Hull FC take on Bradford Bulls on Sunday.
Hull FC interim head coach Andy Last.
Hull FC have secured two loan players from Leeds Rhinos for Sunday’s Super League game at Bradford Bulls, with Ethan O’Neill and Jeremiah Mata’tuia signed up with the Black and Whites for the next month.
Both players are expected to go straight into Andy Last’s side at Odsal, with Mata’utia featuring for Hull off the bench for the last two games. O’Neill, meanwhile, is set for his FC debut as a direct replacement for Connor Bailey, who broke his collarbone against Toulouse and will be out for two to three months. Harry Newman, who played three games for Hull on loan, has been recalled by Leeds.
Elsewhere, Ligi Sao is expected to come back into the fold after a recent HIA, while Matty Laidlaw and Harvey Barron are further options for Last to consider. Laidlaw was the 18th Man in Hull’s last game, while Barron featured for the club’s reserves side away at Wigan Warriors on Sunday afternoon – a 26-10 defeat.
Whether Barron now comes into the first-team or not is still to be determined. If he does, that could push Tom Briscoe to centre, should Last opt to keep Hardaker in the back row, but with O’Neill acquired, and Joe Batchelor fit and with one comeback appearance to his name off the bench, the interim head coach could move Hardaker to centre with Briscoe and Barron then fighting it out for the right wing spot. There are options to consider.
As for the rest of the team, it’s fair to suggest Logan Moy is poised to keep his spot at full-back after impressing in recent weeks. Lewis Martin and Davy Litten could hold the left edge, while Jake Arthur and Aidan Sezer are set to take the half-back spots as they look to respond from a poor attacking display against Toulouse.
Up front, Sao should go straight back into the starting side alongside Harvie Hill at prop, while Amir Bourouh is available at hooker having served his one-match suspension in the reserves game last weekend. Hardaker and Batchelor could get the two back row spots, with James Bell at loose-forward.
Mata’utia is likely to come off the bench again, joined by O’Neill, Cade Cust, and one of Yusuf Aydin or Brad Fash.
How Hull FC could line up at Bradford Bulls: Logan Moy; Harvey Barron, Tom Briscoe, Davy Litten, Lewis Martin; Jake Arthur, Aidan Sezer; Ligi Sao, Amir Bourouh, Harvie Hill; Joe Batchelor, Zak Hardaker; James Bell.
Interchange: Jeremiah Mata’utia, Ethan O’Neill, Yusuf Aydin, Cade Cust. 18th Man: Brad Fash