Hull KR look for a third consecutive Qualifiers victory against winless Halifax. Here’s everything you need to know…
SQUAD NEWS
Hull Kingston Rovers
Tim Sheens makes two changes to his 19-man squad after a thrilling 38-36 win at Leeds Rhinos last weekend.
Lee Jewitt has overcome a concussion so could feature for the first time in this season’s Qualifiers, while Todd Carney returns from the calf injury that had sidelined him for the previous two games.
Lee Jewitt, Hull KR. Photo credit: Getty Images.Ben Crooks suffered a knee injury in the win at Headingley and is expected to be out for a couple of weeks, while Danny Tickle is the other man to drop out. Joel Tomkins missed out last week with illness but remains in the squad.
Hull KR 19-man squad: Quinlan, Vaivai, McGuire, Scruton, Lunt, Masoe, Blair, Greenwood, Kavanagh, Jewitt, Clarkson, Lee, Mulhern, Salter, Atkin, Carney, Tomkins, Carney, Hall.
Halifax
Richard Marshall has been forced to make four changes to his squad following the heavy 62-4 defeat at home to Salford Red Devils last Sunday.
Halifax coach Richard Marshall. Photo credit: Halifax RLFC official website.Kieren Moss is unable to play against his parent club, while Simon Grix is out with a cheek bone issue and on-loan forward Jordan Baldwinson has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an MCL injury.
Sam Wood also drops out, with James Saltonstall returning from the hamstring problem that ruled him out last week. Three players who haven’t made a single league appearance for Fax this season come in, in the shape of Frazer Morris, Jordan Syme and Connor Davies.
Halifax 19-man squad: Sharp, Heaton, Saltonstall, Murrell, Johnston, Kaye, Tangata, Grady, Fairbank, Moore, Woodburn-Hall, Maher, Butler, F Morris, Syme, Jones, Davies, Fleming, Cooper.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
These two sides faced each other three times in the Championship and Qualifiers last season.
Hull KR won 28-14 at home, before Fax famously defeated the Robins 28-6 in the final regular fixture of the season to seal their place in the middle eights.
They met again just two weeks later in the first game of that competition at Craven Park, where the hosts were pushed all the way as Nick Scruton’s late try earned the points in a 26-22 win.
KEY BATTLE – Justin Carney vs Ben Heaton
Ben Heaton scored four tries on Fax’s last visit to Craven Park, and although this season hasn’t been quite as prolific – the winger has gone six matches without scoring since registering in the defeat at Leigh back in May – Rovers should still be well aware of the danger he can pose.
Justin Carney, Hull KR. Photo credit: Getty Images.The man charged with stopping him is likely to be Justin Carney, who this week announced that he will retire from rugby league at the end of the season after an 11-year career which has also taken in Canberra Raiders, Sydney Roosters, Castleford Tigers and Salford Red Devils.
THE IMPORTANT DETAILS
Date: Sunday 9th September
Venue: KCOM Craven Park
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Referee: Marcus Griffiths
