Salford Red Devils v Hull FC: Airlie Birds determined to finish '˜top of the tree' and forget about Chalenge Cup ... for now

IT is a matter of first things first for Hull FC as they prepare for their two biggest games of the season so far.
Hull FC's Gareth Ellis. Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeHull FC's Gareth Ellis. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Hull FC's Gareth Ellis. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Hull will finish top of the table at the end of the regular Super League rounds if they win at Salford Red Devils tonight.

Coach Lee Radford insists that is of more importance, at the moment, than the Challenge Cup semi-final showdown with Wigan Warriors in seven days’ time.

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Radford has named his strongest-available squad and said: “The fact all the players wanted to play this weekend made my decision really easy.

“We’ve never finished top of the tree after the domestic season, so if we could achieve that it would be fantastic for the club and make a little bit of history.”

There is no trophy for being top of the table after 23 rounds and points from the regular season carry over to the Super-8s.

“It all starts again after this weekend,” said Radford. “We’ll be assessing where we are, what needs improving and what tweaks need to be made and what we need to carry on with.

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“I am sure we will go through all that after the result (tonight), but it would be great to finish top of the tree after 23 rounds.

“We set our goal at the beginning of the year of finishing in the top four and that puts us in a really good spot.”

Whatever happens tonight, Hull are guaranteed four home fixtures in the Super-8s, along with the other sides in the top four. The rest will play three at home and four away.

“That’s beneficial for us, playing in front of our home crowd and it is also beneficial for the club financially,” continued Radford. “That is really important.”

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Salford are heading into the middle-eights Qualifiers, but Radford is aware they are in a false position. A six-point deduction for past breaches of the salary cap denied them sixth spot and Radford observed: “There isn’t a lot of difference between top and bottom in Super League.

“They play a lot of football coming out of their own end and get the ball to the edges as soon as they possibly can.

“Our edge defence has got to be really strong this week, particularly the one-on-one tackles we are going to have to make.

“We are going to have to be efficient, but it is something we have highlighted and focused on so I am really confident we can stop a lot of their threats in and around that area.”

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Salford’s squad includes centre Josh Griffin, who will join Hull next year. It is an opportunity for Radford to get a close look at a future recruit, but the Hull coach joked he would rather not.

Griffin was a guest of Hull at last week’s derby win over Hull KR, along with fellow signing Jake Connor and Radford said: “I’ve told him he doesn’t have to play.

“We are fully aware of what he can bring to us, I don’t need to see it again. He is going to be a great addition. He is a big thing on the left-edge, very physical. We are going to have to be really tidy and defend well around him and Junior Sa’u. They are their danger men.”

Jamie Shaul has been named in Hull’s squad, but Radford revealed he has a hip concern injury and will not be risked.

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“He would have had to play jabbed up,” revealed the coach. “With next week around the corner, that’s not the route we want to go down.

“It is another opportunity for Curtis Naughton to show us what he can do at full-back.”

Captain Gareth Ellis suffered a “head knock” in last week’s derby win over Hull KR, but Radford said: “He is fine and keen as mustard to play and get some continuity and build some momentum coming into the eights and the semi-final as well.”