MATCH PREVIEW | St. Helens vs Hull FC

In a game between two of the top-performing clubs in Super League so far this season, we will see Kristian Wolf’s Saints, against Brett Hodgson’s Black & Whites face off at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

St Helens play Hull in round eight of Super League this Friday, in a game which is a dress rehearsal for the Challenge Cup semi-final next weekend. Both sides have now tasted defeat this season after Saints were defeated in the south of France.

However, both sides have been top performers in the league this season along with Wigan, Catalans, Warrington and to a certain extent, Castleford. The teams that make up the top six.

As mentioned, the Saints will be coming into this game off the back of their first loss of the season, so there’s a huge incentive to win from the home sides perspective. For Hull, it’s just a case of continuing their good form with another win, after defeating Leeds at Headingley last weekend.

Friday’s matchup will be interesting, with a cup semi-final between the two, the topic of conversation. Tactically, it will be interesting to see how the sides set up and play with next week’s game a much bigger game in the long run.

There’s a lot of speculation surrounding different members of the St. Helens squad at the moment, whether they will be a part of the Red Vee in 2022 but for now, the reigning Super League champions seem to be setting the bar for the rest. FC halfbacks Josh Reynolds and Marc Sneyd are setting the pace too, scoring plenty of points for the team from East Yorkshire, they will be key figures the Saints defence will need to be mindful of.

It’s a home match for Wolf’s side, and one they will feel they have to win, after falling to defeat to the hands of the Catalans Dragons last Saturday. Given the way the league table goes off points percentage this season, a loss won’t be too bad for St. Helens having won six out of seven so far, giving them more focus on the Challenge Cup game around the corner, but two losses in two won’t be the standard we usually see from this Saints side.

Hull won’t have too much pressure on them, being the away side. They will no doubt have more focus on reaching Wembley for the third time in five years.

Although a Friday night game under the lights at the Totally Wicked Stadium, in front of the Sky cameras, with home fans in attendance, it’s sure to be a good show and the first of two matchups in the next fortnight!

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