Andy Last on Hugo Salabio, a Hull FC exposure area, and prop evolvement.
Andy Last wants to see more from Hull FC’s pack.(Image: SW PIX)
Andy Last believes there is something there with Hull FC prop Hugo Salabio but has also outlined some details where the player needs to get better.
Playing three stints and putting himself about, albeit in defeat against Wakefield Trinity on Friday night, Salabio’s bite and aggression were clear to see, carrying the ball hard and hitting hard in defence. However, for Last, there are some bits ‘technically and tactically’ that he wants Salabio to improve.
The French front rower has featured in Hull’s last four games after coming into the team at Leigh Leopards last month. He remains out of contract at the end of the season, having joined Hull ahead of 2025 from Huddersfield Giants.
“Hugo’s a player who will run hard and he’ll try and tackle hard,” Last said. “There’s some little bits there, technically and tactically, which he needs to be better on, but you can never question his intent.
“He goes about his business, but he’s someone who hasn’t been exposed to big minutes. He struggles a little bit under that fatigue and he’s not the only one in there, in that middle unit, when fatigue comes, they’ve got to make better choices when they’re tired.”
Hull did it tough in a 36-10 defeat to Wakefield, with Salabio the only remaining interchange after half-time. He worked in tandem with Herman Ese’ese and Max Wood, who moved to the back row after Jed Cartwright didn’t come back on for the second half.
Hull also lost Amir Bourouh and Will Kirby to injury, with further disruption coming for Harvie Hill who left the field for an HIA. He passed and soon returned to the field.
“Herman is working his way back to match fitness,” Last said. “He’s struggling a little bit with the speed of the game. I think that’s quite evident. He’s nursing himself back to full fitness and we’re trying to obviously manage those minutes and try and make him as effective as we possibly can out there without exposing him to the point where he pushes himself a little bit too far, but he’s a work in progress.”
And on Wood, who is two games into a one month loan deal from Warrington Wolves, Last continued: “He’s playing some big minutes for us, and he’s done a good job for us when he’s moved into that second row, which has been a blessing because he’s got a little bit of leg speed and he’s a little bit more mobile as a middle.
“I think that’s the way the modern-day game has gone. Those mobile middles, they are hard to find, but I think Wakefield’s mobility in the middle of the field was evident. They really exposed us through the middle of the field. They got on the front foot and we struggled. Our middle unit needs to be better.”