Hull KR are closing in on breaking a 45-year record that serves to underline their recent dominance over their cross-city rivals Hull FC. The pair go head to head at the MKM Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the third time this season.
Rovers have comfortably won the previous two encounters with the side from east Hull nilling the Black and Whites in embarrassing fashion on the opening day of the season, before recording a 34-10 win at Craven Park on Good Friday. Of course, the form book goes out of the window on derby day, but it’s fair to say KR are the favourites for the clash.
Just one look at the Super League table is enough to understand KR’s supremacy at this current point in time with Willie Peters’ pushing to keep the pressure up on Wigan Warriors at the top, while FC flounder in 11th, having won just two games all season. The points difference between the two teams currently stands at 18 points and that will grow to 20 with a result at the MKM Stadium.
There are still 10 more games to play after Saturday’s game, of course, but unless something changes, that gap looks likely to grow as the season progresses. Interestingly, that could potentially then result in the biggest points advantage Rovers have had over their bitterest of rivals since 1978-79, when they were in the division above the Black and Whites.
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Hull FC at risk of earning unwanted 45-year record
Credit: Imago Images
The Robins have had their spells of dominance between now and then but they haven’t had this much of a lead over FC for 45 years. KR won the Championship that season, with the likes of Steve Hartley, Clive Sullivan and Roger Millward spearheading Rovers’ charge to top spot.
Hull had a memorable season too, finishing top of the Second Division after winning all 26 of their league outings, but KR were the city’s premier team at the time and they hold that mantle once more. In 1984-85, Rovers finished 13 points above Hull as they were crowned league winners again and in 2009, after several years in the doldrums, KR finished 15 points above FC.
This year promises to eclipse both of those seasons in terms of their dominance over Hull, though, and that won’t go down well in the west of the city. To remember such a lead while both teams were in the same league, you’d have to go back to 1972-73 when Rovers finished 19 points and 15 places above the relegated FC.
Of course, over the last 45 years Hull have been the superior team in Hull, it’s fair to say. They’ve spent 14 seasons in the league above their Red and White rivals and when they’ve been in the same division, Hull have finished ahead on 17 occasions. They have work to do over the last 11 games of the season to rein the Robins back in this time around, though.
Colin Ware
July 13, 2024 at 8:16 am
Ok rovers are in a good place at the moment but don’t forget they have not won a major trophy since 1985 enough said you only get remembered for winning a trophy bot for been better than your neighbours for a spell 😉