Hull KR vs Hull FC Prediction: Visitors can beat the handicap

A colossal Betfred Super League derby takes place in Hull on Sunday afternoon as League leaders Hull KR host city rivals Hull FC with the race for top six places intensifying. (Kick-off 15:05pm, Sky Sports+)

The Black and Whites are hot on the heels of Wakefield as they look to secure a playoff spot, while Rovers remain the team to beat heading into the business end of the season.

Team News

Hull FC have significant injury problems, with star prop Herman Ese'ese ruled out for the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles. His 6-8 month layoff already looks like carrying through to the start of next season.

Another man to pick up a problem in defeat to Leeds last week was Ed Chamberlain who misses out with a hamstring injury.

Better news sees the return to the squad of key men Cade Cust and Liam Watts, while Sam Eseh is named but remains a doubt.

Winger Harvey Barron is out after a head injury, so boss John Cartwright has a pretty young squad to pick from.

Rovers have no such concerns, with boss Willie Peters making one change. Goal-kicking forward Rhyse Martin has a two-match ban and is replaced by Jared Waerea-Hargreaves who returns from a suspension of his own.

Hull KR vs Hull FC Odds

Hull KR are the 1/16 favourites to win this match. Hull FC are 17/2 to take the victory while the draw is priced at 22/1.

Handicap 3-way: Hull FC 24 @ 5/6

This is an intriguing match-up given what is at stake for both players at this point in the season.

Hull KR may even have clinched the League Leaders' Shield by kick-off time should Wigan have been beaten by St Helens, but it is only a matter of time before they do so anyway.

I currently have Rovers, Wigan and Leeds as the three realistic contenders for Old Trafford glory.

But the season Hull FC have had should really yield a playoff place - and they are running out of chances to leapfrog Wakefield back into the top six. If the Black and Whites miss out it will be because of their home form rather than their success on the road.

The two meetings this season have both been played at Hull FC and the Robins have won both by three scores - by 14 points and 16 points respectively.

I think the injuries that Hull have this week makes this a tough trip into a cauldron that Sewell Group Craven Park has become since the fans started flocking back. I sense this could be something similar - 18 perhaps 20 points in favour of the hosts.

But given it is a derby, and given that the visitors have the prolific Lewis Martin on the wing, I am not overly-confident of the 24-point handicap being bang-on.

As such I am - perhaps boldly - going to side with underdogs Hull FC to lose the game but beat the handicap.

Lewis Martin anytime tryscorer @ 7/4

Plenty of options in the tryscorer market look appealing this week, and if the hosts start well and pull away it could be a feeding frenzy.

Mikey Lewis loves a derby and is a decent 4/6 to cross against the team he loves to hate.

Jack Broadbent was my reliable selection over the first part of the season, and Jack would once again be my Rovers selection at 1/1.

But you rarely see Hull's top scorer Lewis Martin as generous as 7/4, which reflects the limited opportunities we expect him to have against this stubborn KR defence.

But I still like Martin to at least find a consolation try, and he is again my selection.

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