Three defeats in five league games had led to a suspicion that the Super League leaders Hull FC were beginning to falter with a Challenge Cup final against Warrington looming on Saturday week. So this victory underlined the character of Lee Radford’s side in 2016.
The result also went a long way to exorcising arguably Hull’s biggest demon this season, the 46-6 defeat here in March. On that occasion, Radford revealed last night, he had been asked to leave the changing rooms while the players held a post-mortem concerning their early-season form. Here, though, the scenes were far more celebratory as Hull took another massive step towards a play-off semi-final spot come the end of the season.
“I thought we did a really professional job on them,” Radford said of his side, who can cement a top-four berth as early as next weekend when they face Catalans in their final match before Wembley. “I’m delighted with the scoreline but especially with the zero against their name. Defensively we were superb.”
Should St Helens avoid defeat against Catalans night, Widnes would become the first side in the Super 8s to be ruled out of contention for the top four. Just two weeks into the second phase of the season, that is not a good indictment for those who think this current Super 8s should continue in rugby league.
The Vikings were missing a number of key men due to injury and, trailing 22-0 at the interval, never really stood a chance against aHull side so seemingly intent on burying the embarrassment of what happened here five months ago.
“They were better than us,” said the Widnes coach, Denis Betts – whose side have now won just four of their past 18 games. “They’re feeling a bit embarrassed by the scoreline and that’s a good thing from my point of view. The embarrassing thing about it for the lads is we’re a better defensive side than that.”
Without the influential Marc Sneyd due to injury for the first time this year, Radford turned to Jordan Abdull to guide Hull around the park: and it was a masterstroke. He and his fellow half-back Carlos Tuimavave played a crucial role in establishing Hull’s 22-point lead at the break.
Abdull produced a marvellous piece of footwork to break the deadlock after a tepid opening quarter, before playing a role in the move which led to Fetuli Talanoa crossing in the corner shortly after. Talanoa’s second and a Mahe Fonua try made it 22-0 at the break, and the Black and Whites continued to dominate in the second half that quickly became a procession.
Tuimavave’s pinpoint kick found Steve Michaels in the corner, then Abdull sent Dean Hadley to the line with a magnificent pass, before Talanoa scored his third in a moment which illustrated the gulf between the two sides as he outmuscled the young Widnes wing Ryan Ince in the corner for his third to round off an emphatic victory for Hull.
Widnes Mellor; Ah Van, Thompson, Chamberlain, Ince; Brown, Heremaia; Buchanan, White, Burke, Houston, Whitley, Cahill. Interchange Leuluai, Manuokafoa, Chapelhow, Farrell.
Hull FC Shaul; Michaels, Fonua, Yeaman, Talanoa; Abdull, Tuimavave; Taylor, Houghton, Watts, Manu, Minichiello, Ellis. Interchange Green, Hadley, Bowden, Pritchard.
Tries Abdull, Talanoa 3, Fonua, Michaels, Hadley. Goals Abdull 5.
Referee B Thaler.
Attendance 4,359.
