Wigan Warriors v Hull FC - Engage Super League XVI Round 5.
Sunday 13th March 2011. Kick Off 3:00pm at DW Stadium.

Match Preview

We've won just four of our last ten games at DW Stadium, a record that is not the form of champions! St George-Illawarra, Leeds, Huddersfield, Warrington, St Helens and the mighty Harlequins have all claimed victories here in the past 11 months.

Now thankfully we've been able to rely on exceptional away form which has seen us go 17 games unbeaten (including neutral venues). But we can't continue to rely on that. We need to get our home form sorted.

To be honest the bigger test will be when Warrington visit in two weeks time. We should roll over Hull FC. I think they are an awful side with an awful coach and their supporters deserve better.

I don't know how Richard Agar remains in a job. Since he became coach in May 2008, Hull have won just 5 of 29 matches against sides that finished the season sixth or above, and amazingly all but one of those 5 wins came in February. Two of those five wins were first matches of the season.

So take February out the equation, they've won just 1 match against a top six side, home or away, since he became coach in May 2008. Even then they had to come back from 26-6 down against St Helens to beat them 27-26 last year at KC Stadium. That's a pretty damning and pathetic record for a big club like Hull FC.

I've probably set us up for a fall having brought that up, but the last time Hull managed a win here in Wigan was back in 2005 when the Wigan team included Dennis Moran at Full Back, Liam Botham at Loose Forward, a 20 year old Kevin Brown at Stand Off and a bench that included a 19 year old Bryn Hargreaves, an 18 year old Joel Tomkins and Chris Ashton, who was also 18 and making his debut. The only other Hull Super League victory in Wigan was claimed in April 2002 when they won 20-18.

Since that last win in 2005 Hull have suffered coming to Wigan. We had a relegation survival party in 2006 when we beat them 38-16. In 2007 they led 16-2 before a brace of tries from Trent Barrett and a Pat Richards hatrick saw Wigan win 47-16. In 2008 we pumped them 66-6 with Joel Tomkins scoring four tries on the night. Hull did compete a bit in the 2009 clash but in 2010 the final score of 48-24 was flattered by three late Hull scores.

News this week that Stuart Fielden has been ruled out for 4 months has been met with some panic on our message board but I'd rather lose players now than at the back end of the season but we'll cope.

We have a strong squad and like coach Michael Maguire I look at the positives. He was telling Wish FM that it's positive that down the track we will be able to recall Brett Finch (in 2-3 weeks), Pat Richards (not long after), Gareth Hock (late June) and Fielden as well. If we can just hang around the top of the table in the interim we'll be in a great position towards the back end of the season. Those are four quality, quality players to return to a squad that is already doing fine this season.

I think Fielden's absence gives a big opportunity to Lee Mossop. He's done a solid job so far playing prop this season. Bigger tests will come when we play Huddersfield, Warrington and Leeds in the following weeks but early signs are he is coping well with the step up to the front row.

One player who won't be getting a recall soon is Eamon O'Carroll. Sadly he has been ruled out "long term" and it's got to raise big questions about his Wigan career now. He is out of contract at the end of the year, but how can you give a contract to a player that has missed 50 of 68 games in the past two seasons and likely to miss most, if not all, of this season as well? Such a shame. We wish him well!

Overall I think Wigan will just beat Hull out wide. They seem a very pedestrian side to me which struggles for and against pace. Hull have the top two marker tacklers in the league so far (Craig Fitzgibbon and Danny Houghton) so we should be looking to clear the ruck quickly. I'm not sure this will be a big scoring victory. I think we'll be made to work hard for it but I just can't see Hull having the tools to control and then beat us.

19 Man Squads

Hull FC

IN:l	Cameron Phelps

OUT:l

Jordan Turner

Full 19: Will Sharp, Richard Whiting, Kirk Yeaman, Tom Briscoe, Richard Horne, Mark O'Meley, Danny Houghton, Lee Radford, Joe Westerman, Danny Tickle, Craig Fitzgibbon, Danny Washbrook, Epalahame Lauaki, Willie Manu, Ewan Dowes, Cameron Phelps, Reece Lyne, Sam Moa, Sam Obst.

Match Referee

Steve Ganson (St Helens) - Age 41
First Pro Game: Barrow v Carlisle - 27th August 1995
First Super League Game: Castleford 22 Paris 18 - 17th August 1996
First Wigan Game: Halifax 18 Wigan 46 - 18th May 1997

Wigan's Record when this referee is appointed

Wigan have Won 47 and Lost 22 (4 draws) from 73 appointments.
This Season:  First Appointment.

Video Referee

Not in use for this match.

Current Super League XVI League Positions

Super League Team Stats - Averages per Game

Individual Player Stats

Super League Era Head to Head Record

Wigan Form Guide - Last Six Matches - Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 1

Wigan 2011 League Home Record
First Home Fixture

Hull FC Form Guide - Last Six Matches - Won 3 Lost 3

Hull FC 2011 League Away from Home Record
Played 2: Won 0 and Lost 2 (Ranked: Worst in League) - 0% Win Rate.
*Only side yet to win a game away from home this season.

Previous Six Meetings at DW Stadium

Wigan v Hull FC in the past.....

Hot Scoring Streaks

• Josh Charnley has scored 7 tries in 8 Super League appearances to date (including loan spell at Hull KR).

• George Carmont has scored 4 tries in 4 matches so far this season.

• Harrison Hansen is a try scorer in every league game so far this season.

• Thomas Leuluai has scored 3 tries in his last 2 league appearances.

• Darrell Goulding has scored in his last 2 league appearances.

Cold Scoring Streaks

• Paul Prescott holds the clubs current longest cold streak having now not scored a try in 75 appearances since scoring his only Wigan try in the away trip at Hull Kingston Rovers on 9th September 2007.
• Paul Deacon has not scored a try in any of his last 16 appearances since he scored his only Wigan try at Salford on 11th April 2010.
• Sean O'Loughlin has not scored a try in 14 appearances since scoring against Salford on 9th July 2010.
• Andy Coley has not scored a try in 13 appearances since scoring against Catalans on 4th July 2010.

Ticket Details

Ticket Hotline: 0871 66 33 552
Click Here for Stadium Seating Map

UK TV Coverage

Radio Commentary

BBC Radio Manchester (95.1FM) will have commentary of the game from 3:00pm with Trevor Hunt at DW Stadium. Build up begins from 2:00pm but their will be no usual post match phone in due to Manchester City commentary, which begins straight after the Wigan match at 4:45pm.

Bilko's Statistical prediction.

The stats suggest a Wigan Win by 18-20 Points.

Weather Forecast

Cloudy.