Last now looking to make it a fairytale finale
HULL FC AIMING TO MAKE MOST OF CHANCE AGAINST WOLVES
THEY have essentially been handed a place in this season’s Super League play- offs so Hull FC interim head coach Andy Last is eager to now see if his squad can capitalise – and prove they have truly evolved under his tenure.
This time last week, the Black and Whites were preparing to round off a difficult campaign and – sitting out of contention in sixth – finally draw a line through a deeply taxing 2020.
However, when Super League then announced that the regular season would end early to enable an extended play- offs, consisting not of the top- four but topsix, suddenly Hull’s interest was piqued once more.
Placed in temporary charge of the East Yorkshire club in March, just days before the first national lockdown, Last is preparing to take his team to Warrington Wolves for an elimination playoff on Thursday night.
The opportunity is a genuine gift. If they prosper, they will stand just 80 minutes from a Grand Final which, ironically, will be played at their home ground
KCOM Stadium after usual venue Old Trafford was ruled out of action by Manchester United.
Given Hull have hit their best form of the year, being on a threematch winning run and winning four of their last five games, could the stars even be aligning to deliver a first league title since 1983?
In fairness, it is always dangerous predicting such things from them; under predecessor Lee Radford, they famously won the Challenge Cup on a couple of occasions, but maddeningly fell short of the requisite consistency required for a successful tilt at the championship.
In short, just as they started looking good, they would self- implode, often alarmingly such as with a record 80- 10 loss to Warrington just two years ago.
Their form since assistant Last took over has also – until this point – been as erratic as some Government decision- making.
They do seem to have now smoothed out the edges in their play but the 39- year- old knows Wolves will be far stronger than any of the sides – Castleford Tigers ( twice), Huddersfield Giants and Hull KR – they have beaten during this latest sequence.
Last told The Yorkshire Post: “That’s the big thing for this group. We’ve had some good performances. We feel as though we’re moving in the right direction. But this is a different sort of challenge now – knock- out football against top teams – and Warrington are a very, very good side.
“They have some special players and we are going to have to be good to get the performance we need to beat them.
“I don’t want to disrespect any of the teams we have played but we’ve probably beaten some teams who probably weren’t in the best of form. Warrington are in the top three and are a side we’ve finished a distant second to in our two previous meetings.
“It’s something the group is looking forward to, though, and it will be interesting to see how much progression we have made in the time I’ve been in charge.
“We were beaten quite comfortably by them – 37- 12 – a couple of months back so this will be good to see where we are now.”
Crucially, as well as in form, Hull are also almost at full strength as they approach their biggest game of the season.
Stand- off Albert Kelly has headed home to Australia due to injury and full- back Jamie Shaul is ruled out by an ACL tear but otherwise they have players fit and firing which is a real bonus
given the hurdles all clubs have needed to overcome in this strangest of seasons.
In terms of the long- term, Last knows his employers are looking at not just his own application for the top job but plenty of others as well.
Former Salford Red Devils chief Ian Watson, for instance, has already turned down an approach and looks set to be heading to Huddersfield Giants instead. Regardless, throughout these last few weeks, Hull- born Last has put all that to one side and his squad are clearly now speaking for him with their onfield actions.
On the prospect of potentially leading them to a first Grand Final since their solitary appearance in 2006, he added: “I try not to think about it but it does get mentioned a lot.
“Is it going to be one of those fairytale stories where you come in as interim coach, it’s your team
and you’re playing at your home ground in a Grand Final? But I’m not thinking about that. You can’t look too far ahead. We’d heard the rumours that it might switch to top- six and when the news came out we were really pleased.
“But now, we just need to try to make sure we showcase the best of what we’ve been these last four or five weeks: a team that’s been able to play more fluently with the ball and find a defensive resolve we probably hadn’t shown on a consistent basis before.
“We feel we’ve prepared well. If both teams are at their best, I think it is an evenly- matched game which should showcase the best of Super League and what play- off rugby is all about.”
Last’s biggest selection will be who to play at stand- off: Jake Connor, who excelled at full- back last time out, classy Kiwi centre Carlos Tuimavave or teenager Ben McNamara, a traditional half but with limited experience.