Hull FC interim head coach Andy Last says the club are making progress on their injury record, but Cade Cust will miss four weeks with a shoulder injury and Zak Hardaker is out for Saturday's home match against Huddersfield Giants because of a neck issue.
The timing matters because Hull FC are trying to halt a run of four straight defeats when they face a Huddersfield side that have lost their last six games and have not won since April 4. Last said the squad are still short-handed, with the injured list up to 13 players, but he believes the club are beginning to get a better handle on the problem.
“It's an ongoing process,” Last said, pointing to work behind the scenes on medical support, infrastructure and facilities. He said Hull had reduced soft-tissue problems this year, with the only such setback being a recurrence of John Asiata's injury, while the rest of the absentees have been impact injuries rather than training-load issues.
That still leaves Hull stretched for Saturday. Last said the side are being forced to use the full depth of the squad, and that some players have been handed unexpected opportunities because of the injuries. He added that there are not many players due back in a significant period of time, which means squad turnover will continue to shape selection in the short term.
For Hull, the immediate test is straightforward: find a performance that can deliver two points. Last said the group need to keep competing for the full 80 minutes and give themselves a chance against Huddersfield, with the injury count and the recent run of results leaving little margin for error at home.
