Morgan is wary of Crusaders threat to Hull KR

THEY may be bottom of Engage Super League but that is the very reason Hull KR are fearing the potential damage Crusaders can cause to their growing play-off hopes this afternoon.

As they head to Wrexham to face a troubled side which has won just four times all season, the Robins are seeking a third successive victory to inch closer to the top eight.

However, because Iestyn Harris’s unburdened Crusaders have no such target in sight, they are particularly dangerous, according to Rovers coach Justin Morgan.

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“I’ve alluded to the boys that teams often, when the shackles are released without the pressure of making the play-offs or must-win games, can play some of their best rugby,” he said.

“We’ll have to be on our guard because they’ve played some nice stuff at different stages.

“I know they had the disappointment of having the point deduction and that was always going to make it difficult for them to get to the play-offs.

“But at different patches through the season Crusaders have played some entertaining stuff; they’ve been very competitive against a lot of teams.”

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Tenth-placed Rovers are, though, firm favourites to extend their winning run especially as their opponents have since suspended seven of their players for the fixture due to a serious breach of club discipline.

Morgan accepts the battle for those play-off places is reaching a crucial stage with just six games remaining after this weekend.

“There’s most probably four clubs going for two spots,” he said.

“I think of the four, Salford have probably got the hardest draw in. They play a lot of the top teams in the last month of the year.

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“Certainly Castleford, Hull and ourselves are all most probably vying for those spots and you’ve probably got to throw Bradford in the mix as well.

“We play both Salford and Bradford so they’re big games for us. They’re definitely four-point games but I think there’s going to be a lot more turns before the end of the season.”

Morgan is set to name an unchanged squad to the one that vanquished Wakefield in Super League last Sunday.