Four elements Hull FC must overcome to secure statement victory over Catalans Dragons

Hull FC will be looking to get back to winning ways this weekend as they travel to the Stade Gilbert Brutus to take on Catalans Dragons. Here, Hull Live previews the contest.

The Black and Whites are facing up to life without Jake Connor for the next three months. The full-back picked up a medial ligament injury last week at Wakefield Trinity and scans have confirmed he will miss the next 10 to 12 weeks of Super League action.

Connor has been Hull’s most creative player by far this season, with 24 try assists to his name, and a number of players will be forced to step up in his absence. Pressure will be put on the likes of Josh Reynolds and Luke Gale to take the reins offensively over the coming weeks, while Jamie Shaul will also get the chance to shine in his preferred full-back role.

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Gale and Reynolds have struggled for consistency both as individuals and as a partnership so far this season, producing performances that have varied from promising to appalling. As such, with both players fit and available, they’ll be keen to build up some momentum together and limit the impact of Connor’s injury.

Shaul has been in and out of the side, too, with a large chunk of his game time this season coming on the wing. He’s already been challenged to take his opportunity with both hands by Hodgson and he’ll be desperate to do exactly that in the coming weeks, starting at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.

FC were the better side for a majority of the contest last week at Belle Vue. They opened the West Yorkshire side up on enough occasions and they managed to get themselves over the line as Adam Swift touched down either side of a Darnell McIntosh effort.

However,