Crusaders v Hull: Teams
Crusaders captain and scrum-half Jace van Dijk and forward Jason Chan are both fitness doubts ahead of the clash with Hull.
Last Updated: 20/02/09 2:57pm
Crusaders captain and scrum-half Jace van Dijk (neck) and forward Jason Chan (hip) are both fitness doubts ahead of their first-ever Super League match in Bridgend.
Coach John Dixon has added forwards Marshall Chalk, Ben Flower and Jordan James to the squad that lost to Salford last week.
"This is a big day for us as it's the first day for Super League in Wales and a big day for the Crusaders," said Dixon. "We're all looking forward to the match.
"I think playing Hull down here will be a real challenge for us. They're a quality team."
Dixon's men will be desperate to make a better start this time after conceding points early on in the games against both Leeds and Salford and leaving themselves too much to make up.
"I think I need to start giving my half-time talk at the start of the game," Dixon joked. "But seriously I think it's a bit too early to label us as a second-half team.
"Against Leeds we came back and kept the score respectable. Against Salford at 0-20 I thought we could still win the game. We got back at 16-20 and I was confident we'd go on from there.
"The fact we didn't go on from there is a major concern for me. In this competition, when you have the chance to win you have to close those games down.
"We need to do better and as a team we need to play better and that's the challenge against Hull."
New signing
Hull coach Richard Agar keeps the team that started last week's win over Wigan but has called up new signing Dominic Maloney, the former Dewsbury prop who could make his debut from the bench in place of Paul King, who is out with a shoulder injury.
Hull made a winning start to the season when they overcame Wigan 18-10 at the KC Stadium last Friday but Agar is warning his players to remain focused on what promises to be an emotional event.
"It is a good occasion for us to be involved in," he said. "It is creating a piece of history. But what we have to guard against is getting carried away with it all. We have to remain fully focused on our game and plans."
Celtic Crusaders squad: Duggan, Dyer, Hannay, Dalle Cort, Blackwood, Quinn, Van Dijk, Smith, O'Hara, Budworth, Bryant, Peek, Mapp, Chalk, Lupton, Flower, J. James, Beasley, Chan.
Hull FC squad: Byrne, Hall, Briscoe, Calderwood, Yeaman, R. Horne, G. Horne, Thorman, Dowes, Cusack, Maloney, Thackray, Berrigan, Houghton, Tickle, Burnett, Manu, Radford, Washbrook.