 per cent of the time, that would get you into a final six position."