Hull FC arrive against the Salford Red Devils on Monday afternoon and need a win to keep hopes of reaching the play-offs alive.
Here’s our preview of the fight.
Do or die
After the lackluster performance at home against the Castleford Tigers on Thursday night, Hull has a lot to do to get into the play-offs.
They know they have to win all four remaining games to realistically secure their spot in the top six and all else may not be enough.
So the FC really drinks in the last chance saloon and another slip could prove to be without a chance.
Hull has shown that they are capable of beating all four of their remaining opponents this season with wins against Salford, Leeds, Wigan and Wakefield in the first half of the season.
They have shown that they are also capable of stringing results together, but we have yet to see if they can really handle the pressure with their backs to the wall.
The black and whites travel to AJ Bell Stadium as favorites and few would bet against leaving Greater Manchester, but they need to show courage and will to get the job done against Richard Marshall’s side.
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Questions about half the back
The loss of Josh Reynolds would always have a big impact in the last few weeks of the season and his energy was sorely lacking on Thursday as FC struggled to keep up with the Tigers’ enthusiasm and pace of work.
His absence left Hodgson with a half-back dilemma that resulted in the Castleford game, and he admitted that it might be a way to play Jake Connor in six.
He trusted young Ben McNamara to fill the hole, however, and created a couple of openings with the ball in hand, but he was picked defensively and dropped off with about 15 minutes or so to be replaced in halves Danny Houghton.
Hence, the dilemma seems to be heading towards the Salford game.
If Shaul is fit enough to compete, could Hodgson try to get the ball into Connor’s hands more often by putting it in the line, or will he trust the 19-year-old to find the goods in Salford?
Top Tryscorer Race Intrigue
Adam Swift scored his 13th attempt of the season on Thursday night walking tiptoe down and over the line with Castleford in the first half of the competition.
He’s been a shining light on the wing for Hull this season and it’s fair to say he managed to restore his reputation and revitalize his career in a black and white jersey.
He currently ranks second on the tryscoring charts, one point behind leading Jake Mamo and tied with Ryan Hall of Hull KR, who led the competition for much of the year.
If Swift can come over at the AJ Bell, the timing of the whistles means he’ll be moving to the top of the charts until at least later that day, patiently watching as Mamo, Hall and, in fact, Jack Welsby, Jake Bibby and Tom Davies who have scored all 12 points enter the field.
With four games remaining, the Super League top scorer’s crown is still up for grabs, but could a Hull man claim it for the first time?