HULL FC captain Gareth Ellis says his side must show a big improvement if they are to maintain their winning run at home to defending champions Leeds on Friday night.
The Black and Whites recorded their fourth straight win in all competitions– and their eighth in nine games – with a 22-16 derby success over Hull KR at the Magic Weekend.
But preparing to face the fourth-placed Rhinos, who were unlucky to lose to leaders Wigan as they were denied by a late video-referee call, Ellis knows a big step up in performance will be required.
"It will be a really good test for us against Leeds and we will need a big improvement against Leeds on Friday night," Ellis told the Mail.
"I was a bit off in the derby game myself, like most of the players, but it was nice to scrape a win.
"There's still a lot of improvement in me and the team and I'm hoping to get on with doing some of the things I was brought here to do."
Ellis says that while there were scenes of jubilation at the final hooter – particularly for Hull-born players – he and many others were not in a mood to over celebrate a derby win in which coach Peter Gentle called his men 'a rabble'.
"There was a lot of disappointment in the dressing room about the way we played, not for the Hull lads, but for the others in the squad it didn't feel like we'd won the game," Ellis added.
"The Hull lads certainly took a lot of heart from the game.
"There were positives because six or seven weeks ago we'd maybe have let that game get away from us, but we kept the scoreline tight and we knew we'd get a chance.
"With the players we have, we've always got a chance if we keep the scoreboard tight. It was pleasing to see we had that fighting spirit to get over the try line."
Whilst Hull head into the clash at the KC with Leeds on the back of their best form of the season, the Rhinos go into the contest having lost back-to-back league games to St Helens and Wigan, as well as being dumped out of the Challenge Cup by Huddersfield Giants.
However, Ellis knows enough about his former club to warn his teammates against entering the contest over confident.
"Two weeks ago everyone was talking about how good Leeds were playing, now people say they may be in a dip," he said.
"It is a champion team with champion players and they know how to bounce back."
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