Brett Hodgson’s black and whites take on a wounded Warrington side

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After another week off for the International break between England and the Combined Nations all-stars, we are back to Super League action for the reminder of the year with Brett Hodgson returing to his former home for the first time in nine years.

The black and whites take on a Warrington Wolves side who are desperate to get some points on the board with any slim play-off hopes already beginning to completely disappear.

Hull FC are looking to bounce back to winning ways after their last two outings ending in defeats  against Wakefield and Catalan. In them two games, they have lost two key players in Jake Connor being side-lined for three months and Carlos Tuimavave rupturing his Achilles to be out for the rest of the season that could damper both of their World Cup hopes at the end of the year.

This game last year, when the black and whites were meant to travel to the Halliwell Jones, was called off 24 hours before the game kicked off with Hull FC having a covid outbreak which had to lead in the game being postponed.

In the reverse fixture back on Easter Monday, Hull FC were victorious when a late Manu Ma’u try got the game level and a calm conversion from Luke Gale sealed the win for FC and get them into the top six and to get back to winning ways after their Good Friday defeat against arch rivals Hull KR.

Looking onto the game on Friday, Warrington will be without new signing Kyle Amor who will be sidelined for up to two weeks in addition to the departure of Billy Magoulias going back to Australia for his child being born.

In the opposition camp, Hull will be without Josh Reynolds who has left the club with immediate effect which was announced on Wednesday afternoon with also Jake Connor and Carlos Tuimavave being injured.

James Harrison will also make his Warrington debut on Friday night after picking up a serious ACL Injury last year playing for his former side Featherstone Rovers and Daryl Powell has said:

“He has really impressed me since joining the club, he’s got the right attidude and he’s a hard worker. The game for the reserves a fortnight ago against Wigan, he was immense and he needed that game time to get back into the swing of things and that contact that he’s missed for a year now.”

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Players to watch:

Ever since filling in the full-back role for the absence of Josh Thewlis, Gareth Widdop has had a rebuild and it looks like he is enjoying playing Rugby League again. Ever since joining the club from St.George in 2020, he has been heavenly criticised by the Warrington fans for not living up to expectation but since he’s been playing at the back, he’s been excellent.

The 33-year old who seems to be leaving the club at the end of the year to rivals, Castleford Tigers, has scored three tries so far this season with the full-back picking up four assists.

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On the Hull FC side, I have chose Prop Forward Ligi Sao for his incredible attributes so far this season who has really been excellent for the black and whites this season. The 29-year old has been the link in the chain in the Hull FC pack with domianting other packs in the league by himself.

Sao currently has 1317 running meters with the prop also making 381 tackles and having 29 tackle busts so far this season.

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Squad News:

Warrington 21-man squad:

Matty Ashton, Joe Bullock, Daryl Clark, Jason Clark, Mike Cooper, Ben Currie, Matt Davis, James Harrison, Oliver Holmes, Toby King, Ellis Longstaff, Peter Mata’utia, Robbie Mulhern, Joe Philbin, Stefan Ratchford, Josh Thewlis, Danny Walker, Gareth Widdop, George Williams, Connor Wrench.

Hull FC 21-man squad:

Adam Swift, Josh Griifin, Darrell McIntosh, Luke Gale, Ligi Sao, Danny Houghton, Chris Satae, Manu Ma’u, Jordan Lane, Joe Lovodua, Kane Evans, Brad Fash, Jack Brown, Connor Wynee, Cameron Scott, Miteli Vulikjiapani, Jacob Hookem, Aiden Burrell, Jamie Shaul, Scott Taylor, Davy Litten.

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