Last challenges Savelio to keep delivering for FC
ANDY Last has challenged Andre Savelio to maintain his impressive recent standard of performance.
The back-rower caught the eye in Hull FC’S comfortable win over Castleford Tigers last time out, bullying the Tigers defensive line and going over for a try in the first half of the clash at the KCOM Stadium.
It was just his ninth appearance of the season due to injury, but when he’s been fit, he has certainly impressed, particularly after lockdown.
Savelio has scored four tries in his last six appearances from his position in the second-row and although competition for places is fierce, his displays have ensured he will be a hard man to drop in the coming weeks, despite Jordan Lane and Josh Jones being expected to come into the reckoning.
“I set it out at the beginning of my time in charge that performance is king,” Last said. “If you’re doing the right thing off the field and in training and you’re performing well then you give yourself the best opportunity to be picked. Andre has played in the last four games and he’s been real handful on that right edge.
“He runs some good lines and contributes with big numbers in terms of carries and metres and defensively he’s doing a good job.
“There’s still things he needs to do better.
“When he gets tired he can become a little bit loose but that’s something we’ve made him aware of and when we feel he’s getting in those loose periods that’s when the message goes on that he needs to focus on being strong and being tight defensively.”
Savelio arrived from Brisbane Broncos last season and his signing was received positively by most Hull fans, who remembered his displays for St Helens and Warrington Wolves before his move to the NRL.
While he has looked the part on the pitch since arriving at the KCOM, a number of injuries have severely limited his game time and growth as a player in a black and white shirt.
Should the 25-year-old stay fit, though, Last has no doubt that he can kick on at such a pivotal stage of his career.
“The word ‘potential’ is a little bit of a bugbear of mine,” Last added.
“Some players can use the word ‘potential’ to their own strengths, so to speak.
“Andre is at a point now where he has to be fulfilling it and I think over the last four weeks we’ve seen what he’s doing.
“He should be, I think he’s 25 years of age now and he has good experience, he’s played for big clubs and we need those performances to be what they’ve been and he needs that.
“What is a big thing with Andre is he’s really keen to be a player who makes a difference, he doesn’t want to be someone who just holds an end up, he wants to make a difference.
“I’ve spent time looking at video individually with him and just chatting and he’s really keen to be a player who can make a difference for Hull FC.
“He showed at the weekend that he has the ability to be that player so we have to keep challenging him to be that player on a weekly basis.”