Hull FC will have halfback Josh Reynolds back in the team for the trip to Huddersfield Giants in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup, head coach Brett Hodgson has confirmed.
Reynolds has missed the last four matches with an elbow injury but is fit again for Saturday’s knockout tie.
With Carlos Tuimavave and Kane Evans, who both missed last week’s narrow Super League defeat at Wigan Warriors with calf complaints, also back in the mix, Hull will have a strong squad to pick from with no fresh injuries reported.
“Carlos will be back in the squad, we just need to do a couple more things with him (to be ready),” said Hodgson. “He’ll be back available I think and we hope.
“Kane Evans will be back in the squad, and Josh Reynolds will be back in the squad. We’ve got some numbers so there will be a couple of headaches and a couple of disappointed players.”
Hull have had to deploy some makeshift halfback pairings in recent weeks with Reynolds injured and captain Luke Gale serving a five-match suspension before returning last week.
Joe Lovodua has particularly impressed stepping into that role but Hodgson suggested the hooker will be returning to a more customary role.
Instead Reynolds and Gale will be together again for the first time since the latter’s dismissal early in the second game of the season against St Helens, and it is a partnership Hodgson is hopeful will flourish over time.
“I was happy when we signed Luke, I thought we had an improvement on where we were last year,” said the Hull boss. “It’s going to be good to see them going.
“It will take a little bit of time. We haven’t seen them together much at all, but I am confident that both of those boys at their best, along with Danny Houghton, JJ (Jordan Johnstone) and Joe Lovodua coming in at nine as well, I’m very happy with that. We just need them all on the field.”