Hull FC are looking for one crucial ingredient: continuity.
Hull FC loose forward John Asiata.(Image: SW PIX)
One of Hull FC’s biggest challenges this year is to ensure their performance level doesn’t waver when John Asiata isn’t on the field. It’s a test that’s certainly easier said than done, but it’s one that head coach John Cartwright is well aware of.
Asiata, hitting form since his return to the side, was highly influential once again as Hull built up a 22-0 half-time lead against Catalans Dragons last Sunday afternoon, but once he left the field after 55 or so minutes, it told.
The French side smelt a bit of blood and got on a roll, scoring points in quick succession. Hull had to throw Asiata back on to stem the flow, and the stand-in captain played his role again on the way to a 24-20 victory.
The same thing happened at Wakefield last month. Hull, with Asiata on the side, was good value in the first half but struggled without him. It’s an unwanted pattern and something Hull know they need to get to grips with.
“We’ve got to be better at that,” Cartwright, speaking prior to Good Friday’s 250th derby against Hull KR, said. “We sit down and review every week and you look at areas where you have got to improve, and that’s one area we certainly have to improve: when Johnny’s not on the field.
“But what makes these players so good is that they are so dominant – that’s why we talk about them after the game. It’s very hard for somebody to step in and do exactly the same role.
“We’re not looking for anyone to do that because you don’t always have the players of Johnny’s ability, his ball-playing ability, to come on.
“The boys that come on, they’re tough and they’re hard and they do a fantastic job for us, but like everything else, it’s just a work in progress.”
Cartwright is hoping to negate that impact with James Bell, with the Kiwi brought in to take that pressure off the side and spell Asiata. However, due to injuries to Hull’s back row, Bell has had to fill in elsewhere.
And while he’s made a fair crack of it, there is a longing to get the duo working in tandem in the middle – something that, with Joe Batchelor’s return, could take place this week.
“When we do get some back rowers back in action, we might be able to sort of tic-tac with Johnny and James,” Cartwright continued. “That’s what James was brought in to do, but circumstances haven’t allowed us to do that at this stage.
“We had Belly pencilled in to help Johnny out with the ball-playing responsibility, but just through injury we’ve had to use Belly on the edge and he’s been a revelation for us, I believe. He provides energy and he provides aggression.
“The pair of them had pretty limited off-seasons as well, so whatever they’re doing now, they’re only going to be better.”
Longing for combinations to form, with injuries and suspensions bringing different partnerships at half-back, full-back, back row, and in the middle, Cartwright’s biggest craving is continuity. Get that, and the head coach is confident his side will get better this year.
“Things are coming together,” he added. “It doesn’t happen overnight, especially with a forever-changing 1, 6, 7 and 9. It’s a work in progress.
“It’s a long, long season; that’s why just winning games along the way is so important. If we can just get some continuity with the team on the field, we will keep improving.”