Scott Taylor believes the Black & Whites have earned their shot at the play-offs given their recent form in Betfred Super League, ahead of tomorrow night’s knock-out clash against Warrington.
Hull face the Wolves at the Halliwell Jones in the elimination match, knowing a win would see the Airlie Birds just eighty minutes from a Grand Final at the KCOM Stadium, with three wins out of the last three games securing FC’s place in the top six.
Vice-captain Taylor, who have previously had Grand Final success with Wigan Warriors back in 2013, is trying to use his play-off experience to help prepare fellow members of the squad.
Speaking ahead of the game, Taylor said: “I’ve tried taking more of a vocal role towards the boys who maybe haven’t been in a situation like this before, and getting a taste of play-off rugby for the first time in their career.
“I’ve been involved in a fair few games like this and I know what is at stake having taken a lot from those games; some wins and some losses.
“If you approach it well, just like another game, that’s how you get the best out of it. The lads are in form and if the majority of them just keep doing what they have been doing what has helped us get into the play-offs, we should have a real chance.”
And Taylor believes the Black & Whites have earned their shot at a play-off game after their recent efforts.
“We deserve a shot at the play-offs. Some people say we are lucky, but I think you earn your luck.
“We’ve played more games than quite a few other teams, we had the first Covid-19 outbreak, and put our hand up to play at the last minute to, but despite that we’ve gone and got some big important wins and that win in the Hull Derby has ultimately secured our place in the play-offs.”
On the prospect of a win tomorrow night seeing Hull being just one win away from a Grand Final appearance, he added: “History is there to be made. It has been a weird year, and I think us coming from nowhere to go on and win the Grand Final would really top it off.
“There is a lot of hard work still to be done. To get as far as that we’re going to have to face Warrington, Wigan and then probably St Helens so it is no easy route. A win tomorrow ultimately sees us eighty minutes from a Grand Final at our own stadium. Three months ago we would have snapped your hand off for that.”
Explaining his desire to play for Hull in a Grand Final, he continued: “That’s reason why I’m still turning up at training every day and when I signed my new contract, I had one goal in mind.”
“When I came back to Hull, the first goal was to win the Challenge Cup, get rid of that hoodoo, and we were lucky enough to do that in the first year.
“As soon as that got won, for me it was all about winning the Grand Final and I want to be part of the first Hull FC team to lift that trophy for the first time and have their name on the trophy.
“Don’t get me wrong, if we end up doing it there will some something else driving me, but part of the re-signing and staying here for the rest of my career and everything I want to do is win that Grand Final.”
And vice-captain Taylor says the players will be aiming to pay back Andy Last and the coaching staff tomorrow night for their outstanding efforts in 2020.
“We don’t have many injuries and we are almost full strength. Finding this form has taken a while but we knew it would take time, and under a new coach the changes don’t just come overnight. But Andy has done a brilliant job and the boys have really bought into what he wants to achieve.
“He has brought a lot of accountability and professionalism into the group and I personally think he has done an outstanding job in the circumstances. He is getting the best out of players, and we want to go out there and do it for him and the full team of coaching staff who have been absolutely superb throughout this tough year.”
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