NATHAN Brown has warned Hull KR’s position on the First Utility Super League table is probably a “false one” as he prepares his charges for Sunday’s match.
Saints travel to the KC Lightstream Stadium looking to record their first league win over the Robins since 2007.
“It will be a tough game as it always is over at Hull KR,” he said. “Their position on the table is false in the sense of if they would’ve had more of their bigger name forwards, then I have no doubt they would be higher up.
“We need a good performance on Sunday as we need to back up the Castleford and Wigan games. If you put in a couple bad games you can quickly drop to fifth so we know what is at stake.
“The scoreboard said we were on top against Wigan but to be honest I didn’t think there was a great deal in the game.
“We were probably a fraction better but in the physical part we were far better than we were the last time we played. Now we have to be consistent.”
Luke Walsh damaged a muscle in his lower back in the win over Wigan and is expected to be unavailable for three to four weeks, whilst Anthony Laffranchi and Kyle Amor are making good progress.
On loan winger Ade Gardner also won’t play against his ‘parent’ club.
Meanwhile, Brown has spoken about his post-game comments which saw him bemoan the officiating at the DW Stadium.
He said: “You don’t see me criticising referees, during the week or after games or talking to their bosses. All I have ever commented on since I have been in the country is if serious foul play happens or if people are trying to deliberately injure people. That is when I have been outspoken.
“Coming into the game I was concerned. I spoke to Steve Ganson and said the referee needed to be strong. Regardless of what has been said I still feel the same about Shaun Wane.
“I’ve always found him to be a good decent bloke and what you have are two blokes who are passionate for their team and are doing what they can for their team.
“They have copped some tough decisions in the past month and things haven’t gone their way. I was concerned that the referee would be strong enough and that those things could fall back to hurt us. As a club we wouldn’t have deserved that.
“Last thing I would ever do is fall out with a coach over a game of rugby league. Nothing was personnel. My concern coming in was the referee faltering a little bit, not deliberately, under pressure and I felt that is what may have happened in the game.
“And if you watch it again, he didn’t give us anything in that game. I don’t think Phil (Bentham) had his best game. Phil is a terrific referee and would I like to have him next week, of course I would. It just wasn’t his day, like coaches and players have bad days too.
“It’s now time to move forward.”
Tickets for Saints next fixtures can be bought from the Ticket Office at Langtree Park, by calling 01744 455 052 or by logging on here.
