Hull FC take on Leeds Rhinos in a massive Super League contest.
John Cartwright has insisted his Hull FC side will ‘throw everything’ at Leeds Rhinos this Saturday afternoon. The Black and Whites host the Rhinos at the MKM Stadium in a massive Super League clash, with the home side looking to cement their top-six position and the visitors going for the top two.
The stakes are big, with the first meeting between the two sides this year at Headingley fresh in the memory. That night, Ryan Hall snatched it at the death for Leeds in what was a narrow 18-16 win.
Prior to his 79th-minute winner, Hull had led all game, with the manner of defeat sticking in Hull’s teeth but giving new motivation.
“It does a little bit,” Cartwright, speaking pre-match, conceded. “We did everything we possibly could to win that game. We played out of our skin in a pretty tough environment and we had done enough to win; we had them pinned in their corner, we set up a real winnable game, and it snuck through our fingers.
“It’s done and dusted now, but revenge and that sort of stuff doesn’t work in footy. We have to realise the opportunity in front of us, turn up on Saturday, and throw everything we’ve got at it.”
Relishing the challenge, Cartwright has already been impressed by the talk of his senior players. He continued: “The belief in the group, especially from our senior players, is we’re not fussed on who we play. If we get our stuff right and play at a consistent level, we do believe we can beat anyone.
“It’s great as a coach to sit back and watch them talk like that, but it’s not just talk – they’ve gone out and proved that. They’ve been competitive in all games and had some big wins against some of the better sides. They know they can do it, but it’s a tough game to keep turning up and turning up, but if you want to be the best, that’s what you have to do.”
Hull come into the game on the back of a gutsy defeat at St Helens, whereas Leeds are on cloud nine after a very impressive win against Hull KR. The Rhinos are gunning for their best league finish since 2017, with the side, led by Man of Steel contender Jake Connor, back in form.
“We’ve previewed Leeds and they’ve got a very strong team right across the park,” Cartwright explained. “He (Connor) gets the mentions because he touches the ball a lot, but they’re a dangerous side – they’re very fast and they’ve got a lot of pace. They’ve got a good set of halves; they’ve got it all covered, and they’re playing with confidence.”
But Hull have their own big-game players back. Aidan Sezer returned last week to skipper the side, with Jordan Rapana also slotting in. In fact, Cartwright is backing the Kiwi now to hit his straps and produce now when Hull need him most.
“It’s really important,” Cartwright said. “When you lose players who are integral parts of the team, it makes it hard, so it’s nice to be able to bring someone back in. I thought he (Rapana) did a good job for us last week in what is not a normal position. We’ll come up with our side later this week and he’ll be in there somewhere.
“I was happy with him. He plays tough and he’s a competitor. It’s unfortunate for him; it’s been one of those seasons as well; it’s been stop-start, but hopefully we get him on the paddock for the remaining four games and then into the semi-finals, where we can see the best of him.
“His effort, his presence around training, and his experience on the field – he’s come up with some good plays for us as well. He’s a big game player and we’ve got some big games coming up, so we look forward to it.”
And on Sezer, Cartwright added: “We haven’t been able to train much with Aidan. Everyone carries niggles and bumps at this stage of the year and he’s used to it. He’ll be better for the run last week but I was happy with him. As a half, playing on the back foot is very difficult, and we were on the back foot for most of the night.
“Yet with six minutes to go, the momentum swung our way. We scored a try and it was all us in the last few minutes of the game. With an ounce of luck, we could have taken it to the golden point and then who knows what.
“That’s what we ask of our players: keep competing until the end. If you play with that sort of courage and determination, then you’ll get most of the luck going your way.”