Hull FC are depleted once again.
Hull FC half-back Jake Arthur.(Image: SW PIX)
John Cartwright has stated he will see how many Hull FC players can train first before he worries about fielding a side against St Helens on April 16.
The Black and Whites lost five players in both the lead up and during Good Friday’s derby match against Hull KR, with Jake Arthur pulling up during the week with a calf injury and Brad Fash failing a late head injury assessment after the win against Catalans. Hull then lost three more players during play, with John Asiata (hamstring), Joe Batchelor (hamstring), and Arthur Romano (ankle) going down.
That leaves the Black and Whites, also without Will Pryce (ACL), Harvey Barron (ankle), Herman Ese’ese (Achilles), Jed Cartwright (hamstring), Yusuf Aydin (ankle), and Joe Ward (ACL), pretty stretched going into next week, with a week off as the Challenge Cup resumes coming at an opportune time.
Hull are hoping to have Fash back for the Saints clash, with the prop needing to pass all his return-to-play protocols first. Arthur will be ‘touch and go’ while Barron will have a chance. Batchelor is not ruled out yet, with Cartwright hoping the back rowers hamstring issues isn’t too severe. Further tests will also come on Asiata and Romano to determine the severity of their injuries.
Elsewhere, Ese’ese is due back towards the end of the month, while Cartwright is still several weeks away. A full prognosis is still to be given on Aydin, with Pryce and Ward out for the season.
“We’re really skinny on troops,” Cartwright said post-match. “I’m sure how many we’ll get back over the break. We’ll dust them off and get them ready for St Helens.
“We will wait and see how many players can train first. We’ll have a medical on Monday and we’ll go from there.”