Preview: Hull KR vs York Knights - Prediction, team news and lineups

Hull KR will be looking to avoid a third straight defeat across all competitions when they welcome York Knights to Craven Park this Friday night.

York famously beat the Robins in the opening game of the Super League season, and the defending champions will be looking to avenge that result on Humberside.

Match preview

It has been a bad couple of weeks for Hull KR who backed up their Challenge Cup final defeat to Wigan Warriors, with a thrilling Super League loss away at Wakefield Trinity.

Prior to those defeats, the Robins enjoyed a nine-match winning run, which saw them deliver solid defensive performances, conceding 16 or fewer points in all those games.

That defensive solidity has gone out of the window, with Hull KR shipping 40 points at Wembley, before conceding another 26 away at Wakefield.

Given they have lost their last two matches on the road, Willie Peters and his men will be glad to return to Craven Park, where they have won their last five matches - all by comfortable margins.

Hull KR will now be looking for a return to winning ways, as they look to keep pace with their title-chasing rivals, including Leeds Rhinos and Warrington Wolves, who started the round four points ahead.

York Knights finally managed to name a 21-man squad last week at Bradford Bulls, yet that did not stop them from enduring their fourth straight Super League defeat.

York fell to a 30-20 defeat at Odsal Stadium, which was a result which ended their three-match winning run against the Bulls.

Mark Applegarth has named a 20-man team for the trip to Craven Park, though his attention has turned to delivering an improved attacking display.

Speaking to the media before the match, Applegarth has urged his side to show more attacking flair, with his men currently averaging 18 points per game over the course of the last eight Super League outings.

With only two points separating York with bottom-of-the-table Huddersfield Giants, the pressure is slowly beginning to mount on the Knights.

However, the visitors will be buoyed by their last league meeting with Hull KR, which ended in a historic 19-18 victory for the newly promoted side.

Hull KR Super League form:

W W W W W L

Hull KR form (all competitions):

W W W W L L

York Knights Super League form:

L W L L L L

Team News

Hull KR head into this fixture without Sauaso Sue, who is forced to drop out of the team due to his one-match suspension.

Sue is replaced by Dean Hadley, who returns following his failed head injury assessment in the Challenge Cup final a fortnight ago.

Tevita Pangai Junior could make his Hull KR debut after overcoming a head injury, with the experienced forward looking to make his mark before his contract ends at the end of the season.

When it comes to York Knights, there is only one change to note with Danny Richardson dropping out of the team.

Former Man of Steel Paul McShane remains on the sidelines with an injury, with a timeline of his return remaining uncertain.

Hull KR 21-man squad:
Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Burgess, Lewis, May, Litten, Amone, Batchelor, Minchella, Broadbent, Luckley, Whitbread, Martin, Lawton, Dezaria, Booth, Leyland, Hampshire, Pangai Jr

York Knights 21-man squad:
Mata’afa, Wood, Galeano, Hingano, Harris, Martin, Vaughan, Thompson, Balmforth, Va’a, Sangare, Hudson, Field, Buchanan, Bennison, Dagger, Reynolds, Vuniyayawa, Hunter, Nofoaluma, Inman

We say: Hull KR 30-10 York Knights

A lot has changed since that famous first meeting at the start of the season, and Hull KR are expected to earn a comfortable victory this Friday night.

The hosts are determined to get back on track, which is bad news for an out-of-form York side who will be hoping to limit the damage at Craven Park.