Hull FC coach Andy Last (pictured) will have a stronger squad to select from when his team faces Huddersfield Giants at Warrington Wolves’ Halliwell Jones Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The Hull coach has selected Jamie Shaul, Danny Houghton, Joe Cator, Masi Matongo, and Ratu Naulago, all of whom missed Thursday night’s game against Leeds, in his 21-man squad, with Connor Wynne, Charlie Patterson Lund and Jude Ferreira dropping out of last week’s squad to make way for them.
Despite that, however, Last will still be without eight members of his first-team squad, in Adam Swift, Scott Taylor, Josh Jones, Manu Ma’u, Albert Kelly, Jordan Lane, Kieran Buchanan and Gareth Ellis.
Meanwhile Hull FC Chairman Adam Pearson has explained the background to Hull agreeing to face Leeds Rhinos last Thursday night at short notice, after Covid problems forced Castleford Tigers to withdraw from the fixture.
“We got a call mid-afternoon, at about 4.00pm, to say there was a problem at Cas,” Pearson told Sky Sports.
“We remembered that Cas helped us out at the start of the season and pulled into a fixture pretty quickly without any fuss. So we took that on board and we had conversations back in Hull.
“Andy then spoke to the players at about 8.00pm and their reaction was to get it on and let’s get out there. For the good of Rugby League and the unity of Rugby League I think it’s really important.
“We were taking a risk by putting the players into a situation that might not be to their benefit.
“It’s a big year for Rugby League this year with the Sky negotiation coming up and by ensuring that they have a game to broadcast we hope that they can see that we respect the relationship.”
And Pearson made a public plea for some relaxation of the rules preventing spectators returning to Super League.
“We have some great stadiums and surely we can get some fans back in them,” he added.
“The fans along the M62 corridor put Boris into power, so let’s have them coming back safely, properly and socially distanced, because this game needs them back.”
Hull FC 21-man squad: Jamie Shaul, Bureta Faraimo, Carlos Tuimavave, Josh Griffin, Jake Connor, Marc Sneyd, Danny Houghton, Chris Satae, Ligi Sao, Joe Cator, Jordan Johnstone, Masi Matongo, Brad Fash, Josh Bowden, Andre Savelio, Mahe Fonua, Lewis Bienek, Jack Brown, Cameron Scott, Ratu Naulago, Ben McNamara
The above content is also available in the regular weekly edition of League Express, on newsstands every Monday in the UK and as a digital download. Click here for more details.
