The Hull FC winger stepped up defensively.
Hull FC winger Harvey Barron.(Image: SW PIX)
Hull FC winger Harvey Barron had a dead leg and knee complaint in the side’s final game of the season at Leeds Rhinos, Andy Last has confirmed.
Barron was forced off the Headingley field in the second half, with Tom Briscoe moving to the right wing and Hull reshuffling their back line.
The hope is Barron, who was precautionary taken off, will be okay but the winger will be monitored accordingly in the coming days.
“It looked like a little bit of a dead leg, but then he said he felt his knee a little bit,” Last told Hull Live post-match. “We had a couple of interchanges up our sleeve and we were able to get Tom Briscoe out on that right wing, which was a nice thing, because that’s the position he played for the Leeds Rhinos.
“It was just precaution with Harvey – he wasn’t moving very well. And Leeds being Leeds, they move the ball from sideline to sideline and that wing position, and being mobile on that wing was important for us.”
Before his knock, Barron stood up tall defensively for Hull. He, along with right-edge partner Davy Litten, fronted up to bundle Rhinos gun Maika Sivo, into touch on two separate occasions.
That highlighted Hull’s defensive resolve on the night, with Last’s side digging deep and scrambling hard in a fully committed performance to record an 18-12 victory.
But for Barron, it shows the progress in his game, with the athletic, tall winger, along with Lewis Martin, set to be mainstays of the side once again next season.
“I think defensively, Harvey and Lewis have taken some real steps over the last couple of years, making stronger decisions, looking competent on the edges,” Last said. “They’re not guessing; they are making calculated decisions about when to come in and when to stay out.
“They both carry the ball strong out of the backfield, too. They’re going to be better for another pre-season and they’re going to be better players for us moving forward.”
As for the plays on Sivo and Hull’s defensive efforts, Last continued: “They were huge plays. I thought our edges were outstanding. We spoke all week about the threat of Brodie Croft and Jake Connor.
“Jake is a very dangerous player, and we spoke about staying connected. If you create any triangles in your defensive line (players shooting out), then Jake will pick you to pieces. We were really conscious of staying square and staying connected – and trying to force Jake to get the player to beat you rather than you making a play for him to pick you apart.
“We did that really well and I think it frustrated him a little bit with some moments of ill-discipline and moments of pushing and shoving.”