AFTER “intense” and “brutal” team meetings this week, Jack Hughes says Warrington Wolves are ready to take their frustrations out on Hull FC tonight, Thursday, kick off 7.45pm.

The Wire have five Super 8s games remaining as they look to preserve their place in the top four and reach the Super League semi-finals.

That would give them a chance at redemption after their below-par display at Wembley on Saturday in the 20-14 Challenge Cup Final defeat to Catalans Dragons.

Hughes lifted the lid on the behind-closed-doors analysis of their fifth successive major final defeat, adding that it was “embarrassing” for a few players.

However, the second rower says tonight’s return to league action “cannot come quickly enough” for the squad.

“Tuesday was very intense. We had an honest chat as a group about what happened on Saturday,” he said.

“The chat was very brutal, but we will take it into the business end of the season.

“We needed to be honest with each other, especially the leaders within the group.

“We had to stand up and admit we needed to be better on the day.

“It is pretty embarrassing having to admit that you weren’t at your best, but it is about learning from it.

“Before the game, the short turnaround wasn’t something any of us were looking forward to.

“Given we had a poor result, though, we are buzzing for it now.

“The game can’t come quick enough for us. We want to get out there and put the wrongs right.

“Unfortunately, it was a bad day at the office on Saturday and we need to prove to our fans that we are a top team.

“There’s a lot of frustration built up that we’re ready to unleash.”

The Wire sit fourth and currently occupy the final semi-final spot, but the team still have aims of finishing second and securing a home play-off tie.

Wigan Warriors – the team who occupy second spot – are five points ahead of them and while insisting catching his former side was still possible, Hughes admits it will be an uphill struggle for his side.

The 26-year-old also says the form of another of his old clubs Huddersfield – who have won 11 of their past 12 games to close to within four points of Warrington – is making him look nervously over his shoulder.

“We think second is still possible, although we’re probably going to have to win every game and hope for a couple of results to go in our favour elsewhere,” he said.

“We’re still aiming for it because we want a home semi-final.

“It is definitely our goal, but we need to take each game as it comes now and get back to our best.

“I have to be honest and say I am looking over my shoulder at Huddersfield.

“They are chasing us hard and they deserve to be where they are with the run they’ve been on.

“The new coaches have obviously made everything click there, so the game against them next week is going to be a very important one.”

Before then, Wolves must face an out-of-form Hull FC side who have lost their past six games to all but end their hopes of a third consecutive top-four finish.

However, Hughes says the game represents “a potential banana skin” for The Wire.

“Hull are one of the top teams in the comp now so you can never take them lightly.

“They have a couple of key players missing, but that doesn’t always work out in your favour.

“It can spur them on and it makes it a potential banana skin for us.

“We’re going to have to be at our best tomorrow and we’re desperate to be.”