Two fresh injuries and a six-match ban have left Hull FC ‘very, very depleted’ in their forward pack, with interim coach Andy Last revealing how the club plans to navigate what is sure to be a difficult few weeks.
The loss to Bradford Bulls on Sunday didn’t just cost the Black and Whites two points but also three forwards and winger Lewis Martin, with Yusuf Aydin banned for six matches whilst Ligi Sao (shoulder) and Brad Fash (knee) are set to be sidelined for a while.
Fash could miss up to three months whilst Last confirmed that Sao’s recovery will be symptom dictated with the veteran prop having suffered nerve damage, meaning power is restricted in his left side.
Injuries are part of the game but the loss of Aydin to what Last has described as a ‘moment of madness’ is obviously harder to take, for Aydin himself as well with the head coach confirming how the prop apologised immediately and then on Monday in the first training session back.
“I spoke with Yusuf on Monday morning. I think the type of lad that Yusuf is, he apologised to the players straight after the game,” Last revealed to BBC Radio Humberside.
“He came and saw me personally to apologise face-to-face. He wanted to address the playing group on Monday, that he’d let his teammates down and I just said, look, there’s going to be no case for us to defend you Yusuf. It’s just a moment of madness.
“I thought a six-game ban and, obviously, the fine he got, was fair really.”
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Next man up mentality for Hull FC amid prop crisis
Whilst fair, it has left Hull FC seriously short in the forward and at prop in particular with Aydin, Fash and Sao joining off-season signing Sam Lisone (pec) on the list of players out of action.
Last admitted: “It’s difficult. We’ve currently got Sam Lisone missing, Ligi Sao is missing, Brad Fash and Yusuf Aydin. It is a unique situation we find ourselves in.
“We’re very, very depleted in that middle unit, but that’s been the case for us over the course of probably the last two or three years. What’s been evident with the last 18 months and the culture that we’ve created is that next man up mentality.
“Whoever, obviously, gets the nod, to pull on that middle shirt, I’m sure we’ll do it justice.”
In respect to who it could be that pulls on the shirt, Last has hinted to debutants with a number of academy players named in the 21-man squad.
“I’m focused on who I’m going to be playing. There’s likely going to be some debutants who’ll get an opportunity, which is exciting. There’s going to be some young guys who’ve been chomping at the bit and that’s positive.
“It’s about who’s in the team rather than who’s not in the team for me.”
