Catalans Dragons vs Hull FC: Sky Live Super League team news
Watch Catalans Dragons take on Hull FC live on Sky Sports Action from 5pm on Saturday.
By Sky Sports Rugby League
Last Updated: 22/06/19 1:59pm
Albert Kelly believes Hull FC are growing in confidence as they prepare to tackle Catalans Dragons again in France on Saturday.
The half-back starred for the Black and Whites with a hat-trick of tries in last Thursday's 31-18 win at home to Castleford Tigers which took them up to third in the Super League standings.
Lee Radford's men have now won three in a row - a run which started by dumping holders the Dragons out of the Coral Challenge Cup last month - and Kelly is in no doubt there is a feeling of optimism around the team at the moment.
"It's a massive confidence thing and that will just echo into our next game against Catalans, which is just as important for us," Kelly said.
"We've got to keep performing and keep raising the bar every single week. Our attitude seems to be improving each week, too.
"Obviously we never go out to lose a game. We go out to win every week, but we've really upped the ante lately and you can see that in the way our confidence is building as a result."
Hull and the Catalans have faced off three times already this season, with this weekend's visitors winning a thriller in Perpignan 31-30 in April, along with storming to a 51-8 triumph in the home Cup quarter-final.
The Dragons have tasted success at the KCOM Stadium this year though, running out 37-6 victors at the start of May.
Head coach Radford has Sika Manu back in his 19-man squad after he was forced to miss the game away to Castleford with a dead leg, with Josh Griffin also back after serving a one-match ban.
Josh Bowden returns too after being rested last week, but Mark Minichiello is ruled out with a groin strain.
The Catalans are still without seven players due to injury, while Jason Baitieri is suspended for the clash with Hull as well.
However, head coach Steve McNamara does have some relief from the team's injuries woes as Sam Moa and Michael McIlorum return to the 19-man squad.
The French outfit are aiming to end a run of three straight defeats, which included last Saturday's surprise 30-12 defeat at home to bottom side London Broncos, and Radford expects the visitors to face a backlash.
"At the beginning of the year I had them down as the fourth-best squad in the competition so to hopefully knock them off three times would be an achievement for us, especially under the circumstances - we've not had a healthy crew against them in any of the games," Radford said.
"The difference this time around is that they'll be stinging at coming off the back of a really poor performance against London Broncos. It's not like them to put two poor back-to-back performances at home."
Catalans Dragons 19-man squad: Tony Gigot, Jodie Broughton, David Mead, Samisoni Langi, Matty Smith, Remy Casty, Michael McIlorum, Sam Moa, Benjamin Garcia, Julien Bousquet, Mickael Simon, Benjamin Jullien, Alrix da Costa, Mikael Goudemand, Antoni Maria, Arthur Romano, Fouad Yaha, Sam Kasiano, Sam Tomkins
Hull FC 19-man squad: Jamie Shaul, Bureta Faraimo, Josh Griffin, Albert Kelly, Marc Sneyd, Scott Taylor, Danny Houghton, Josh Bowden, Dean Hadley, Joe Westerman, Jake Connor, Chris Green, Brad Fash, Sika Manu, Mickey Paea, Danny Washbrook, Ratu Naulago, Andre Savelio, Kieran Buchanan