Hull face injury crisis ahead of Super League season start

The Hull squad has been decimated just before the start of the new campaign.

Hull finished eighth in Super League last season. (Getty Images)

Hull are facing an early injury crisis with half their pack already ruled out of the opening Betfred Super League game at Wakefield on February 13.

Prop Scott Taylor is a long-term injury absentee who has been joined on the sidelines by new signing Kane Evans and back rower Manu Ma’u after they picked up injuries in pre-season. Ma’u is likely to miss at least the first month of the season with a hamstring issue, while Evans injured a pectoral muscle in last weekend’s behind-closed-doors training game against London Broncos.

Evans, a Fiji international front-rower, was already due to sit out the opening three weeks of the season after picking up a five-match ban at his old club New Zealand Warriors and he will now see a specialist to ascertain a timeframe for his return.

Hull coach Brett Hodgson said: “It is obviously very disappointing news for the players and the club as they were both training exceptionally well. Unfortunately, there is always a risk of injury in pre-season, with the Kane one particularly unfortunate as it came from a contact during the training game against London. Alongside Scott, they are three notable absentees for us but they will all have a significant role to play in our season.”

Hodgson will also be without props Chris Satae (calf) and Josh Bowden (quad) for Sunday’s Tom Briscoe testimonial match against Leeds but hopes to have them back to face Trinity.

Australian stand-off Josh Reynolds is also set to play in the league opener after recovering from a knee injury sustained last August while centre Josh Griffin and new signing Darnell McIntosh made their return from injury against London.

PA