HULL ATTACK TROLLS OVER COVID CRISIS
HULL FC players have hit back at the social media trolls blaming them for the Covid crisis engulfing Super League.
Six Black and Whites players and two members of staff tested positive for the virus on Monday, the day after their 54-18 defeat to Salford.
The Red Devils have also placed their entire squad in quarantine while re-testing occurs, with 11 of them forced to self-isolate for 14 days after coming into extended contact with those infected in the game.
It means both clubs are unable to play this weekend, with the competition rejigging the fixture list to ensure four matches can still take place.
Hull’s squad have been targeted on social media after Andre Savelio (above, in action against Salford’s Joey Lussick), Carlos Tuimavave and Mahe Fonua (below) were pictured together at a garden party after the game.
Savelio tweeted to confirm that none of the three are among those who have tested positive and gained support from team-mate Josh Griffin.
He wrote: “I’ve seen some messages about players not being professional.
“Think people forget we as players have partners who go to work, children that go to schools, food shop anywhere it could be picked up. People need to realise that no one is to blame and it can be picked up anywhere.”
Kieran Buchanan added: “Can’t get over the fact how disgusting some people actually are, the club is worried about their families and there is people out there taking the p**s, it shows how inhumane some people actually are.”
Hull chairman Adam Pearson told BBC Radio Humberside that the club is investigating the possibility that the virus could have been brought to the club after one player attended hospital.
He said: “It’s very difficult to say too much publicly, but it appears one of the players’ newborn babies has required hospital treatment. That player has gone to hospital and subsequently some members of his family could have been infected.
“He’s then come in on Saturday for some treatment with symptoms and been sent home.”
Super League executive chairman Robert Elstone paid tribute to the competition’s clubs, saying: “It left us with another challenging situation, but it is a credit to the solidarity of the clubs who agreed to adjust the fixture list at such short notice.”
New fixtures – Saturday: Wakefield v Catalans (4.15pm), Huddersfield v Warrington (6.30pm). Sunday: St Helens v Castleford (4.15pm), Wigan v Leeds (6.30pm)