Hull FC v Warrington - Albert Kelly and company need to rediscover finishing power

ALBERT KELLY admits Hull FC need to stop making life so tough for themselves.
Building fitness: Hull's Albert Kelly celebrates his secon- half try.
 Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeBuilding fitness: Hull's Albert Kelly celebrates his secon- half try.
 Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Building fitness: Hull's Albert Kelly celebrates his secon- half try. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

The Australian stand-off lines up for the Black and Whites against Challenge Cup holders Warrington Wolves tonight with both sides in the midst of similar situations.

Each has three wins and as many defeats from their opening six rounds and both come in on the back of one-point victories.

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Hull, of course, saw Marc Sneyd’s drop-goal deliver a dramatic 27-26 Golden Point victory at Wakefield Trinity last Friday just as Warrington were defeating Castleford Tigers 9-8 with Blake Austin’s drop-goal in normal time.

Yet the East Yorkshire club were 20-6 up early in the second period against Wakefield, only to stumble and allow their opponents a way back into the contest.

Admittedly, at least they emerged with the two points; the previous week they had been in a stronger position, leading by 18 against Catalans Dragons, then by a point following another late drop goal from Sneyd, only to disastrously lose 34-29 on the final play.

Hull fans will be hoping to avoid a repeat of any such turmoil on tonight’s return to KCOM Stadium where Lee Radford’s side haves also been dismantled by champions St Helens this term.

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Indeed, victory at Wakefield ended a three-game losing run and FC are desperate to start building after a frustrating start to a season where – after all their recruitment – they had been tipped as one of the title challengers.

Kelly, building his own match fitness after a personally truncated start, told The Yorkshire Post: “That Wakefield win does give us a little bit more confidence to finish the games coming up.

“I know for a fact that I’m tired after 60 minutes but like we did on Friday we all stick in there. We have to be better in that back 20/30 – we know that – but we’re still only coming into round seven. We’ll get better and we’ll look to improve again against Warrington.

“They got their own one-point win against Cas’ so they’ll be coming in with confidence, too.”

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Gifted Kelly, who has lost the No 6 squad number this season, was overlooked for the first game at Leeds Rhinos with Jake Connor preferred at stand-off.

He then picked up a two-game ban from a reserve grade match so it has not been the easiest of starts for the 28-year-old.

However, the former Hull KR star has played the last two games in the No 6 role after Connor was switched to centre against Catalans and missed the Wakefield game due to injury.

Connor is sidelined again tonight – Hull are missing seven first-teamers – so Kelly gets another opportunity to continue staking his claim for the playmaker role.

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There were flashes of his brilliance against Wakefield, not least when crossing for his first try of the campaign.

“It’s always good to score and I had to do a little bit of work to get there in the end,” said Kelly, who picked a fine line to shoot through from Josh Jones’s offload.

“But I did it. It’s still taking a little bit of time. I feel I’m getting better each game and that’s the role of what I’ve got to play.

“I’m just looking forward to each week – if not being sore like I have been – but we do make it tough on ourselves, especially these last two games. We’ll need to get better again.”

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Kelly was instrumental in the play that sealed victory at Belle Vue. In the first set in extra-time, his carry close to the ruck saw him break through and make valuable ground for Sneyd.

Radford described the jaded Kelly running on “fumes” to make that play and Kelly said: “I saw my mate Milky (Jacob Miller) in front of me and he was standing a little wide. I think he just got me by the back of my footy shorts.

“I was keen to try and get closer, if not a try then at least get us set (for the drop goal). I saw Mahe (Fonua) coming along, too, and thought about the offload but then I got enough metres to get close enough.

“I played the ball and just had to put my hands up. I didn’t even have to look.”

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It was Sneyd’s 34th drop-goal in Super League and Kelly said he always knows his half-partner will deliver in such times.

“You can just feel it,” he said. “That’s one of his strengths – kicking – and he does that every day.

“I just sit and watch him. I don’t really need to do that type of stuff so if he wants me to take a carry in I’ll do that and I’ll do that again.

“I haven’t played in a Golden Point win before. That’s the first and it was good.”