Hull coach Lee Radford out of retirement for the derby with Hull KR

[josie andrews]

• Hull left with only one established prop forward
• Wigan claim seven doubts for derby with St Helens

Lee Radford will come out of retirement to ease Hull's shortage of props for the traditional Good Friday derby against Hull KR.

Radford, who turned 32 last week and made 164 senior appearances for Hull between 2006-11 after enjoying previous success with Bradford, joined the club's coaching staff at the end of last season. However he has been training with the team again this week after injuries to Eamon O'Carroll, Chris Green and Mark O'Meley, plus the return of Sam Moa to New Zealand on compassionate leave, left the club with only one established prop in Andy Lynch.

Hull will also be without the Australian centre Tony Martin, who has a neck injury, for a game in which a sixth consecutive victory would lift them to the top of the Super League table. The England centre Kirk Yeaman is expected to return after a foot surgery, and the influential full-back Wade McKinnon is also likely to be included in the 19-man squad announced by the head coach, Peter Gentle, after missing last Friday's 24-18 win against Bradford.

Rovers, who have held the upper hand over their wealthier rivals from the west of the city since gaining promotion to the Super League in 2007, slipped out of the top eight with their defeat at struggling Castleford last Friday, but could be boosted by the return of their Australian captain Ben Galea and stand-off Blake Green, neither of whom have played this season.

Wigan also have major injury concerns ahead of their Good Friday derby at St Helens, with the goalkicking wing Pat Richards unlikely to return and the coach Shaun Wane claiming that seven other senior players, including Sam Tomkins and Sean O'Loughlin, are doubtful. They are both expected to play but like Hull, Wigan's greatest problems are in the forwards, with Ben Flower and Lee Mossop joining Stuart Fielden on the injury list, and Epalahame Lauaki suspended.

Gil Dudson, a 21-year-old from Cardiff who joined Wigan from the Crusaders last winter, is therefore likely to make a high-profile debut.

Bradford Bulls have invited George Galloway, the city's new MP after last week's by-election victory, to attend their derby against Leeds at Odsal on Friday night, when they hope a crowd in excess of 20,000 will provide a major boost to their battle for survival. The Bulls need to raise £500,000 by the end of the week to avoid the probability of going into administration, and are halfway towards that initial target.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/ap ... ord-wigan?