Down to the bare bones.
Hull FC interim head coach Andy Last.(Image: SW PIX)
Hull FC will be forced into changes for Friday night’s Super League game at Leigh Leopards, with Brad Fash suffering an expected MCL injury, Amir Bourouh ruled out after failing an HIA, and Yusuf Aydin likely to be suspended following his red card offence at Bradford Bulls on Sunday afternoon.
Aydin was dismissed for a dangerous tip tackle on Bradford full-back Caleb Aekins and is set to land a charge from the RFL’s Match Review Panel. Jeremiah Mata’utia was also placed on report for an incident just before half-time, but is unlikely to land enough penalty points to receive a ban.
Hull – who lost 16-14 to the Bulls – will also monitor Ligi Sao (shoulder), Davy Litten (shoulder) and Lewis Martin (ankle), having done it tough at Odsal, with interim coach Andy Last, already without ten players due to injury, forced to make changes to his side as they head over the Pennines.
Using the full extent of his squad, the likes of Will Hutchinson are set to come into the fold. The young hooker has been playing for the reserves in recent weeks, as have forward duo Matty Laidlaw and Joe Phillips, who could also come into consideration. Will Kirby is also an option.
“We’ll give other people an opportunity,” Last said post-match. “That’s the positive to take from the negative of the situation that we’re in at the minute with the number of injuries that we’ve got and the players being unavailable: it gives some other guys in the squad an opportunity to show what they can do.”
On those who could come into the side, Last continued: “We’ve got Will Hutchinson. He’s been working his way back to full fitness after having some time out. We’ve got bodies in the squad and we’ll be using those bodies.
“Matty should be good to go. I think he will be available (after a recent failed HIA). As for Joe, performance-wise, he’s done okay. He hasn’t actually ripped it up, so to say, but he’s a work in progress. He’s in and around that first-team squad.
“We’re fairly bruised and battered, but that’s part and parcel of the game. You have peaks and troughs from a physicality point of view and from an injury point of view, just as you do performance. We’re just going through a little bit of a trough spell at the minute, but I know if we keep working hard, we’ll keep coming out of it.”
On a lighter note, Hull are expecting to have both of their Leeds Rhinos loan players, Jeremiah Mata’utia and Ethan O’Neill, available again, and could welcome back Herman Ese’ese in the near future, with the prop closing in on his long-anticipated return from an Achilles injury.
Asked if any returns are on the horizon, Last said: “Herman’s not far away. He’s just got to tick off a couple more physical goals, which we’ve set him, and then he is potentially one to come back.”
And on the loans, Last added: “We’ve got them for the month and they (the Rhinos) have got a call back whenever it suits them. Jeremiah made some strong carries. He got put on report. I don’t know what it was for.
“I thought Ethan did a good job; he came off the bench having not played for six weeks and we put him in the middle to make some contacts. He moved well and he fitted into the group really well.”