Hull FC v Wolves: Teams
Hull winger Gareth Raynor is in line to make his first appearance of the season in Saturday's clash with Warrington.
Last Updated: 15/05/09 5:12pm
Hull winger Gareth Raynor is in line to make his first appearance of the season in Saturday's clash with Warrington.
The 31-year-old Great Britain international, who underwent toe surgery over the winter, has been included in coach Richard Agar's squad for the KC Stadium encounter.
Agar said: "Of course we've missed him. Gareth, Motu Tony and Tom Briscoe all have a lot of quality and were up there in terms of metres gained and line breaks, so to lose all three takes a fair amount away from the team.
"Gareth is doing OK but you have got to remember with the toe injury he has had he has been off his feet for a long time.
"While he has been training his upper body he has not been doing an awful lot of running.
"We need to know if we put him out, being a winger, he is going to be able to get through the 80 minutes."
New Zealand international Tony is also close to a return after being sidelined since last August with a knee problem but Briscoe is out for four months with ankle ligament damage.
Hooker Shaun Berrigan is also nearing a return from a knee injury.
Agar added: "Motu is probably a week away. He's gone really well this week but, again, we're not too sure about fitness and whether we'd get too many minutes out of him.
"Shaun's been running and we're hoping he's going to be back next week.
"We've had some quality players out but as one door closes another opens and it's a chance for some of our younger guys to stick in there."
Hopes
Warrington Wolves have key duo Adrian Morley and Lee Briers back for the trip to the KC Stadium, after the pair missed the last two games.
Morley had been ruled out with a broken hand and Briers with a hamstring injury, but have been included in Tony Smith's 19-man squad.
Paul Rauhihi and Vinnie Anderson are also set for the trip to Hull after being late drop-outs from the squad for last week's 56-8 Carnegie Challenge Cup win at Featherstone.
Rauhihi has shaken off injury while Vinnie Anderson returns after the birth of his daughter, though Paul Johnson is absent with a shoulder strain.
Mike Cooper drops out, despite an impressive performance from the bench in the cup, and Richard Mathers is set to make his Super League debut for the club after reuniting with his former Leeds coach Smith.
"We're looking forward to going over there and taking a good crowd, I know they are well supported. It'll be a great atmosphere, it's always good to play at the KC," Smith said of Saturday's match.
"Hull at Hull is always a tough game, it's a tough fixture and one that we're looking forward to. They're a good team and a good challenge."
Hull FC squad: Calderwood, Yeaman, Raynor, R. Horne, Thorman, Dowes, Cusack, Radford, Tickle, Whiting, Washbrook, Thackray, Houghton, Burnett, Lee, Maloney, Hodgson, Moa, Broughton
Warrington Wolves squad: L. Anderson, V. Anderson, Blythe, Bridge, Briers, Carvell, Clarke, Grix, Harrison, Hicks, Higham, King, Mathers, Monaghan, Morley, Rauhihi, Riley, Westwood, Wood