Thursday 22nd July 10

Hull FC coach Richard Agar is warning his side to prepare for another backlash from leaders Wigan Warriors when they visit the KC Stadium in tomorrow night’s only Engage Super League match.

Wigan will be looking to bounce back from their 23-16 home defeat by Warrington Wolves, who are now just two points behind them with five matches left of the regular season.

Agar knows what to expect, having been on the receiving in March when the Warriors responded to a 22-20 loss at Bradford Bulls - their only away league defeat this year - with a 48-24 rout of his side at the DW Stadium.

“We caught Wigan on the back of a defeat at Bradford and they duly obliged with a pretty good performance against us,” he recalled.

“They’re a good side, a very ruthless and disciplined side and that’s why they’re sat at the top of the competition.

“They’ve got an ability to blow teams away in the first 20 minutes and it’s important you stick with them during that time. Warrington did it last week and managed to get through the other side.”

Wigan coach Michael Maguire, who will miss the game due to compassionate leave, knows his side fell below their high standards against the Wolves.

“We’ve got to make sure we get back to doing what we can do,” he said. “I know the boys were very disappointed with their performance last week but they know how to bounce back.

“It’s another game where we need to perform at our best. We’re getting very close to the business end and it’s a matter of tidying up certain areas of our game.

“Ball possession at the weekend was terrible, probably the worst it’s been all year in the second half.”

Wigan’s assistant coach Shaun Wane, who will be in charge, is able to welcome back experienced prop Andy Coley from suspension.

With Danny Tickle serving a one-match ban and Richard Whiting and Mark Calderwood joining Sean Long, Craig Fitzgibbon and Mark O’Meley on Hull’s injury list, Agar is forced to bolster his squad with youngsters.

Liam Kent, 19, Danny Nicklas, 18 and Chris Green, 20 have just one substitute appearance between them in Super League but at least one of them will face the leaders.

“It’s not the sort of game where you want to pitch in too many youngsters that haven’t even a handful of games to their name but at least one of them is going to be in the 17,” he said.

“We’ve announced this week that we’ll make a couple of them full-time next year so it highlights the progress that they’ve made in the Under-20s this year and the potential we see in them.

“It’s paramount that our senior players take the lead and step up to the mark. We’ve a few quality troops on the sidelines but, if you look down the team sheet, we’ve still got some good players in there.”

In the absence of four specialised marksmen, three-quarter Craig Hall will be handed the goalkicking duties on his return to the side.