Hull FC put all eggs in one basket as they aim for Old Trafford

Drew Darbyshire 27 Jul 2019 5:30 PM

Hull FC coach Lee Radford believes getting to the Super League Grand Final is double-important after being knocked out of the Challenge Cup.

The Airlie Birds lost 22-14 to Warrington in the Challenge Cup semi-finals at the University of Bolton Stadium on Saturday.

And Radford wants his players to turn their attention quickly on getting to Old Trafford at the end of the year.

He said: “I’m disappointed, very disappointed.

“Our effort was through the roof and our performance was good but Warrington were really good and the difference was just the results and the kicking game.

“I said to the players in the changing rooms that all of our eggs are now in one basket.

“I’m pretty sure we will come up against Warrington or Saints at the back end of the year so we have got to zone in on that now.”

Hull FC face Wigan, Wakefield, Salford, Huddersfield, Castleford and St Helens in the final six rounds of the regular campaign.

And Radford insists his side need to improve if they are to get to the Grand Final.

He added: “We’ve got to front-load our defensive efforts better.

“We were throwing the ball off the island and Warrington were getting set starts from scrums. We can’t allow 60 or 70-metre sets.

“Territory was big in the game and Warrington’s kicking game was far superior than ours. Clutch plays are huge in big games like this and if we don’t make those plays then we don’t get to finals.

“Our kick chases were good but nobody actually got up for the football and sometimes that is the difference between going to a final and not going to a final.”