Hull KR vs York Knights Prediction: Try time for Jai in Friday’s showdown

Champions Hull KR look for a strong response to a difficult couple of weeks which has seen them well beaten in the Betfred Challenge Cup final and then lose a thriller at Wakefield in Betfred Super League.

York are the visitors to Sewell Group Craven Park on Friday night in a repeat of the opening-round fixture that saw the Knights spring a seismic shock in North Yorkshire (kick-off 8pm). Read on for my Hull KR vs York Knights predictions.

Hull KR vs York Knights Odds

Team News

Mikey Lewis proved he is absolutely fine after his Wembley injury scare with another try last week, and Hull KR make just the one further change to their squad this week.

It is an enforced change but one that would have probably happened in some form anyway, with Dean Hadley missing out last week through concussion protocols and now clear to return.

Prop Sauaso Sue was sent off at Wakefield so he is the man to drop out through suspension.

York only name a 20-man squad but it also includes just the one change, Half-back Danny Richardson drops out and former Man of Steel Paul McShane remains absent through injury.

Winger David Nofoaluma was the star man last week with a hat-trick in defeat at Bradford.

Handicap 3-Way Alternative 1: Hull KR -24 @ 4/6

With apologies to KR fans, our tip of a 1-12 point defeat at Wakefield last week turned out to be bang on the money, but the Robins will feel like they let some really hard work slip with the late loss.

York meanwhile have now lost four on the spin, with Bradford's 30-20 victory last week also returning our 2/1 selection on a 1-12 points Bulls win.

Rovers need to get back winning games now to ensure they don't get sucked away from the top four into the chasing pack, and this feels like the perfect fixture to reproduce the kind of form they were producing in the run-up to that Wembley loss against Wigan.

I read nothing into the fact that York beat Rovers in round one, There was a World Club Challenge and Las Vegas trip around the corner, and with Robins' eyes elsewhere an energised Knights were able to pounce in their first ever Super League game.

I can't see that happening again. This can be a really good night for KR and I expect them to be around or better than the handicap. With a strong start they can get the win column ticking over again with some points on the board too.

Jai Whitbread Anytime Tryscorer @ 4/1