The waiting is almost over for one of the most hightly anticipated regular round games of the Super League era. Hull FC and Wigan will do battle on Saturday morning to claim a first ever league victory on Australian soil.

Wollongong’s WIN Stadium is the venue for the historic clash which will bring to an end the first phase of the club’s historic New South Wales tour. Thousands of Black & White fans have made the journey Down Under, with a strong support for the team expected on Saturday.

A showpiece game to promote the Super League to an Australian NRL centered audience, Lee Radford and Shaun Wane have both named strong squads to show some of the brightest talent that the UK has to offer the sport.

The Black & Whites

Hull FC are boosted by the return of key forward Liam Watts. Missing last week’s game with a minor injury, Watts replaces youngster Brad Fash.

After initially being named in the 19-man squad, Masi Matongo is expected to miss out with a foot infection.

Meanwhile, first-teamers Carlos Tuimavave and Chris Green are also out with minor knocks, but both may feature next week against St George.

The Opposition

Captain Sean O’Loughlin comes back into the side after missing last week’s victory over Salford, while winger Joe Burgess is also named in the squad after recovering from a thigh strain.

The pair come in to replace Gabe Hamlin and Liam Forsyth in the Wigan squad. However, Prolific England second-rower John Bateman misses out on selection through injury.

Ones To Watch

Hull FC: Jake Connor

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You’d be daft to think that the tour of New South Wales isn’t a chance for some players to put themselves in the shop window for future moves to the NRL. It is. And there are some players could see themselves playing in Australia one day. Jake Connor is one of them.

The talented centre is one of, if not the brightest prospect in Super League, and it’s more than likely Hull FC will have a job keeping hold of him in the next few years if he continues to keep up the form he’s showed in 2017 and going into 2018.

Connor has been one of the star performers in Hull FC’s pre-season, and put in another good showing against the Giants last week. It will be interesting to see how he goes on the big stage once again.

Wigan: Sean O’Loughlin

The return of O’Loughlin to then Warriors boost is a huge boost for Saturday’s opposition. Much like Hull with their leader Gareth Ellis in recent seasons, Wigan look a much better and more balanced side when he is involved.

He brings extra power to the Wigan forwards, and often acts as a third half-back. He will be key if the Cheery and Whites are to go for victory in Wollongong.

Prediction

This one honestly could go either way. Both sides started the season with strong victories over Huddersfield and Salford respectively last week, but this game will have already been won or lost, with regards to how each side has prepared for the game since arriving in New South Wales.

Hull FC have the advantage of arriving a day earlier than Wigan, therefore giving the squad more time to settle in, and with regards to the experience of playing in the conditions down under, both sides have bags of it.

Mark Minichiello, Sika Manu, Albert Kelly, Bureta Faraimo, Fetuli Talanoa and Mickey Paea will all be used to the humid conditions for Hull; as will the likes of Thomas Leuluai and Frank Paul Nu’uaausla for Wigan, along with Sam Tomkins, Joe Burgess and Dan Sarginson who have also had spells down under to experience this sort of match.

The match could quite simply go either way. But for me, Hull have a stronger squad that the Warriors this season, and slightly more experience playing inn Australia within their squad, and that will tip the contests the way of the Black & Whites, narrowly.

Hull FC by 6.