Hull FC and Hull KR clash again in the final round of Super League’s regular season

We look at what is being said and team news ahead of the non-televised Betfred Super League games in the final round of the 2022 regular season…

Hull FC vs Hull Kingston Rovers (3pm)

There may be nothing riding on the final Hull derby of the year in terms of the Super League play-offs, but do not dare tell anyone in the city that this game does not mean anything.

Although both clubs have already been eliminated from play-off contention, the winner of Saturday’s clash at the MKM Stadium will finish the regular season higher in the standings as well as claiming the bragging rights until 2023.

Hull FC welcome Hull KR to the west of the city on the back of a morale-boosting 38-12 win at home to Toulouse Olympique last Sunday and head coach Brett Hodgson, who is still without 14 players, is aiming to end a difficult season on a high.

“It was crucial to build some confidence going into the derby and next season,” Hodgson said.

“We know what the derby is, so you don’t need any extra incentive for that, but the fact that we can go into the week with a bounce in our step is very important.

“We need to make sure we put some energy into the players and be ready to roll.”

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Highlights of the Betfred Super League match between Hull KR and Hull FC at Magic Weekend

Honours are even between the rivals so far this year, with the Robins winning 16-4 on Good Friday and the Black and Whites triumphing 34-28 in a thrilling and controversial clash at Magic Weekend.

Hull KR interim head coach Danny McGuire only has 16 players available for the match, but is determined nonetheless in the last match before Willie Peters takes charge at Sewell Groups Craven Park.

“It’s an important game, it’s our last one as a group,” McGuire said. “We want to finish the season well, we want to win, and we went to finish higher than FC.”

Named squads

Hull FC: Jake Connor, Darnell McIntosh, Luke Gale, Ligi Sao, Danny Houghton, Chris Satae, Jordan Lane, Ben McNamara, Jordan Johnstone, Cameron Scott, Mitieli Vulikijapani, Scott Taylor, Harvey Barrow, Denive Balmforth, Davy Litten, Matty Laidlaw, Ellis Longstaff, Lewis Martin, Will Smith, Kye Armstrong, Will Gardiner.

Hull Kingston Rovers: Ryan Hall, Albert Vete, George King, Kane Linnett, Matty Storton, Elliot Minchella, Jimmy Keinhorst, Rowan Milnes, Ethan Ryan, Sam Wood, Frankie Halton, Will Tate, Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e, Connor Moore, Zach Fishwick.

Salford Red Devils vs Warrington Wolves (3pm)

Danny Orr believes Salford have shown themselves capable of beating anyone on their day after sealing a play-off spot on the back of an incredible run of nine wins in their past 11 games.

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Highlights of the Betfred Super League clash between the Castleford Tigers and the Salford Red Devils

The Red Devils assured themselves a place in the top six with a 50-10 win over Castleford Tigers on Bank Holiday Monday and now travel to Warrington aiming to keep that form going before the elimination games start.

Up to six players could make their Salford debuts at the AJ Bell on Saturday with several key players given the weekend off, but assistant coach Danny Orr is in no doubt they have proven themselves a dangerous proposition.

“It’s not an arrogance, overthinking or getting ahead of ourselves, the proof has been in the last 10 weeks that we’ve had some really good wins against some really good teams so that gives you confidence to just go on and do the job and do it well,” Orr said.

“We know if we play well, we give ourselves a chance and know we can beat anybody.”

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Paul Rowley was excited to have reached the play-offs after Salford Red Devils’ victory over Castleford Tigers

For Warrington, the match offers the chance to end a miserable campaign on a positive note after their defeat to Huddersfield last time out condemned them to an 11th-place finish.

Head coach Daryl Powell made no excuses after his first season in charge of the Wolves fell well short of expectations, but he has vowed to make changes during the off-season.

“There is no way I came here expecting this to happen,” Powell said. “But it has happened because of a lot of things I saw when I came in and needed to change.

“There is no doubt we will change this. It cannot be all about the people coming in, but it can be all about the culture of the club.”

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Highlights of the Betfred Super League clash between Huddersfield Giants and Warrington Wolves

Named squads

Salford Red Devils: Sitaleki Akauola, Greg Burke, James Greenwood, King Vuniyayawa, Ryan Lannon, Harvey Livett, Rhys Williams, Morgan Escare, Sam Luckley, Amir Bourouh, Deon Cross, Jack Stevens, Myles-Dalton Harrop, Tyler Dupree, Daniel Spencer-Tonks, Joseph Coope-Franklin, Josh Rourke, Henry Davis.

Warrington Wolves: Joe Bullock, Daryl Clark, Jason Clark, Jack Darbyshire, Riley Dean, Matt Dufty, James Harrison, Leon Hayes, Oliver Holmes, Adam Holroyd, Josh Lynch, Peter Mata’utia, Tom Mikaele, Greg Minikin, Matty Nicholson, Josh Thewlis, Luke Thomas, Danny Walker, Jake Wardle, Tom Whitehead, George Williams.

St Helens vs Toulouse Olympique (3pm)

Kristian Woolf is not looking beyond the job he still has to finish with St Helens after his return to Australia for the 2023 season was confirmed.

Woolf, who is joining new NRL side Dolphins as assistant to coaching great Wayne Bennett, is aiming to guide Saints to an unprecedented fourth-straight Grand Final triumph, having overseen the past two of those.

The Queenslander has savoured his time at Totally Wicked Stadium and is eager for one final triumph before returning home.

“I have got my job to do over here and [Wayne Bennett] knows that and he wants to see us finish the season and finish the season really well,” Woolf, who welcomes back several experienced players following a youthful St Helens’ defeat to Wakefield on Bank Holiday Monday, said.

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Highlights of the Betfred Super League clash between St Helens and Wakefield Trinity

“I have got a real affection for what I am doing here with this great group of men, and I want to give them all of my time and all of my attention and play my small part in what success we can have this year.

“This team do so well in terms of how they train, how they prepare, what they are like as people, how they compete every week and put themselves into a position and want to win every week.”

Saints’ final regular-season game sees them host relegated Toulouse and head coach Sylvain Houles is maintaining his positive approach as the French club prepare for challenging to win promotion back from the Betfred Championship in 2023.

“It’s been a disappointing season, but we’ve learned a lot and we know what to expect now as a group,” Houles said.

“We faced plenty of adversity right from the beginning, but the boys have turned up every week and fought hard and I knew we’d do that today and we’ll do it again next week. We never give up, which is something we can be proud of.”

Named squads

St Helens: Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Jonny Lomax, James Roby, Matty Lees, Joe Batchelor, Morgan Knowles, Joey Lussick, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Curtis Sironen, Agnatius Paasi, Jake Wingfield, James Bell, Ben Davies, Konrad Hurrell, Dan Norman, Jon Bennison, Daniel Moss, George Delaney, Keane Gilford, Ben Lane.

Toulouse Olympique: Mathieu Jussaume, Paul Marcon, Harrison Hansen, Andrew Dixon, Dominique Peyroux, Anthony Marion, Eloi Pelissier, Maxime Puech, Joe Bretherton, Joseph Paulo, Ilias Bergal, Chris Hankinson, Justin Sangare, Guy Armitage, Matty Russell, Olly Ashall-Bott, Nathan Peats, Lambert Belmas, Maxime Stefani, Daniel Alvaro, Benjamin Laguerre.