HULL KR coach Justin Morgan gave his biggest hint yet that Scott Murrell will start the season as first choice hooker.

As the Mail predicted last week, Murrell started Richard Horne's testimonial ahead of Ben Fisher and former Hull FC hooker Josh Hodgson.

Murrell has been given the number nine, Hodgson has 21 and Fisher finds himself with the number 17 shirt.

That seems to be Morgan's pecking order with Hodgson alternating with Murrell until the 71st minute when Fisher got his chance.

Morgan admits there is time for all three to stake their claim for the starting role.

"I thought all our hookers were sound," said Morgan.

"We need some fine tuning because it's a position that you need to do constantly at game level and game speed to get better at it.

"I had a word with them about how we can make some adjustments to make it better.

"We looked really solid and we defended our line really well with back-to-back sets in the first half.

"The ball is in the players' court to see who starts where."

If Murrell keeps hold of the starting job, then he showed on Sunday why Morgan has opted for him.

His kicking game can be utilised more effectively from dummy half rather than further out the attacking line.

He can put his first kick on Sunday that drifted out of play on the full down to rustiness.

His kicking afterwards was solid.

Murrell's tackle count was once again high as he tackled anything in a black and white shirt that came his way.

He may have come out second best trying to stop Lee Radford from charging towards the Rovers line.

But he came back for more and even when he looked dazed after another hefty tackle, he was back on his feet and in the middle of the next tackle that needed to be made.

That commitment was one of the reason why Morgan opted for Murrell to start against Hull.

"I thought Scott was good,

defensively he was very sound, said Morgan.

" That was one of the reason why we put him there.

"Squad numbers are squad numbers and that's it.

"We'll see who lays down the marker over the next couple of weeks.

"As I say whoever does that will get the inside track for game one.

"It may be him, it may be somebody else, we'll see."

Morgan will decide later this week who will start at hooker in Rovers second pre-season friendly on Sunday at the Big Fellas Stadium when they take on Featherstone Rovers (3pm).