Andy Last on Hull FC’s win at Catalans, the decisive moments, standouts, and what they still need to improve.
Hull FC’s Jake Arthur puts in a kick.(Image: Catalans Dragons)
Jake Arthur’s big moment wasn’t by chance. It was hours of work on the training ground coming to fruition. The perfect setup. The perfect point, pass, and execution. Game, set and match, Hull FC.
Stepping up when his side needed him, Arthur coolly slotted over the game’s winning drop-goal in the 75th minute, with Hull holding on for a famous 27-26 victory at Catalans Dragons in Perpignan.
In a game that swung one way, then the other, and then back around again, Hull rallied after trailing 26-14 with tries from Harvie and Aidan Sezer. Before that, Logan Moy and Lewis Martin had given FC a 10-0 lead, with Catalans fighting back either side of half-time.
“It was pleasing,” Last told Hull Live when asked about the drop-goal play. “We do scenario stuff at the end of practice for level games and in different scenarios. What does the set look like? It was nice that they were able to transfer it from the training ground to the high pressures of a game.”
On the contest, Last, earning the fourth win of his interim head coach spell, continued: “It was a great game. A game of two halves for us. In the first half, I thought we played nice and controlled but then we made too many errors out of yardage which just robbed us of a little bit of energy and it showed itself early in that second half.
“But then the desire and the grit and the toughness that we showed to go from two scores down with 25 minutes of the game to go, to then come back, shows a lot of character, and then Jake Arthur nailing that moment at the end – it was a brilliant moment for the club and a brilliant moment for the group.”
Last pointed to a disallowed try for Davy Litten as the second half turning point. If awarded, Hull would have taken a 20-12 lead, but instead Catalans hit the front at 26-14.
“The team after the Davy Litten try, which I thought was a harsh one, felt a little bit sorry for themselves and the game just got away from us there,” Last said. “That’s when Catalans put the points on us, but we managed to get back into the grind and completed some sets.
“We freshened the team up and made a couple of changes. I thought James Bell going back out there and Amir Bourouh steadied us a little bit, and then Tommy Briscoe gave us some carries again, along with Harvey Barron and Lewis Martin. Davy was strong as well.
“And that just allowed us to get back into the flow of the game and then Harvie Hill just came up with a worldie of a try for a front rower. It was unbelievable. The great front rowers of yesteryear would be proud of that. Harvie will be talking about that for a long time.
“Aidan Sezer, too, had a really nice try from a set play and nailed his kicks and then Jake Arthur coming up with that play was outstanding.
“Batch (Joe Batchelor) has run his blood to water every time he’s worn the shirt. He’s been a real standout performer for us and his leadership has been superb. He has been outstanding, but there were a few contributors to the result.
“Aidan had a real strong game. Ethan O’Neill’s coming up with some nice plays. Logan Moy is racking up the metres and he scored a nice try. He was a constant threat. I’m pleased for Logan.”
Asked if the ‘stern words’ last week fired Hull up after defeat to Castleford, Last added: “Possibly. I spoke to the boys sternly after the game last week and they have responded well all week. I spoke about the personality of this team and we needed to show it. We did that.
“We were tough and gritty, and we found a way to dig our way out of a hole that we created ourselves. We executed accordingly. Of course, our inconsistency this season has frustrated us. I think we’ve always been gritty and tough but we just had a bit more quality here.
“We had some quality shift plays. The tries we scored were all off the training ground and really well constructed; that side of it, I’m really pleased with it, but defensively, the tries we conceded are still a little bit soft for me. That’s something we’ll have to look at and fix up.”