Hull FC v Hull KR - Tim Sheens warns Hull KR not to sit back in derby

Their rivals have already shown fighting spirit with extra-time wins at Wigan and in Perpignan and this lunchtime’s televised contest is expected to be another closely-fought affair.

Although Rovers showed such characteristics to beat Hull in the final minute earlier this season, they have also squandered leads to lose at home to Salford Red Devils and Catalans Dragons.

Sheens said: “You’ve got to be in the game with five minutes to go to give yourself a chance to win a game like this.

“They (Hull) have managed to win a couple this year with a golden point and they’re the sort of games that make or break your season.

“We’ve lost the two here – Salford and Catalans – and we’re well aware that we need to keep playing at the back end of the game rather than shutting up shop and trying not to lose rather than trying to keep winning.

“We need to keep playing positively; that’s the biggest challenge for us.”

Coping without injured prop Mose Masoe is key and Rovers will miss his size.

Sheens insisted: “They don’t all have to be big men; it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

“(George) Lawler has done a great job there and other people have stood up in the middle, (Weller) Hauraki in particular when he plays 13.

“But to carry the ball forward with power, there is no doubt we’re missing Mose. He certainly was our danger man.

“(Mitch) Garbutt being back will help us in that regard and the weight falls back on Robbie Mulhern and people like that.”