Wakefield v Hull FC – Super League preview
If the Wakefield Wildcats need any advice on staying the distance in matches, then Wildcats fan Mary Wilsher should be their first port of call.
Wilsher, who attended her first game at the age of 19 and has been a regular down at Belle Vue ever since, celebrated her 100th birthday last Thursday.
She will be in the crowd on Saturday as the guest of honour, as her side face Hull FC.
One man that will be looking forward to the match just as much as the birthday girl will be Wakefield coach John Kear (pictured right), for the former England coach has some tainted history with Hull FC.
He managed the club to a Challenge Cup success in 2005 but was controversially sacked a year later before taking over at the Wildcats. His assistant at the time, Richard Agar, who was taken to Humberside by Kear, took over the reins when Kear left and the two haven’t exactly been the best of pals since.
Kear’s troops have suffered a blow ahead of the match up with hooker Sam Obst missing through injury - the Australian isrenowned as one of the best in the business and he could prove to be a big loss.
The injury loss will probably not help the confidence following their loss to Hull KR last weekend, where they shipped 46 points.
But all seemed well in the camp midweek where the Wakefield squad donned some pantomime frocks in aid of Jason Demetriou’s testimonial, and the spirit within the ranks seemed very upbeat.
Confidence will not be an issue for in-form Hull though, as they have surpassed all expectations so far this season. They currently sit very pretty in fourth place and have done it without the aid of injured scrum-half Sean Long for most of the season with a dislocated elbow. He is set to miss out once again this weekend. There is no place for Sam Moa and Mark O’Meley either, who both remain sidelined.
However, Richard Horne will make his long-awaited return following a knee problem and could feature from the start.
The weekend rugby league is rounded up by two games on Sunday evening. Warrington play host to Castleford and bottom of the table Crusaders have a tough looking trip to Yorkshire to face in-form Huddersfield.
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