Could Hull FC head into the transfer market to replace Carlos Tuimavave?

Carlos Tuimavave has quickly become a cult hero at the MKM Stadium, but Hull FC have received some sad news today.

The centre will be out for the rest of the season after rupturing his Achilles in Hull’s disappointing 36-8 defeat to Catalans Dragons last week.

It’s not the first big injury that the Black and Whites have suffered in 2022 with Jake Connor also out for three months whilst Scott Taylor and Andre Savelio have been sidelined for a length of time.

For Tuimavave, the 2022 season has been a difficult one considering he missed the first six games of the season with a hamstring injury.

Since then, the 30-year-old has made eight appearances but will be sidelined for the remainder of the year.

Hull themselves issues a press release confirming the ruptured Achilles injury, with Tuimavave telling the club:

“I’m absolutely gutted my season has come to an end through injury.

“I’ve worked incredibly hard and had many goals that I set out to achieve this season, so to have my campaign ended like this is heartbreaking,

“I want to thank my family for their support, as well as everyone who has reached out to me and sent me messages over the last few days – I appreciate it so much.

He added: “I’ve got a long road to recovery ahead but I’ll get myself right, doing everything possible to get back bigger and better for next season.”

It means that the Black and Whites will potentially be lightweight out in the centres.

Of course, Josh Griffin has been playing in the back-row recently, but he is a left-sided centre rather than one like Tuimavave on the right.

Connor Wynne is a potential option as is Fijian Mitieli Vulikijapani, and, with the latter out of contract at the end of 2022, it could give him some much-needed game time to earn a new deal.

The same could be true of Cameron Scott, too, with no club for 2023 as of yet though Tuimavave’s injury may pave the way for the 22-year-old to stake his claim.

There is also the option of going into the transfer market, both for now and long-term. The likes of Catalans Dragons pair Dean Whare and Samisoni Langi are out of contract whilst Wigan Warriors’ Jake Bibby is expected to leave the DW Stadium.