James O’Brien on the pressures facing Hull KR just a week out from their Challenge Cup Final date at Wembley, why Huddersfield Giants are back to square one and why Leeds Rhinos v Wakefield Trinity is too close to call
00:00Hello and welcome to the latest Yorkshire Post Rugby League podcast.
00:11We're joined as ever by James O'Brien, the Yorkshire Post's esteemed Rugby League correspondent,
00:18followed up and down the Lambar Rugby League fans everywhere.
00:22James, welcome. We're going to be talking about Hawkeye Art just over a week out from Wembley Challenge Cup final,
00:29obviously against Warrington. Have a look at Huddersfield, who are looking to bounce back after a heavy loss to Saints last week.
00:36And we'll also have a bit of a look at Wakefield after they broke into the top six, I think, last weekend on the back of an impressive win against Salford.
00:46But we'll start with the team at the moment, or the team that is the team at the moment for us, Hall KR.
00:52It's a good test for them, just a week out from Wembley, Friday night at home to Saints.
00:57It's not going to be easy for them, but it's something that should help them maintain that sort of level of performance
01:03and hopefully, with it, winning momentum, yeah?
01:07Yeah, they'll definitely go to Wembley battle-hardened.
01:11The fixtures have had for a while now, probably with the exception of Huddersfield the other week.
01:15It had been really tough.
01:15But, yeah, it's one of those ones where I think the fans will watch it through the fingers.
01:21They're a week out from Wembley.
01:22The concussion protocols means there's no margin for error.
01:25If you get a knock to the head and fail, you're out of the final, basically.
01:30So that's one area of concern.
01:32The suspension side isn't as worrying the Shakers is a six-point threshold, and not a lot of players are close to that,
01:44so they should be fine on that front.
01:45Dean Hadley is probably the closest, but it looks as if they'll get a rest this week.
01:49So, yeah, it's mainly the concussion issues, any injury issues.
01:54But, yeah, it's a tough game against Saints.
01:56They've found some form, albeit against two poor sides in Catalan and Huddersfield.
02:02So they'll be pretty confident.
02:03But a trip to Crimin Park is a different prospect altogether.
02:08So just to be – I've got no doubts about Ulquhia's mentality.
02:12They'll turn up on Friday and play as they always do.
02:14But it's just that lingering doubt about, I don't know, the injury side.
02:20Even for me, just – it's a real tough watch a week out from him.
02:25But you just hope everyone gets through it and gets to fulfil the dream.
02:28And, well, I hope it is a dream this time and not a nightmare, like a couple of years ago.
02:33Do you get the sense with this year's team, Hull at Hull KR, that something is a bit different?
02:39I know it's often written that it is and that this is their year, et cetera, et cetera,
02:43but there is a danger in believing that too much, isn't there?
02:46Do you just get the feel that something is – you know, they're a step up from previous seasons,
02:53the last two seasons?
02:55Yeah, definitely.
02:55If you look at the side that reached Wembley a couple of years ago, this side,
03:02on paper, it's a much better side.
03:06But, yeah, I just think there is a weight of history there.
03:09There is that mental baggage that comes from losing a couple of finals in the last couple of years.
03:16But there do seem to be a different beast.
03:18They've only lost one game this year, and that was against Wigan.
03:20And that's another mental hurdle we're going to have to overcome at some stage,
03:23because Wigan are the only team that have beaten them in the last year in 80 minutes.
03:28But that can wait until August, the next time they play.
03:31The one they've got to get over is next weekend against Warrington.
03:36I think they will do it if they turn up and play as they do most weeks.
03:40Well, every week at the moment, then they'll win.
03:42But it's just that element.
03:44And once you're in the moment, once you're back at Wembley for those players who played last time,
03:48it's a completely different setting than they used to.
03:53So, yeah, I'm backing them to do it.
03:56I think Warrington will be better than they were last week.
03:57There'll be a different side in terms of personnel as well.
04:00The players who are injured, most of those guys will come back.
04:03Whether they're fit enough to play and get through a Wembley final, we'll wait and see.
04:07Because some coaches have fallen into that trap in the past and come unstuck.
04:10I remember back in the day when Tony Smith played with Keefe Senior and he clearly won't fit
04:17and Leeds lost by a point that day to Hull.
04:20So, it can backfire.
04:21So, yeah.
