Hull FC v Wildcats: Teams
Hull head coach Richard Agar has had to make four changes to the squad for Friday's engage Super league clash with Wakefield.
Last Updated: 23/04/10 10:53am
Hull head coach Richard Agar has had to make four changes to the squad for Friday's engage Super League clash with Wakefield.
Forwards Lee Radford, Danny Tickle and Craig Fitzgibbon plus the influential Sean Long all picked up knocks in the Carnegie Challenge Cup defeat to Leeds at the weekend.
And with Shaun Berrigan, Mark Calderwood and Reece Lyne on the long-term injury list, Agar has had to turn to the academy for reserves.
Youngsters Danny Nicklas and Liam Cunningham have been added to his 19-man squad and have been handed the No.30 and No.31 shirts, respectively.
New loan signing Paul McShane also comes into the reckoning, as does forward Mike Burnett.
Marathon
Wakefield have included forward Kyle Bibb after he returned from a loan spell with Harlequins.
With Glenn Morrison and Kevin Henderson sidelined through injury and Shane Tronc having returned Down Under, Bibb could get his chance to shine.
Head coach John Kear said: "The Engage Super League season is a marathon and every player in our first-team squad will have a role to play during that time.
"We have a number of players out through injury at the moment and their absences present other players with opportunities.
"Kyle is one of those players and he is now in my thinking as we prepare for what is certain to be a challenge for us against a team that is always difficult to beat.
"There were some encouraging signs for us in the Carnegie Challenge Cup tie at Harlequins and we'll be looking to build on that this week."
Plans
Former Black and Whites Paul Cooke and Paul King are poised to face their old club.
King was released last year despite having 12 months left on his contract but insists he has nothing to prove.
"I was there 13 years and didn't think I'd ever leave but Richard Agar said he didn't see me in his plans," he said.
"It was hard to take because I never wanted to leave Hull FC. I could have left earlier in my career and gone to Wigan or Leeds but I turned them down when Hull were struggling.
"I was loyal to them but I'm a big boy and I took it on the chin. I spoke to my agent and Wakefield came in for me. I've got a new lease of life now.
"I don't think I've got anything to prove, I'm just looking forward to playing at Hull again."
Hull FC squad: T Briscoe, Burnett, Dowes, Cunningham, Cusack, Hall, Horne, Houghton, Lauaki, Manu, McShane, Moa, Nicklas, O'Meley, Tansey, Turner, Washbrook, Whiting, Yeaman.
Wakefield squad: Blanch, Gleeson, Millard, George, Jeffries, Korkidas, Ferguson, Demetriou, Obst, Bibb, Johnson, Murphy, King, Leo-Latu, Cooke, Davey, Moore, Gledhill, Kirmond.