Hull KR head to Wakefield Trinity for a huge Super League clash.
Hull KR will walk into Wakefield Trinity’s Belle Vue ground on Saturday afternoon with all the cameras and attention on them, but for Daryl Powell, that sits just fine. In fact, the Wakefield head coach believes all the pressure is on Rovers, who are looking to close in on a second piece of silverware this year.
Ahead of the clash, the permutations are simple. For Hull KR, a win guarantees the club a first-ever League Leaders Shield. For Wakefield, it all but guarantees a play-off position.
The stakes are big, and for Powell, there’s a chance now to get at Rovers and take it to them – just as he promised after defeat at Craven Park back in June.
Recalling that game, Powell told Hull Live: “We were down at troops at that point and we were down 10-all at half-time. The second half of the game blew out a little bit. I just thought we were really good – we’ve been good against Hull KR for a game and a half in the two games we’ve played against them. We’ve got to be good again.
“They’ve been a team that has dominated territory and possession right the way through the year. I was watching them play against St Helens and they normally do that, but they were getting dominated by KR from a territory perspective.
“That’s the team that Hull KR have developed and grown. It’s tough getting out of your own end, but we found a way against them and we did some quality things. We’ve continued to do that all year.
“We haven’t been perfect, but we’ve been a challenge for teams and we’re still here fighting for games with a great opportunity to get into the six. It’s still in our hands – we’ve just got to play well over the last two games and give ourselves a chance. This is a big game but the pressure is probably on Hull KR more than it is on us.”
And while the narrative is what Hull KR can do with victory, Powell insists Wakefield have to keep the internal focus on them.
“It’s about us and we’ve got to be focused on what we do,” he continued. “If they lost the last two games, I think they’d still win it – the points difference is massive, but that doesn’t reflect on us.
“We just need to play our game, be us, and focus on what we have to do. That’s the only important thing for us at the moment. They’ll be coming to be at their best and we’re excited to get into this game. It’s a great challenge. The thing about team sports at the top level is the challenge they create, and playing against the best teams is the biggest challenge. It’s exciting. We’re ready to go.”
Wakefield know if they win their last two games, then they’ll be a play-off side, and if they make that series, there’s a chance they could meet Hull KR again – a team Powell expects to be fighting for Old Trafford next month.
He added: “Hull KR have been phenomenal this year – they won the Challenge Cup and they’re pretty close now to the league leaders. Everybody will be saying they’re within a fair shout of getting to the Grand Final and if they’re there, then they’ll have a fair crack at winning it.
“They’ve been the best team this year consistently, but for us, we’ve just got to handle what’s thrown at us and be at our best. When we have been at that level, we’ve been pretty good this year.”