I actually prefer Ligi in 2nd row or loose man alongside Okunbur. Stronger than last years IMO, Don't see why people keep putting Brown 13 he will play 7 or 9. Team depending on fitness of Smith, Carlos and Scott toss of a coin.

Walker

Macintosh

Carlos/Scott

Sutcliffe

Martin

Hoy

Brown

Pele

Houghton

Ashworth

Sao

Okunbur

Fash

Subs

Scott

Smith/Cator

Brown

Ese'ese

As usual Rovers will score first early in probably a tight first half

Second half similar to Wigan where their fitness and pace will take over

You may be right. But come on don't be such a defeatist before we start. Let's at least give the lads a chance. You never know they might surprise you

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... fc-9090618 Sounds like Sao, Carlos and Smith will be fit. Less sure on Fash and Scott

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... fc-9090618 Sounds like Sao, Carlos and Smith will be fit. Less sure on Fash and Scott

Think those three are more important than Scott and Fash

Wishing ang hoping just like you but in reality just cant see where our points will come from unless HKR make some glaring errors near their line or throw a couple of interception passes.

It would take a near error free display from us and near perfect discipline so that we dont run out of gas having to defend more than we should to make a full 80 minute game of it

Fairly obvious I know, but a win next Thursday would be a real tonic for the troops!



It's always nice to get a win first game, and doubly so when it's a derby, but more importantly from our perspective a win would put some energy into the fanbase which, as we all know, isn't feeling exactly optimistic about the months to come.

If we lose this game, then take a bit of a pasting at Wire the following week (although it's anyone's guess how Wire will go under Burgess) we run the danger of everyone feeling the season's almost gone by the time we've arrived at week 3!



Smith has a number of crucial decisions to make, that's for sure. Does he put all the big guns in the pack to start with and knock rovers out of kilter from the off? but that runs the risk of our level dropping alarmingly once we start interchanging.

In the halves, I suspect he'll go with Hoy/Brown and Walker at FB, not convinced it's ideal but likely to be what he settles on.



It's always difficult to predict opening games, there's no real form guide to go by, but think we need the win more than them for the reasons stated above. A defeat for rovers isn't going to derail their campaign, but for us it will probably increase the downbeat air surrounding us, so I'm hoping that might give us an extra push, especially if it's a close game.



I've been going to derbies since the 70s and I've watched too many where beforehand it has seemed so obviously slanted towards one of the sides only for it to go completely the other way on the day, so who knows really? Let the fun commence, eh!!

My team, which I imagine will be different to the one Smith picks.



Walker

MacIntosh

Tuimavave

Sutcliffe

Martin

Hoy

F Brown

Ese'ese

Houghton

Fash

Ashworth

Okunbor

Sao



J Brown

Pele

Scott

Smith



Well balanced, big, and gives us options to mix things up if things aren't working or we need a spark. 1-17 on paper Rovers look better, but I think we can beat them down the middle, and in early season games that is generally where its won and lost.

I too worry about how we are going to score, and last Sunday didn't do anything to allay those fears. Apart from Brown scooting around a bit, there didn't seem to be much in the way of constructive play throughout the whole 80 minutes.



I know it was a pre-season testimonial and it was raining for a fair portion of the afternoon, but watching them with ball in hand felt like a worrying foretaste of what may be to come.

Let's just hope something clicks somewhere over the coming few days.

Can't rely argue with most of that but I'm hoping we have a cunning Baldrick plan up our sleeves .

Nobody wants to lose a derby and everyone wants to start with a bang, but with a number of signings in both and pretty disjointed pre seasons really i don’t see a classic.



Defeat will be insufferable for a few days but nothing won or lost game 1. Hell we turned Wigan over last year in a dominant display and they went and won it with mad form at the end of the year (we both obviously aren’t Wigan, but the point stands)



Hoping for some decent weather and the pitch holds up as I think a forward battle suits you better. If we can release our backs then I think we could have too much



Enjoy the game and the day, good to have some rugby back. If we can top 20k rugby league in the city firmly alive and well!

Don't know about enjoying the game

unless we're 20 points clear with 2 mins to go.