St Helens v Hull FC: Simon Grix challenges strugglers to prove they care by nailing 'talentless effort areas'

The date with the 10-time Super League champions is Grix's first game in charge after replacing Tony Smith on an interim basis.

Smith left his role in the aftermath of Hull's latest defeat at the hands of Huddersfield Giants, the club's seventh in eight games this season.

Overseas duo Tex Hoy and Nu Brown followed Smith out of the MKM Stadium to further deplete a squad that is down to the bare bones.

"It's a big task at the moment," said Grix, who has inherited a list of absentees that features Jake Trueman, Brad Fash and Carlos Tuimavave.

"I don't have to go through the names because we know who's not available.

"We're going with what we've got and some young blokes are going to get an opportunity again this week. In the end, they'll be better for it; at the minute, it's pretty tough for them.

"Saints are a great team and we've got a few more tough ones coming up as well. We just want to get to where we can be proud of our performances. Making sure we're on the same page and difficult to beat are the priorities in the short term."

Hull were unable to kick their habit of capitulating under Smith, conceding 50 points or more in three of his last four games after suffering several heavy defeats in his first season.

Grix is keen to set the Black and Whites realistic goals as they aim to restore confidence and find form.

"I'd look foolish if I said we were going to go over to Saints and beat them by 40 ourselves," he said.

"We've got to work hard for each other. We're trying to make ourselves that scrambling team, that team that looks desperate and looks like they care for the shirt.

"It's those talentless effort areas that are really important for us at the moment, to show not only each other but also our fanbase, who have been good and who keep turning up through those losses, that we care about what we're doing.

"If we keep working hard and learn fast then we give ourselves a chance to be on the end of results, whether positive or negative, where we can rock our heads up and know we're going somewhere."

Denive Balmforth, Macca Harman and Jeylan Hodgson have been drafted into the squad following the departures of Hoy and Brown.

Grix is not wasting any time worrying about the potential impact of those exits.

"They're not here so they're irrelevant now," said Grix, who is also without suspended pair Ligi Sao and Jack Brown.

"We've got other kids in there that are chomping at the bit to play. They're probably a bit green but they want to be here.

"Some of those young kids are part of our future so I'm more than happy to work with those blokes and see if we can bring them along – and bring them along fast."