REMARKABLY, this will not be the first time Warrington Wolves will have Hull FC blocking their path to getting a loss to Salford Red Devils out of their system.
The Wire welcomed the Black and Whites to The Halliwell Jones Stadium in May having just been beaten at the Salford Community Stadium and on that night, they responded with a 24-6 victory.
In this their third meeting with the Airlie Birds this year, can they do similar at the MKM Stadium on Saturday?
Our Warrington Wolves reporter Matt Turner picks out five key pre-match talking points ahead of the Round 15 fixture here…
Have Wire shaken off their malaise?
Was it a Wembley hangover, or are Warrington Wolves slipping back towards the bad old days?
The answer to that question will only start to be worked out on Saturday based on what they dish up on Humberside.
While this game against an improving Hull FC side shouldn’t be seen as merely a points difference-boosting stroll, it is still one any side with designs on a top-four finish would be expected to win.
After the disappointment of the Challenge Cup Final and the alarmingly flat follow-up against Salford, that is what Sam Burgess and his players need first and foremost – a return to winning ways.
What last week did prove, however, is that it will not take much for patience to wear thin among certain sections of a fanbase still scarred from last year’s summer struggles. “Leopards don’t change their spots” was one such reaction after the Salford defeat.
For now at least, such talk is surely premature but it is up to Burgess and those he sends out to carry out his instructions to prove them wrong.
> Sam Burgess reaffirms his belief in Warrington Wolves 'process' despite blip in form
The importance of finishing strong
After this game, Warrington and the rest of Super League will not be in action for a fortnight as the competition takes a break to account for England’s mid-season Test against France in Toulouse next weekend.
Wire’s next game after this one is Huddersfield Giants’ visit to The Halliwell Jones Stadium on July 5, and what can be said for certain is that they will not want to go into that game playing catch-up.
Back-to-back Super League losses have dropped them off the pace a little at the top and allowed Salford Red Devils to catch them up from below.
While they are still a way off having to sweat for their play-off place, they will want to make sure they are still on the coattails of those above them when the competition resumes.
For that, and in order to get themselves into a better headspace going into the break, they need a win on Saturday.
A bit of déjà vu for Williams
Cast your minds back to March and Round Four, which seems like a lifetime ago now…
Warrington travelled to Hull sweating over the fitness of their star half-back in a game they were under pressure to win to convince the masses.
On that occasion, George Williams played and while he was still clearly hampered by injury, he helped The Wire to victory over Hull KR at Craven Park.
While it meant he missed the next two matches – league and cup clashes with London Broncos – Burgess insisted it was “worth the risk” to bring Williams back earlier than anticipated.
Wolves return to Hull in a similar situation, and one wonders if last week’s defeat will lean Burgess further towards taking a punt on the England captain’s fitness.
Shaun Wane will be hoping that is not the case as he looks at picking his squad to face France next weekend, but Williams’ loyalties lie first and foremost with his club – and they need him.
> A full update on Warrington Wolves' injured players can be found here
An old habit starting to creep back in?
One of the more impressive features of this year’s Warrington side has been their defensive durability, with several instances of them soaking up significant pressure without any damage being inflicted.
Given that was one of the most damning characteristics of the past two sorry years, such improvement has been a delight to witness.
However, there have been one or two signs in recent weeks that old habits die hard, with each of the three consecutive losses in all competitions featuring tries being conceded in bunches.
A much-changed Wire side conceded three tries in 12 minutes in the Super League loss to Wigan. They then let in two tries in five minutes at Wembley and three in 18 against Salford – bursts which proved too much to overhaul.
Burgess has spoken this week about getting back to a process they believe works, and part of this is clearly relishing periods of being under the pump.
A new iteration of Hull FC
For this third meeting of the year with Hull FC – another quirk of this year’s fixture schedule – Wire are likely to face a third different version of the Black and Whites.
The team ex-Wire boss Tony Smith brought to The Halliwell Jones Stadium in Round Two was patched-up and disadvantaged further by Nu Brown’s nonsensical sending-off, eventually falling to a 36-10 defeat.
By the time they returned in Round 10, Smith had gone. Another former Warrington favourite in Simon Grix was in charge and while they were better stocked in terms of first-choice personnel, they were desperately low on confidence and were beaten 24-6 in putrid early-May weather.
Now, Burgess’ boys will face a side replenished by some new additions and buoyed by ending an 11-match losing streak by beating Leeds Rhinos last time out.
As such, this version of Hull FC is likely to be the best year and will be waiting to punish any complacency.
> What Sam Burgess is expecting from a buoyed Hull FC outfit
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