04:23But back to injuries, I hope that, like I say, Hull KR come through unscathed
04:26and they can put the strongest side they've got at the moment out.
04:30Obviously, they've got a few players injured.
04:32But, yeah, hopefully they're as fit as they can be.
04:34You mentioned a bit earlier there, Huddersfield obviously got hammered.
04:39I think it was 46-4 or something by Saints last week.
04:43It felt like they had turned a corner two or three weeks ago, obviously,
04:47getting that first win of the season when they edged out Hull FC.
04:50But since then, they've had two difficult nights.
04:54Is it a case of kind of being back to square one with them again?
05:00Yeah, I mean, the Magic Weekend win, the Big 12 men didn't.
05:03The Hulk had someone sent off halfway through pretty much.
05:08And even then, they struggled to get over the line.
05:10But it's one of those when you haven't won a game, it's very difficult to get that.
05:14And the longer it goes on, it's very difficult to get over the line.
05:17But they did that and you think, are they going to kick on?
05:20But then you've got Hull KR and the next game they were flying.
05:23So, you've got a bit of hiding to nothing there.
05:25And then, like I mentioned earlier, St. Helens are coming into a bit of form.
05:29So, you shouldn't be getting turned over by 40-odd points at all.
05:33As Luke Robinson said, after the tie for excuses is over now,
05:36they've got most of the injured players back.
05:39The issue they've got at the moment is those players haven't had much time
05:41on the training field together.
05:43And it sounds like a cliche and excuse-making,
05:46but players do need, especially those players in key positions,
05:50they need to train together to get an understanding of each other.
05:53And things like that.
05:55So, Luke Robinson has said he's drawn the line and Sanders said,
05:59basically, the season starts now.
06:00So, judge me now.
06:03Judgment day is upon us.
06:05So, yeah.
06:06For him, now he needs results.
06:08If the season continues as it is,
06:11it's hard to see him getting a second full season, isn't it?
06:17Yeah, yeah, sadly.
06:18We'll switch now just to a team, or two teams, really,
06:22that are in good form and that come up against each other on Saturday.
06:25A big local derby for ourselves.
06:28Leeds home to Wakefield.
06:30Both teams have won the last three games.
06:32I think Wakefield have won four out of the last five or something.
06:35They broke into the top six last weekend when they thumped Salford.
06:39I think they put 70-odd past Salford.
06:42It's going to be interesting.
06:43I mean, Wakefield have probably done better away from home this season,
06:47if I can remember correctly.
06:49And they're coming up against a team in Leeds
06:51who seem to have turned the corner themselves
06:53in the sense that they're third.
06:56And even you, I think, were talking last week
06:58about the potential Leeds have for even threatening the top two
07:02come the end of the season.
07:03But it's, you know, two points separate these teams
07:06going into Saturday's game.
07:07So, it's going to be quite close to call, isn't it?
07:11Yeah, definitely.
07:12And Wakefield have already been two-edling and one.
07:14Way back in round one, it feels like a lifetime ago now.
07:19And they've evolved so much even in those few months as a team.
07:24Obviously, they came into the season as championship treble winners,
07:28but with the greatest respect to the championship.
07:30But that doesn't mean too much when you make a step up.
07:33But even in those early performances, they ran hooky high close.
07:37I saw them against Hull FC early in the season.
07:40And I was quite surprised by the intensity of that game.
07:43It felt like a playoff game.
07:45And I said at the time, I think that both teams,
07:48even though Wakey hadn't had the best results up to that point,
07:51especially at home, that they'd both been in the mix
07:54for the players from the end of the season.
07:56It looks like that's what's going to happen.
07:58And I went back against Wakefield finishing fifth, sixth.
08:02I mean, I think the job Daryl Powell has done there is really got them
08:07functioning as a team.
08:09They've got – it probably goes under the radar.
08:12They've got so many players missing at the moment,
08:13yet whoever he puts out there just goes and does the job
08:17and they're getting results more often than not.
08:20So, yeah, I let the look of Wakefield as a playoff contender.
08:25I'm not sure how deep they could go into the playoffs,
08:27but once you're there, anything could happen.
08:29And with Leeds, yeah, they're just churning out results at the moment.
08:35It's not pretty most of the time, but after the inconsistencies
08:38of recent years, Leeds fans won't care about that.
08:42They're turning into a bit of a results machine again,
