Round 25
Hull FC 26 d. Harlequins 6

2009 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Hall hat-trick puts dent in Harlequins play-off ambitions
Sat August 22, 2009
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Craig Hall scored a hat-trick as Hull FC recovered some of their lost pride to put a serious dent in Harlequins' play-off ambitions with a convincing win at the KC Stadium this evening.

Having been branded as 'amateur' by captain Lee Radford in the build-up to the game following the end of their own play-off hopes last weekend, Hull's players responded in the best possible way as they cruised to their biggest win of the season.

The result leaves the Quins in danger of missing out on a top eight place. Despite spending most of the season nestled in the play-off positions, Brian McDermott's men came into the game knowing that they could regain one of those places with a win, despite a run of just one win in nine.

But, after this latest reversal, they will need other results to go for them over the remainder of the weekend to keep their hopes alive.

Hull's defeat to the Catalans Dragons last weekend confirmed the death of their own play-off chances, with 15 league defeats undoing the good work early in the season that had taken them to the top of the table in March.

They showed no sign of a hangover here, though, and immediately shot into a 16-point lead with just 15 minutes on the clock.

Their first try came five minutes in, with Tommy Lee getting on the end of an improvised kick from Mark Calderwood, with the winger set free by Danny Washbrook who was back after three-and-a-half months out through injury.

Tom Briscoe, another to have his season ruined by fitness problems, was the next to score, coasting in at the corner after Quins winger Will Sharp inexplicably coughed up possession close to his own line with no other player around him.

With the visitors shell-shocked, Hull quickly made it three tries in 10 minutes, with Willie Manu slicing their defence open to set Hall racing clear.

Hall was jettisoned on loan at Widnes Vikings for most of his side's mid-season slump but was soon adding his fourth try in five games since returning as he took into another Washbrook pass to canter clear of the dormant Quins' defence.

The try brought up 200 points for Hall in his Hull career, with Danny Tickle kicking his third and final conversion from the touchline. The closest the visitors came to scoring before the half-time hooter was when captain Rob Purdham had a 'try' disallowed by Phil Bentham after he was deemed to be offside when taking in Danny Orr's kick.

Hull continued to impress after the break, with Orr doing well to stop Washbrook close to the line, while at the other end Lamont Bryan should have dragged the Quins back into it, only for him to try an offload rather than touch the ball down following Luke Gale's break.

Debutant prop Epalahame Lauaki's aggression helped Hull to continue to move forward and on the back of another error from Bryan, this time close to his own line, they added a fifth score as Hall clung on to Washbrook's latest flat pass to spin his way over for a deserved treble.

Sharp then scraped over in the corner with 17 minutes remaining to get the Harlequins on the board but they were unable to mount a serious fightback.


Airlie News: Hull FC v Harlequins
Fri August 21, 2009
Source: www.hullfc.com

It is two in and two out for Hull FC this weekend as the Black and Whites injury plight doesn't get any better with the season drawing to a close.

With Hull's play-off hopes have now gone, so it's a game to late for debutant Epalahame Lauaki, but the Old Faithful will still be keen to see what the exciting Tongan international has to offer.

"I can't wait, it has been a long time coming and I just want to play some footy," said an excited Lauaki.

"I just want to get out and show what I can do, it has been a frustrating year for me, the boys haven't gone that well and I just want to finish the season on a high."

The returning Danny Washbrook will also join him in the side, fresh from 14 weeks on the sidelines and the birth of his first child Jacob-George.

The versatile 24-year-old was set to make his return to the team along with several other players last weekend in France, but delayed his comeback due to his son's imminent arrival.

He is now set to take his place in the team and is being tipped for a starting role at half-back.

That is because Hull will have to do without their star players Shaun Berrigan and Kirk Yeaman after both picked up serious injuries against the Catalans last time out.

Great Britain international, Yeaman, faces some lengthy time in the treatment room after tearing tendons inside his hip, while the talismanic Berrigan will also miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

A decision will now be made on both as to whether they require surgery and it could be at least four months by they are back to full fitness.

Hull FC coach Richard Agar said, "It is a tough blow, we have had this all season and they face a long time on the sidelines.

"Shaun will probably need some post-season surgery while we are currently deciding whether Yeamo should or shouldn't have an op, if he needs it we will get him in straight away and minimise the timescale."

The loss of Berrigan is a hammer blow for Hull which now means they are without their first choice players in four crucial positions.

"One of the keys to a team that is performing well is that one, six, seven and nine are fit, they are the blokes that get them round the park," Agar said.

"We have had to chop and change and it is hard to get consistency, while this week we will probably have to have Tansey, who is new to the club and Washbrook, who is only just coming back, in the halves and Whiting will have to play full-back again so it is not ideal."

Defeat in France last week now means Hull have little chance of making the top eight this season, but their opponents this week still have it all to play for.

Harlequins are currently 9th in the table just two points of a play-off spot and they have Danny Orr back in their squad after he missed last week's defeat to Salford City Reds with a quad strain.

Coach Brian McDermott has also included on-loan Hull Kingston Rovers player Ryan Esders after he has got over a shoulder injury.

Tony Clubb and Jason Golden are two others who will feature and will be remembered for scoring against Hull in the reverse fixture down at a very wet Twickenham Stoop back in March.

The Quins picked up a 22-12 victory on that day, while they did the double over the Black and Whites in 2008.

Those three defeats haven't helped Hull in the head to head record either, with the Airlie Birds bogey team now edging the standings with 16 wins, against Hull's 12, in the 30 games they have played each other in the top flight against the southern side in the guise of both Harlequins and formerly London Broncos.

Hull coach Agar knows his side face another stern test.

"They are a very tough, hard working side. You could argue they don't quite have the same quality as the big sides, but what they lack there, they make up in effort and endeavour.

"For them, it is probably the last throw of the dice in terms of them making the play-offs, for us, we have a couple of home games left and we want to go out with a bang.

"We want to give our supporters something to shout about before the end of the seasons."

SQUADS
Hull FC: Burnett, Briscoe, Calderwood, Cordoba, Dowes, Hall,G. Horne, Houghton, King, Lauaki, Lee, Manu, Moa, Radford,Raynor, Tansey, Tickle, Washbrook, Whiting.

Harlequins RL: Bryan, Clubb, Dorn, Esders, Gafa, Gale, Golden,Haggerty, Heckenberg, Kaye, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Melling, Orr,Purdham, Randall, Sharp, Ward, Wells, Williamson.

MILESTONES
Kirk Yeamen- Played his 200th game for Hull against Catalans Dragons.

Lee Radford- Made his 300th career appearance against Catalans Dragons, including spells with Hull FC, Bradford Bulls and international honours with England.

Paul King- Played his 250th game for Hull against Catalans Dragons.

HEAD 2 HEAD (Inc London Broncos)
Home: played 14, won 9, drawn 0, lost 5, for 283, against 216
Away: played 16, won 3, drawn 2, lost 11, for 298, against 397
Total: played 30, won 12, drawn 2, lost 16, for 581, against 595

LAST MEETING
Harlequins 22-12 Hull FC, Twickenham Stoop (3,593)- Sat 28th Mar

LAST FIXTURES
Saturday 15th August, Venue: Stade de la Mediterranee, Att: 9,800
Catalans Dragons (0) 18
Hull FC (6) 6

Saturday 15th August, Venue: Twickenham Stoop, Att: 2.612
Harlequins (10) 22
Salford (14) 26

Thu August 20, 2009
• Lauaki set for Hull FC debut
  

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