Hull FC v Castleford preview
Fresh from securing a place in the Super League play-offs, Castleford will continue their quest for a home semi-final when they tackle Hull FC in their latest Super 8s clash at The KCOM Stadium on Friday.
The Tigers booked their semi-final berth with a 36-4 victory over Challenge Cup winners Catalans Dragons last weekend and understandably coach Daryl Powell was full of praise for his squad this week.
"I think it is a pretty big achievement," he said. "I look through the season at the difficulties that we've had. We've been missing two international half-backs for a large chunk of the season.
"To be where we are at now is testament to a lot of hard work from everyone at the club."
In contrast, Hull are looking to bounce back from an 80-10 thrashing at the hands of Warrington Wolves last time out - their seventh straight defeat.
The result prompted a stinging attack from owner Adam Pearson aimed directly at the players.
"The players are letting the club down," he said. "I have always worked by the mantra that if you respect the players the players respect the club back.
"But at the minute, from a number of players that is not happening and, therefore, that is unacceptable so we will be moving those players on and revamping the squad this winter."
Despite that mauling, Hull made just one enforced change to their squad when it was announced earlier this week with Mickey Paea ruled out of the game through injury.
Cameron Scott was drafted in to fill the void but coach Lee Radford subsequently announced that Jordan Abdull and Josh Griffin will also miss the clash.
"I've got 17 fit blokes," he told reporters. "I don't know what happens if we pick a few more up. I know Featherstone played with 14 last week so I don't know what the situation would be then."
Regardless, Tigers boss Powell is taking nothing for granted against their under-fire rivals and is expecting an improvement on their latest showing.
"They will respond," he said. "I don't think there's any way they won't.
"They are at home and they've had the owner and the coach giving them a fair old hard time this week so you'd expect them to come out and have a real go at us.
"For us, it has got to be about us. We have got to play well and put them under pressure and make it extreme for them and difficult for them and just play our game the way we want to play."
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Powell has not made any changes to the side that defeated Catalans. Ben Roberts and Luke Gale returned to the squad last week and they both retain their places after coming through that game problem free.
Hull FC 19-man squad: Lewis Bienek, Bureta Faraimo, Brad Fash, Dean Hadley, Liam Harris, Danny Houghton, Jordan Lane, Jez Litten, Sika Manu, Masi Matongo, Hakim Miloudi, Cameron Scott, Jamie Shaul, Fetuli Talanoa, Scott Taylor, Carlos Tuimavave, Danny Washbrook.
Castleford Tigers 19-man squad: James Clare, Mitch Clark, Greg Eden, Luke Gale, Oliver Holmes, Will Maher, Nathan Massey, Peter Mata'utia, Mike McMeeken, Paul McShane, Grant Millington, Adam Milner, Junior Moors, Ben Roberts, Michael Shenton, Jake Trueman, Joe Wardle, Liam Watts, Jake Webster.
