Hull FC v Wakefield Trinity - Chester calls for better kicking game to break losing run

Two Trinity players tested positive for coronavirus last week, causing the game against Leeds Rhinos to be called off and they did not begin training for Thursday's meeting with Hull, at St Helens, until Monday.

It has been a difficult build-up, but Chester, knows where his side have been going wrong and insists valuable lessons have been learned.

“We’ve just not got to grips with the new rules,” he admitted.

“One, we have got to get fitter and two, we have got to learn that this is the new game now – the ball is in play a lot longer.

“We are not kicking the ball well enough or turning it over in the right spots, we are making it easy for opposition teams because of our last play options.”

Chester stressed: “We have had a good chat with the halves about their kicking game and how they need to improve.

“With the new game you can’t afford to kick to somebody on the full and let him run 50 metres downfield – it just saps so much energy from you.

“We have got to be better at turning the ball over in the corner and defending from that.”

When they get that right, Chester feels Trinity are a tough side to score against.

He added: “We are hurting ourselves and we have just got to get back to being that tough team to break down.

“You are a tough team to break down by doing all the little things right – that’s what’s hurting us at the minute.”

Alex Walker, Liam Kay and Jay Pitts, who have all been isolating, are back in contention; Bill Tupou, not available last week because of a head injury, also returns and Ben Jones-Bishop could make his first appearance of the season, after recovering from a blood clot. Youngsters Yusuf Aydin and Connor Bailey could make their debut.

Hull, who face Castleford Tigers in a Coral Challenge Cup tie on Sunday, are without Jamie Shaul, Carlos Tuimavave, Manu Ma’u, Jordan Johnstone, Bureta Faraimo and Josh Griffin from the side which lost to Warrington Wolves last week, along with the suspended Ligi Sao.

Players called into their initial squad are Ratu Naulago, Joe Cator, Connor Wynne, Andre Savelio, Lewis Bienek, Jude Ferreira and Masi Matongo.

Hull: from Swift, Connor, Houghton, Satae, Kelly, Cator, Matongo, Fash, Lane, Bowden, Savelio, Fonua, Wynne, Buchanan, Bienek, Brown, Scott, Naulago, Paterson-Lund, McNamara, Ferreira.

Wakefield Trinity: from Walker, Tupou, Lyne, Jones-Bishop, Westerman, Pitts, Kopczak, Green, Crowther, Jowitt, King, J Wood, Gwaze, Hampshire, Aydin, Bailey, Tanginoa, Navarrete, Kay, Gigot, Senior.

Referee: Marcus Griffiths (Widnes). Kick-off: Thursday, 6pm, at TW Stadium, St Helens.

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