John Cartwright has previewed today’s Good Friday Hull Derby, with a sell-out crowd confirmed at the MKM Stadium for the Rivals Round battle.
An unforgettable encounter lies ahead in West Hull as first take on second, with Cartwright describing both the calmness and the belief within his squad ahead of the big occasion.
Looking ahead to the game, Cartwright said: “We’re trying to be more relaxed. I felt last time we just didn’t go out there and play calmly, basically, but the first forty minutes last week were the most cool and intense that I’ve seen from us.
“We’d love to be able to do more of that this week, but we’ve got to be mentally ready for the game, so we’re focusing on us and trying to work on things where we can improve.
“In terms of preparation, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. We’re preparing as we would for a normal Super League game. The cup game was a knockout, and this is one of 27.
“Of course, we’d love to win; we’re preparing to win, and we’ll do everything we can to win. I realise the importance of the game to our fans, and it’s no less of an importance to us, but our preparation has to be about being calm but still treating the game as a big occasion.
Cartwright continued: “We prepared really well on the back of the loss against Hull KR. We went there confident—we weren’t given much of a hope again by anyone, and that’s always pleasing when you can surprise people. There’s belief in the group that if they can get their game on, then they can compete and beat anyone.”
“The better sides you play, the start is critical. You can’t let them get away on the scoreboard. Hull KR are very good front runners, and they always complete well and kick and chase well; if you get too far behind on the scoreboard, they’re very hard to peg back.
“It was a big build-up last time, but I’m sure the actual day of the game will be pretty similar. It was only two weeks ago. I think both sides will handle it better.
“We all know about it (potentially going top), but it’s not an extra use of motivation—winning a game is motivation enough. Sometimes you have to look for something extra, but I don’t think this is one of those games.
“I think the fact that it is a derby game and everywhere you turn at the moment, people want to talk about it. We all know that whoever wins gets the bragging rights until you play again, but we’re trying to treat it as normally as we can.
“When the game is said and done, we’ll be either one point in front of or three points behind. It’s too much to worry about preparing and getting ready for a game, in addition to worrying about what the result will entail. We’re aware of that, but that’s not going to win us the game. We just need to focus on the game, be prepared, and stay as calm as we can.”
Cartwright also touched on the influence the Black & White Army can have on the game, with a sold-out crowd at the MKM Stadium – the club’s biggest attendance since Easter 2009.
“Our crowds have been really vocal wherever we’ve played. Iknow we’ll hear our fans; you hear them an hour before kickoff until half an hour after the game. They provide a great atmosphere.
“At Warrington, they made as much noise as the home team. We’re fortunate that we’ve been winning, and the boys are really giving them something to cheer about. But they’ve played their part as well – it’s really enjoyable now to go to away games, look up, and see the black and white army at the end of the field. The players really acknowledge that support as well.
“When you need a lift, your crowd can give you a lift. When there’s a big play from a player, the crowd gets behind them, and you can see a response. It’s an extra shot of energy, and they’ve provided that for us all year. When you’re playing against really good sides, the crowd can help, but it’s up to the 13 boys on the field to get the job done.”
John Cartwright is proudly sponsored by Solutech.
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