Hull FC v Warrington Wolves: Key battles
Wednesday 21 September 2016 16:37, UK
With the league leaders shield likely to be handed to the winner of Friday's clash on Sky Sports, we look at three key battles as Hull FC and Warrington clash.
It's the climax of the Super 8s and one point separates three teams, but where will the League Leader's Shield end up? Will it be with top-of-the-table Warrington? Or their opponents on Friday, Hull FC? Could Wigan steal in with a win over Catalans?
So many possibilities - but the showdown at the KCOM Stadium is likely to decide it. So here are three head-to-heads between the key players...
Danny Houghton v Daryl Clark
Two hookers who have had superb seasons, but with James Roby and Josh Hodgson also in England contention, competition for places in Wayne Bennett's squad is fierce. Can Houghton or Clark lay down a marker on Friday night?
Warrington must be sick of the sight of Houghton. That blur of Black and White knocking the ball out of Ben Currie's hands will be a sore memory for Wire fans for years to come, and despite reports he could turn out for Scotland, Houghton should be at the forefront of Wayne Bennett's thinking.
Lee Radford has pushed his hooker for international selection all season and you can see why when looking at his statistics. Naturally, Houghton is Super League's top tackler with 1,244, a title he's made his own in recent years. It's also 525 more than any team-mate.
Houghton has run 193 times from dummy half, an area the Black and Whites will need to dominate given Clark's potential impact in that area of the field.
But don't underestimate Houghton's ability with ball in hand either. He's provided 18 try-assists this season, only behind Marc Sneyd for his side, and also scored seven tries of his own.
Opposite Houghton is a man back to his best. Clark ripped Wigan apart through the ruck area last week and when he was taken off for a period with a stiff back, his absence was obvious.
Clark is a genuine threat with ball-in-hand. His 2,762 metres is the third most made in Wolves colours and at an astonishing average of 10.79 metres per drive. That average is the best of any player in Super League.
Clark has also scored nine tries, run 185 times from dummy half, made 100 tackle busts and 14 clean breaks.
Don't underestimate his defence either. With 667 tackles he is the sixth-best in Warrington's side. Clark's clash with Houghton should be worth the entry fee alone.
Live Super League Super 8s
Scott Taylor v Chris Hill
Plenty of work for the packs to do come Friday night and there should be a big battle in the front row between four big metre-making props.
Scott Taylor is another England contender for the autumn but competition is fierce, so it will be a good marker for him to test himself against a likely starter for Bennett's side in Chris Hill.
Taylor's stats certainly stack up in his favour in 2016. He's the second highest metre-maker in the Black and White, racking up 2,816 metres at an average of 8.28m per drive.
Taylor is also a defensive lynchpin for Radford's side. His 719 tackles rank only behind Danny Houghton in FC colours, while he's only missed 37.
On the other side of the whitewash, Hill is the benchmark for any Super League prop forward. He is Warrington's leading metre-maker, returning 3,813m from 466 carries at an average of 8.18m per drive. That is the third most carries in Super League and the best metre return of any player in the competition.
Consider the fact he is also in Super League's top ten tacklers and you realise what an all-round player Tony Smith has at his disposal. His 894 tackles is the most in Warrington colours as well.
Hill, as captain, will lead Warrington from the front and he will be desperate to end the season with a trophy in his hands. But will that silverware be the League Leader's Shield?
Gareth Ellis v Joe Westerman
One of Super League's most experienced players comes up against one of his old team-mates on Friday night in the back row.
Gareth Ellis could be FC's most important player in the run-in. He's got the know-how in these big games, lifting two Super League titles with Leeds. And he finally got his hands on another trophy this season, hoisting the Challenge Cup to end Hull FC's barren run. So how much impact will the skipper have?
He's still putting together good numbers for Lee Radford; 532 tackles, 1,709 metres at an average of 7.15m per drive, 10 offloads, five clean breaks and four tries. A solid effort - especially for a 35-year-old.
Joe Westerman must have mixed feelings about Friday. He left Hull FC in the summer for Warrington, without a single trophy to show for his five seasons at the club. And now having missed out to his former club in the Challenge Cup, his new club risk losing out on the league leaders' shield too.
It's been a good start for Westerman at Warrington, though. He's second in the tackle rankings, his 776 only behind Chris Hill. And the loose forward has also passed 2000 metres for the season, while notching up 10 tries in the process.
Westerman's made 69 tackle busts and 13 clean breaks and his handling game is a big part of what Tony Smith's side aim to achieve. So can he deny his former club and finally lift a trophy of his own?
