Sharp: Wigan will be favourites

Coach Peter Sharp insists his Hull side will go into Saturday's elimination semi-final against Wigan as underdogs.

The Yorkshire club, last year's Grand Final runners-up, have run into form with nine wins from their last 11 matches but Wigan completed the Super League double over Hull this year and Sharp believes the Warriors' recent victories over St Helens and Bradford, where they came from 30-6 down with 25 minutes left, have turned the tide.

"I wouldn't have said we were favourites," said Sharp. "I'd say Wigan were favourites on the back of their recent performances and their form against us this year."

Despite their impressive run, Sharp admits his side will need to find some improvement from their 22-16 win over Huddersfield in last Saturday's elimination play-off if they are to remain on course for a return to Old Trafford.

"Wigan are a quality side, a very tough side, and they've got some really good strike players, Trent Barrett being one of them.

"So defensively we have to be very solid right across the park and offensively we need to take our chances. We didn't do that well enough last week. Execution will be important."

The Warriors recovered a 24-point deficit with four tries in the last 25 minutes against the Bulls last weekend and coach Brian Noble knows his side cannot afford another slow start.

"We have to recognise that the first 50 minutes against Bradford was a real flat spot last weekend and we just can't afford to play like that again against Hull," he said.

"We dug ourselves out of a big hole at Odsal but we shouldn't have been in that hole in the first place."