Warrington Wolves talking points before Hull KR semi final

Can The Wire make light of the perceived disadvantage of having to play away from home? Or will the Robins make full use of the perks they earned by finishing just above their opponents?

Our Wire reporter Matt Turner will be there to watch the action unfold and here, he picks out his five key pre-match talking points…

Too close to call?

After 27 rounds of the season, the difference between these two sides was so little – and yet so large.

They can barely be separated in pretty much every metric, but the Robins finishing two points clear of The Wire gained them so much.

A week off and home advantage in this game compared to a six-day turnaround following an eliminator slog that went to golden point? You wouldn’t find many choosing the latter option.

Of course, Hull KR have honourably earned that advantage and the right to hold the aces – so will it be the deciding factor?

Both sides have had their joy against the other this year and if you put these sides on a neutral field behind closed doors and asked them to slog it out, many would say the result would be too close to call.

As things stand, Warrington will probably be slight underdogs but as we’ll go into later on, this is a task they have accomplished before.

The two sides have met three times this year, with Wire winning twice (Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)

Stick or twist in the front row?

Sam Burgess admitted during the week that he would find it hard to make changes to the side that fought back to beat St Helens on Saturday to book this tie, and that is reflected in the naming of an unchanged 21-man squad.

Barring an unwanted late twist, it would appear then that Warrington’s 17 that takes the field in East Hull will also be unchanged – but could there be a couple of tweaks within it?

One that perhaps would not surprise anybody would be either Paul Vaughan or James Harrison – perhaps more likely the former – coming into the starting front row in place of Zane Musgrove.

It was something of a shock that Vaughan did not come straight back into the starting side against Saints alongside Luke Yates, who is a key tone-setter defensively.

And with Musgrove leaving the field after just 15 minutes and not returning, it would be equally as surprising if he retained his starting spot.

Another potential change Burgess could make is starting with Sam Powell at hooker to soak up the early physicality, with Danny Walker then utilising his greater speed from the bench.

Either way, they are the kind of headaches a head coach wants.

Paul Vaughan's return from a three-match suspension came from the bench against St Helens (Image: PA Wire)

Protecting the back three is key

In the three games these two sides have played against each other, Hull KR have had particular joy in one area.

Those games have featured three Robins tries from high kicks, with two of them carbon-copies of each other with Tyrone May chasing a Mikey Lewis bomb, beating Matt Dufty in the air and touching down on two separate occasions.

Josh Thewlis has also been targeted up against Ryan Hall’s supreme aerial ability – he will not be the first or last winger to struggle against the competition’s all-time leading try-scorer in that respect – while in the last game in August, there were also two Rovers tries from similar kicks chalked off courtesy of marginal video referee calls.

With that in mind, Wire’s back three can expect to come under heavy aerial fire again. Handling it better will be key, as will the protection they are offered by those around them.

Tyrone May outjumps Matt Dufty to score a try at Craven Park (Image: SWPix.com)

Can Wire thrive in the cauldron again?

While Craven Park is technically the Robin’s nest, the feeling inside will no doubt make it more akin to a lion’s den.

Whether the home side are in good form or bad, one thing you can always guarantee in East Hull is a hostile welcome from the terraces at the atmospheric old ground.

It has proved too much for most, with the Robins victorious in 13 of their 15 home fixtures this season.

However, the only visiting team to leave victorious within 80 minutes? Warrington Wolves back in March (Catalans Dragons won there in July in golden point).

Of course, both sides are very different outfits to the ones that turned out back in Round Four and with the pitch unlikely to be as boggy and heavy under foot as it was that night, we can expect an entirely different kind of game.

Psychologically, though, Warrington can go there in the knowledge that they can not only survive but thrive in the Craven Park cauldron.

Matt Dufty celebrates his winning try at Craven Park in March. Wire remain the only team to beat Hull KR on home soil within 80 minutes this year (Image: SWPix.com)

History beckons on either side

To many neutrals desperate for a new name to be on the Super League trophy, it is a shame that one of these sides will miss out on a trip to Old Trafford.

If this game was the Grand Final, it would probably have been the most eagerly anticipated for many a year but unfortunately, the fact it isn’t is the harsh reality.

Still, both sides have their own history to chase with Warrington desperate to end the sport’s longest and most mocked wait for a league title.

For them, a fifth Grand Final – and a first since 2018 – is on the horizon but for Hull KR, they are playing for a place at Old Trafford for the very first time to validate their recent rise to prominence.

Their wait for a major piece of silverware goes back to 1985 – not quite as far as Wire’s league drought, but still no doubt as keenly felt.

Either way, both sides are closing in on what would be seismic achievements – who will take that big step?