Castleford Tigers v Hull FC: Three key battles in top-of-the-table clash

It's first versus second in the table - Castleford versus Hull FC. But there's a plot twist to this one.

The Black and Whites have beaten the Tigers in two meetings this season - once in the league and once in the cup.

Will they make it a treble? Here's three head-to-heads that might decide it…

Zak Hardaker v Jamie Shaul

The Tigers fans got some excellent news this week; they've signed Zak Hardaker on a permanent deal from Leeds, forking out £150,000 for the full-back's services. And after his performance against his former club, they needed to move quickly.

Hardaker scored a stunning individual try to swing the game in Castleford's favour, dancing clear from his own half before saluting those supporters who once cheered him to the rafters. There's no doubt the 2015 Man of Steel is back to his best.

That score was his fourth try of the season, but he plays like an extra half-back, coming into the line and providing 12 try assists for his team-mates. But Hardaker's impact with ball-in-hand doesn't stop there; he's made 2247 metres, the best in the Castleford side, and that's at a gain of 8.35m a run.

If Daryl Powell keeps his full-back on the straight and narrow, they've got one of the best players in the competition.

If Hardaker is one of the Super League's premier attractions, then Jamie Shaul is hoping to emulate his opposite number. The full-back has been one of Hull FC's star performers recently and his coach Lee Radford wants to see more of the same against the league leaders.

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Shaul is the club's second top scorer with 14, and he's scored in his last four games. That includes a crucial try against Friday's opponents in the Challenge Cup quarter-final win, while he also crossed twice against Wakefield last weekend and once in the wins over Salford and Wigan.

Shaul is capable of causing havoc from the back, and his running stats make for excellent reading - notching up 2120 metres at an eye-watering 9.59 metres a carry: the second best of any player with over 200 metres in the entire competition.

He'll be aiming to continue his scoring run as the Airlie Birds line up the Tigers in their crosshairs.

Luke Gale v Marc Sneyd

Luke Gale continues to thrive in 2017. He showed once more at Headingley why he's a fair bet for this year's Man of Steel award, dictating the pace of the game against the team he grew up with. And the half-back's vision to create Grant Millington's match-sealing four-pointer was a piece of skill from a player at the very top of his game.

Gale has turned into the ultimate half-back. He scores tries - 11 so far this season - he makes tries (17), and he's also got a dependable kicking game, both long and short.

On current form there's no other man who should be wearing England's No 7 jersey in that World Cup opener against Australia on October 27, and Gale is certainly playing with a swagger that suggests he's aiming for that accolade too.

There's been a huge recent boost for Lee Radford; scrum-half Marc Sneyd is back in action. He returned against Wakefield, scoring a try and kicking six goals after a recent foot injury. And with pivotal half-back partner Albert Kelly missing, Sneyd stepped up in the creativity department, crossing for a try Kelly himself would be proud of as he beat Scott Grix to touch down.

Friday is a big opportunity for Sneyd. He's up against the side he guided to the Challenge Cup final in 2014, while he's now watching on as his former team-mates make their assault on the Super League title.

But Sneyd's Hull FC are the ones best-placed to catch them, currently sitting second, and they'll need him to pull the strings to do so. The half-back has 15 Super League assists in 2017, the most of any Hull FC player and more of the same is needed on Friday.

Grant Millington v Scott Taylor

Plenty has been made of the dazzling form Castleford's outside backs are showing, but while Greg Eden aims for Super League records, the forwards are the ones putting in the hard yards to set them up.

At the heart of that is Grant Millington, Castleford's Australian forward who made his 200th career appearance in June against Warrington.

He's made 1407 metres from his 228 carries at an average of 6.17m a drive, and he's also thrown 14 offloads, crucial for the way Castleford implement their fast-paced game plan.

Millington has switched between the bench, the second row and the front row this season, but he's started seven of the last eight rounds from the prop forward position, even popping up with a try at Headingley for his troubles.

Hull FC have also welcomed back Scott Taylor from injury in recent weeks. He started the Challenge Cup quarter-final against Castleford and then reverted to the bench against Wakefield last week.

The prop has endured an injury-hit couple of months and Lee Radford needs him back fully firing in the business end of the season. Taylor's go-forward is always impressive; he's made 1346 metres from his 162 carries this campaign at an average gain of 8.31m a drive - the best of any Hull FC forward.

The front rower is already in the England fold ahead of the World Cup and he'll need to step on the gas to persuade Wayne Bennett that he's the right man to lead England's forwards into battle in the autumn among serious competition.