Leigh Centurions v Hull FC - Influential Albert Kelly needs to rethink his game

The Challenge Cup holders visit Leigh Centurions this afternoon having conceded more than 100 points in their last two games.

A 54-18 home loss to Salford Red Devils was followed by Good Friday’s 52-24 destruction by Leeds Rhinos at KCOM Stadium, denting their bid to keep in touch with leaders Castleford Tigers.

Mercurial Kelly, the Australian stand-off who scored eight tries in his opening six games since joining from Hull KR, conceded his creativity is being hindered by his current heavy workload.

“I think I have got to start hiding myself,” he said.

“I like defending and teams are really trying to tire me out, get my numbers up and get me involved somehow in the tackle. It kind of does take the juice out of me. I’m guilty of liking it and I’m not going to run away from tackling as it’s a big part of my game.

“But if I need to have that extra juice in attack then I am going to have to start hiding somewhere.”

Kelly, back against Leeds after missing the Salford loss due to a family bereavement back home in Australia, added: “It was a really disappointing result on Friday.

“Most of the boys are real disappointed and I am with my own individual game. We can’t really dwell on this. The best thing is we play Monday at Leigh so we get a really quick turnaround to go play a better game.

“I think we’re in a ditch at the moment and we do have the quality of player who can get us out of that ditch and move on from it.”

Leigh have lost their last four games but Hull have seen Gareth Ellis, Fetuli Talanoa, Josh Griffin and Josh Bowden all drop out.

Carlos Tuimavave could feature but FC are again without injured Man of Steel Danny Houghton, the industrious hooker who brings so much order to their play, especially in defence but also with his attack.

Kelly conceded: “The calibre of ‘Mint’ (Houghton) is something that’s hard to fill with his experience, tackles and his whole game.

“We are missing him and anyone who steps into his role really has big shoes to fill.

“Everyone has a role in the team that needs to be done and if there’s a chink in the team it will get found out by good teams as we’ve found the last two weeks.

“Leigh are a very good outfit, too, but for us we have to work on our game.

“If we focus on what we need to do right, the game will look after itself.”