Live
Hull K R vs London
Super League
7:45pm Friday 6th September
KCOM Craven Park
As you wander up the staircase into the first floor offices at London Broncos’ Trailfinders Sports Ground home’s pavilion, you find a massive image of the group celebrating the Million Pound Game triumph of the past year.
It is a reminder of the way the Broncos overcame the odds to conquer Toronto Wolfpack at Canada in the 2018 marketing decider, along with how they got to this point in the first place after needing to win both of their remaining games to create the Qualifiers and again to get to the aforementioned decider.
12 months later, the team wind up needing two victories from their two remaining matches – this time.
Broncos head coach Danny Ward is aiming to use the experiences of past year as must-win territory is entered by his negative once more.
“We’ve been in knock-out football situations before, we’ve experienced some must-win games and that is what experience for you,” Ward said.
“You’ve got to tap into that experience, you know what it feels like and you know what it’s going to take.
“We’ve got to draw on these experiences for your lads who had been in the Million Pound Game and again show them the hard work we went through was to get these minutes today.”
The very first of these games is the Friday off to Hull Kingston Rovers, live on Sky Sports, along with the Broncos head into KCOM Craven Park with won one and lost one against the Robins much in 2019.
1 man who knows all about what is currently waiting in store for your Londoners is Kieran Dixon, who spent two seasons before returning to his hometown team for his next spell at 2017, playing for Rovers.
The winger scored 28 tries in 39 appearances, along with featuring at the 2016 Challenge Cup final, with all the memories of the derbies using cross-city competitions and acting Hull FC being affectionate memories.
“This was a lot different to what I’m utilized to,” Dixon explained. “Clearly I had a whole lot of growing up to do, leaving here and going up there.
“I was on my own and still young – maybe not so I grew up a lot, but I climbed up just enough – although the stunt had been wonderful.
“To go from here, where you’ve got a loyal fan-base although not the greatest, to playing in a stadium with six or more 7,000 people weekly was eye-opening as well as the very first Hull Derby was some thing I will never forget.
“They’re incredible games and I’m happy I played in a few of them, but I’m happy to be back home now.”
Ward will find himself up against one of the aide in Hull KR head coach Tony Smith, who had been responsible at Leeds Rhinos if the Broncos boss made his way since a young prop in Headingley.
Smith has made three adjustments to Rovers’ 19-man group out of last Saturday’s 24-6 win off to Catalans Dragons that increased the team 2 points clear of this bottom-placed Broncos.
Victory on Friday are the perfect way for Smith to top off a week that saw him agree a new three-year contract and will protect the Yorkshire side’s place in Super League for 2020.
“He’s a wonderful trainer, most likely one of the best I’ve worked with,” Ward explained. “He was huge for my game coming at Leeds, he assisted me a lot and he is a quality coach.
“He has certainly attracted some stability there and they’ve clearly seen a lot of progress because he has just signed a contract, which is good for Hull KR to know where they are going to be with Tony and I am sure he will continue to drive them to become among the very best clubs.
“But hopefully we will get the work done Friday night”
Ward has made only 1 change to the Broncos’ 19-man group out of last Sunday’s 36-10 defeat at home together with Daniel Hindmarsh substituting Mark Ioane, to Leeds Rhinos.
Hull KR 19-man team: Craig Hall, Ben Crooks, Jimmy Keinhorst, Ryan Shaw, Danny McGuire, Robbie Mulhern, Mose Masoe, Joel Tomkins, Weller Hauraki, Mitch Garbutt, Chris Atkin, Danny Addy, Kane Linnett, Josh Drinkwater, Will Dagger, Daniel Murray, Matt Parcell, Dean Hadley, Kyle Trout
London Broncos 19-man group: Jordan Abdull, Guy Armitage, Eddie Battye, Rob Butler, James Cunningham, Kieran Dixon, Matty Fozard, Matt Gee, Daniel Hindmarsh, Elliot Kear, Olsi Krasniqi, Brock Lamb, Will Lovell, Nathan Mason, Ryan Morgan, Jay Pitts, Alex Walker, Rhys Williams, Luke Yates
Read more here: http://www.estrogenolitfiyat.com/justin-gatlin-to-return-to-training-after-injury-scare/