Washbrook has horrid memories of Vikings collapse

Lee Radford’s side have won 11 of their next dozen games after ‘locking’ themselves in the dressing room that night to get to the heart of a shocking display.

They face Widnes again tonight at the KC Stadium but are now top of Super League rather than such chaos.

Instead, Dennis Betts’s side have nosedived since, falling from pole position to eighth after losing eight successive league games, a wretched sequence only ended by Sunday’s narrow win over Huddersfield Giants.

But for Danny Washbrook, the utility player who makes his 150th Hull appearance tonight, there will be no complacency.

“Last time we played Widnes obviously they pumped us so we have got to be ready,” he said.

“I think that will be spoken about ahead of this game; when we went there they absolutely put us to the sword.”

At the 15th attempt, Washbrook scored his first try of the season – and first since returning from Wakefield Trinity last winter – in Saturday’s 
32-24 win over St Helens, another battling effort that showed FC’s fighting spirit.

He, of course, is now back at his hometown club after a four-year spell with Wakefield.

Washbrook was in the only Hull side to reach a Grand Final, when they lost against Saints in 2006, and he hopes to get there again a decade on.

“It feels similar to 2006,” admitted the 30-year-old.

“I can see why people are making the comparison as we are on a bit of a streak at the minute. Leeds away is the only blot in our copy book in the last 11 weeks.

“If we can get to the Grand Final like we did then that would be outstanding but we’re just taking it one game at a time.”

Crucially, Hull have shown a real ability to dig themselves out of difficult situations lately.

Washbrook explained: “Listening to the coaches, Hull have been in similar close situations in the last couple of years and not won games.

“This season we are going onto to claim victory in the close matches and that’s a real positive because come the end of the campaign there are going to be a lot of tight contests.”

Former Hull KR stand-off Travis Burns, 32, has joined Leigh Centurions from St Helens on loan until the end of the season.