Boss Andy Last on battling Hull FC's 'Covid hangover'

The Black and Whites face Wakefield Trinity in Super League tomorrow night before tackling Castleford Tigers on Sunday for a place in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

After an impressive win against Huddersfield Giants, Last saw his side vanquished 37-12 by Warrington Wolves on Friday when many players physically struggled.

Hull were the first club to suffer a Covid outbreak with nine players contracting the virus last month.

Last, who makes a raft of changes tomorrow, admits there has been a knock-on effect.

“It (Covid) has impacted on individuals differently,” he said.

“Some have had more severe symptoms than others and there is a little bit of a hangover from the Covid outbreak we suffered as a club. It’s been tough.

“But we’ve had to get on with it as we have our duties to the sport to get games played.

“The impact of the Covid outbreak means, anyone who suffers a sniffle or a sore throat, is stood down from training.

“Then we have to get them tested and that can take 24 to 48 hours when done locally.

“They come back in and it was just a cold, not Covid but you’ve lost two days of training. Those two days you don’t get back.

“There’s a major, major impact because of the protocols we have to follow.

“That means guys are doing less and less (training) and are expected to do 80 minutes in a high intensity game.

“It was evident against Warrington some guys’ legs and lungs just weren’t there.

“It’s not an excuse but there is some long-term hangover. We just have to be better against Wakefield in some of the decisions we make.”

Hull have made plenty of enforced changes for tomorrow's game with seven players dropping out from the Warrington defeat.

Last says it is “needs must” rather than trying to keep back some players for Sunday’s Cup tie.

“Some players have had niggles and we didn’t want to run the risk of them not being as fit as we wanted,” he said.

“I think the game is too ruthless. The games where we’ve suffered the losses - Salford and Warrington - the energy and physicality of the game probably was a key difference between the two sides.

“We’ve erred on the side of those who are closer to being 100 per cent fit rather than the ones that aren’t.”

Last is “really looking forward” to seeing former England Academy captain Cameron Scott, 20, play his first match with Hull in 17 months.

On the centre, he said: “Cam’s been exceptional on the training field and more than held his own with the likes of Josh Griffin and Carlos Tuimavave.

“He’s the Academy captain and in the same age bracket as Harry Newman who’s been given the opportunity to play at Leeds Rhinos and showcase what he can do.

“He looks a really competent Super League centre now does Harry and we want Cameron to do the same.”

Jamie Shaul, Tuimavave, Manu Ma’u and Jordan Johnstone all drop-out through injury, while Bureta Faraimo and Griffin are two of those not risked due to minor knocks.

Ligi Sao will serve his one match suspension, with Scott Taylor, Gareth Ellis, Marc Sneyd and Josh Jones all still sidelined

Winger Ratu Naulago returns to the squad having missed out last week due to concussion while Joe Cator also returns from his one-match suspension and Masi Matongo is back from a shoulder injury.

Others who could feature after being brought in to the 21-man squad are Connor Wynne, Andre Savelio, Lewis Bienek and Jude Ferreira.