Hull Seahawks coach Matty Davies facing big call over import selections to face Telford Tigers
HAVING made the big decision to bring in a fifth import at Hull Seahawks, Matty Davies admits he has presented himself with a selection headache for this weekend.
Defenceman Brock Bartholomew’s return after 18 months away means he will go straight into the line-up for today’s trip to Telford Tigers.
That means one of Davies’s four import forwards – Canadian trio Owen Sobchak, Johnny Corneil and Jordan Stallard and Czechian Emil Svec – will sit out, given NIHL National teams can only play four imports in games.
Davies said his decision will likely be a game-day one, but it is a choice not made any easier given that all four players are currently showing good form.
“I’ll admit, it is a headache,” Davies told The Yorkshire Post. “At the end of the day Brock has got to play. He’s here and I know we still need that part of the game that he can provide.
“I know it’s been better recently and I know all the forwards are playing well - they are all having their spells where they are being brilliant.
“So we’ll see but whoever I leave out on Saturday, it could easily be a different player against when it comes to playing Leeds.”
Looking further ahead, Davies said he would not be rushing into a decision on which import will depart, entertaining the notion of keeping five for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.
“I honestly don’t know at the minute,” added Davies. “It could change every week but, right now, I don’t see it changing any time soon.
“I’m going to leave it for a good while, I just don’t want to rush into the decision and if we end up keeping the five for the season then that’s what we’ll do.”
Davies’ team head to Telford looking to bounce back from last Sunday’s 5-4 defeat at home to Sheffield Steeldogs.
The visit of Leeds on Sunday offers the Seahawks an opportunity to avenge the 5-1 defeat in West Yorkshire on October 30 when Davies admits his team were very much second-best.
Leeds host Peterborough Phantoms today, while the second-placed Steeldogs will look to extend their winning streak to nine games at Basingstoke Bison before heading home to host Telford tomorrow.