No lose game for us. Get pumped and it's what everyone expects to happen but if we do happen to pull it off, rovers will retain their crown as champion bottlers

Pressure or not this is absolutely massive, make no mistake about that. If this draw had come about twelve months ago I think we all would have shrugged our shoulders and hoped to God that we were not humiliated again on our own patch and in front of the cameras. But a year is a very long time in sport and Hull Fc are a very different beast in 2025 (in case anyone hadn't quite noticed yet). These upcoming derbies, especially the first one, are anything but a foregone conclusion as some still seem to be assuming.


I suspect that both camps are feeling come through this one and the big prize is within reach. It feels already like a Cup final at the quarter stage. Whoever comes out on top will be fired up to go all the way. We have home advantage, we owe them for our dreadful performances in last year's derbies and this competition genuinely feels like a wide open field with Wigan gone. Everyone, apart possibly from Salford, will be fancying their chances of lifting the old tin pot, so why not us? We've started the season well, we look fit, committed, organized, enthusiastic with an excellent team spirit, we've just dumped the tournament favourites out, so why not us?


If there was no pressure on us then I would be sat here feeling as relaxed as can be, but I know for a fact that come kick-off time every one of us in the stadium will be on a knife edge with our stomachs doing flip-flops. It's games like this that remind me of why exactly I love and hate sport in equal measures, high octane derbies especially!!! Dread to watch it, but can't walk away from the spectacle!


This is the biggest derby in 40 years, since the JP final in January '85, arguably the first time since then we've gone head to head with both teams looking like genuine contenders. There is an awful lot at stake here, not just temporary bragging rights, if the winners do subsequently go on to lift the trophy at Wembley in June this quarter-final win will form a significant part of the legend in the years to come. 


I have a feeling Cartwright and his team are going to be right up for this. The Challenge Cup is our only realistic chance at turning a season of quiet rebuilding/consolidation (in itself commendable after the horrors of 2024) into a magical year writ large in our storied history. It will also have the added bonus of putting Lassie back in her kennel after all the grief we have copped from the other side these past couple of years. A chance to derail their supposed march to the summit and extend the drought further. 


This is not the time for black & whites to meekly lay down and die, it is the time to rise up and face the enemy square in the face and vanquish them on the point of our sword!!!! Make no mistake, this is far from a foregone conclusion, it is a 50/50 call, it go could either way (us or them), the team that are fearless and grab the opportunity with both hands will be the one that marches on to even greater glory. 


I'll say it again, Hull Fc Challenge Cup winners 2025, WHY NOT US?   

I think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself.  We had a good win in france but they've been rubbish so far without tomkins, lost heavily to wigan, scraped past an abject hudds (who were the better team on the night and haven't won a game yet this year), were better against leigh and should have won it, then came back from a large deficit against wigan - had field stayed on I suspect we'd have lost comfortably.  


I do think we'll be competitive, particularly if we can keep everyone fit between now and then, but I still have rovers down as strong favourites, probably 75% they'll win, 25% we can snatch it.  They play the type of fast game we struggle against and outside backs and 2nd rowers are strong.  Realistically we'd need them to be off their best and us at ours for us to win it

I don’t disagree. We are totally capable of winning this tie. What I meant is the expectation will be much higher on Rovers than Hull, especially after their celebrations on Saturday night to our win.If Hull lose, it will be a big disappointment, if Rovers lose it will be a huge missed opportunity to end their trophy drought and will accelerate the re-alignment of dominance in the city.


If Hull win, we will be confident of going on to win the cup.

Really hope you're right on that score. Unfortunately both clubs have their fair share of hot-heads who have caused bother in the past. Think the kick-off time may be vital. If it's a 17:30 start there will likely be some very 'well-oiled' individuals in the ground just itching for an excuse to kick-off.


As you say, hopefully all will pass without incident (whatever the final score) and the City doesn't find itself on the Ten O' clock news for all the wrong reasons. The City sometimes gets a kicking from the national media for all the wrong reasons, let us hope this isn't one of those occasions.

Maybe, possibly. Don't think I would slant it 75/25 in rovers favour (55/45 at best for me) although I guess they do go in as favourites. This is virtually a standalone game, almost divorced from the rest of the season and in sport one-offs have a funny way of not turning out as expected. 


I still think this is our one shot at turning this year into something totally unexpected which then plays against their desire to end the 40 year drought (especially with Wigan now out of the way). I agree that we will need to be largely injury free and firing on all cylinders, but this is a one-off cup tie and it doesn't always pan out as expected in these cases.


I've never taken anything for granted with our club, ever since I stood at Wembley, 7th May 1983. The cup can throw up oddities (as we know only too well) and I just feel this one is far less of a conclusion than other fans seem to be taking it.