Hull FC's injury nightmare improving - boss Last

Hull FC interim head coach Andy Last insists the Super League club are already making progress in ending their injury hell.

Shoulder victim Cade Cust and Zak Hardaker, who has a neck issue, are sidelined for Saturday's match at home to Huddersfield Giants, taking the Black and White's crocked list to 13.

Last said Hull were looking at ways to improve their injury record and claimed they had reduced the number of soft-tissue problems.

"It's an ongoing process," he told BBC Radio Humberside. "The investment in medical, the investment in our infrastructure, the investment in facilities - they are something which I'm sure, as and when the time's right, the club will explain what they're doing on that score.

"It's a constant weekly monitoring thing, the robustness of our players. Unfortunately last year, there were a lot of soft-tissue injuries. They're the ones which you can significantly make an impact on with training loads and surfaces, etc.

"This year we've done really, really well on soft tissue. The only soft-tissue ones we've suffered is a recurrence of John Asiata. The rest of them are impact injuries."

Last wanted to focus on those players who will face Huddersfield rather than talk about all those missing. He said some had been given unexpected opportunities.

"We've got to go down this road," he said. "We aren't going to get many players back for a significant period of time.

"We've got our backs to the wall; we're just using the full depth of our squad.

"There are some guys who will get exposed to senior rugby and will benefit from that in the long term.

"All I can ask from the playing group is just to keep putting their best foot forward and playing as well as they possibly can and keep competing as hard as they can for the 80 minutes."

Last admitted Hull were "desperate" for a win after losing their last four matches and have a golden opportunity against Huddersfield, who have been beaten in their last six games.

Huddersfield's last win was on April 4 and Last insists the Black and Whites deserve more for their efforts.

"There's pressure every week," he said. "Two points on the back of every win is valuable for any team.

"If you're top of the league, it keeps you there. If you're down the bottom end of the competition, it rolls you up the table.

"We're just desperate for two points because I don't think we've been getting rewards for the effort we've been putting in.

"We need to put in a strong performance against Huddersfield and do everything we can to get the win."