Video: Chester’s focus on Super 8s ahead of Hull derby

HULL KR head coach Chris Chester refuses to contemplate not making Super League’s top eight insisting his under-pressure squad can still battle their way into the elite mix.
Injury doubt Albert Kelly.Injury doubt Albert Kelly.
Injury doubt Albert Kelly.

They host city rivals Hull FC tomorrow night, in front of a likely sell-out crowd, knowing they must win that and their last remaining game at champions St Helens to secure the last berth.

The odds are stacked against them especially with scrum-half Albert Kelly battling to be fit in time for the derby and captain Terry Campese, their other regular half, sidelined until 2016.

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The prospect of Rovers missing out – they are two points adrift of eighth-placed Hull – would be hard to stomach given some of their stellar form earlier this year.

Injury doubt Albert Kelly.Injury doubt Albert Kelly.
Injury doubt Albert Kelly.

But Chester, who yesterday completed the loan signing of Canterbury Bulldogs half-back Dane Chisholm until the end of the season, insisted: “I think both sides will be disappointed actually fighting for that eighth spot.

“Both have been inconsistent. We’ve suffered a hell of lot through injuries – we can’t control that – so we’re disappointed we’re scraping for that eighth.We don’t want to be one of those. We want to be one of those consistently in the top six.

“We’re not quite there yet but we’ve a good group of players and I’m confident we can still do it.”

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There is an argument, perversely, that Hull KR might be actually better served falling short of the eight.

They may win more games in the Middle Eights against Super League’s bottom four and the Championship’s leading quartet than during seven weeks against the top division’s leading sides and, with a Challenge Cup semi-final looming, they could then concentrate on that.

Of course, though, dropping into the bottom four opens the very real threat of relegation and Chester dismisses the notion.

“We’ve not thought about that,” he said. “We’ve thought about Super 8s (top eight). That was our goal at the start of the season and we’ll worry about that when we know more.

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“I still think it’s in our hands. We win the next two – two very tough games – we are in it.”

Rovers will give Kelly, their dynamic Australian who has scored five tries in their last four games, until tomorrow afternoon to prove his fitness.

He suffered a grade one medial strain in a dismal defeat at Salford on Sunday.

“I’m not writing Alby off yet,” said Chester.

“He played 77 minutes on one leg at the weekend and came through today (Wednesday’s training) okay.

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“But if he’s no good young Matty Marsh will fill in. He’s been going very well for Newcastle and deserves an opportunity.”

A former France international, qualifying via his French mother, Australian-born Chisholm has been on the books of four NRL clubs – Melbourne Storm, Manly Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers and Canterbury – but played only one first-grade game for the Storm back in 2011.

The Bulldogs, however, have retained him for 2016 and Chester hopes Chisholm, a regular in the reserve-grade NSW Cup, will have the same impact as Josh Mantellato, the winger who has been prolific this year since joining from the same competition.

“We’ve been talking to him and kept a close eye on him for the last three or four weeks,” he said.

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“We obviously lost Terry Campese until next year and Alby took that knock, so we’re down to two genuine half-backs in Matty and Bobbie Blair. We thought it was important we brought someone over to give us a bit of competition.

“He’s a proven tryscorer and has done very well in the New South Wales Cup. We picked players up like Josh Mantellato from there and what a great addition he’s been.

“We’re hoping for something similar from Dane. We’d heard decent reports and also spoke to Justin Morgan about him.

“They have re-signed Dane for next season, a sign of their high regard for the player, but a move to us for the rest of this year suits all parties.”

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Rovers have lost John Boudebza, James Greenwood and Jordan Cox from last week but Tony Puletua and on-loan Greg Burke are recalled with Marsh also added.

Hull could have captain Gareth Ellis and fellow second-row Mark Minichiello back in their side as they seek a third successive win.

Hull KR have released Connor Robinson, who has signed for Championship club Halifax.