Andy Last Names Leigh Leopards Squad With Three Debut Chances

Hull FC go into leigh leopards on Friday night with three players in line for first-team debuts after Andy Last named Lennon Clark, Ben Johnson and Joe Phillips in his 21-man squad. Last made five changes, with injuries and a suspension forcing a reshuffle before a trip that could hand academy products and a 2026 recruit their first senior run-out.

Last’s Leigh Leopards Call

Clark and Johnson have been handed a chance after spending the past couple of years on the fringes of the first-team picture. Last said they had earned their opportunity and that both would bring energy into the group if they were selected against Leigh.

“Lots of energy, lots of enthusiasm. If they get the opportunity to make their debut, it'll be a special occasion for them.”

He added that they are “big Black and White fans,” and said their families are too. He also said, “And if we give them that opportunity of making their debut, it galvanises the group as well because you get a little bit extra from some of those senior blokes, as it's a milestone game for those two young lads.”

Joe Phillips And The Squad Shift

Phillips is the third player in contention to debut after moving from Goole Vikings in the off-season. Last described him as a work in progress after a stress fracture on his lower limb, but he remains in the first-team squad and is still in the frame for Friday night.

“Potentially,” Last said when asked about Phillips. He also said: “Joe is a work in progress. He's come in and probably hasn't quite hit the ground running. He picked up an injury with a stress fracture on his lower limb and he's working his way back up. He's in and around that first-team squad.”

The squad change is more than a reward for youth. Hull are without Ligi Sao, Brad Fash, Lewis Martin and Amir Bourouh through injury, while Yusuf Aydin is out through suspension. That opened the door for Will Hutchinson, Will Kirby, Callum Kemp and Lloyd Kemp to come in alongside Herman Ese'ese and Hugo Salabio.

Ese'ese And Salabio Return

Ese'ese’s presence is another notable piece in the reshuffle. He ruptured his Achilles tendon last August, and Last said the coaching staff have been careful not to rush him back because of the length of the layoff.

“It's good news to have him in the squad,” Last said. He added that the staff are “in a desperate situation” but still need to be mindful that Ese'ese must be managed properly after a significant injury.

Salabio is back after a loan spell at Halifax Panthers, where he had been playing week in week out. Last said that run at Championship level had helped him, while the return of both forwards gives Hull more senior cover if the debut chances are taken up at Leigh.

For the reader, the practical takeaway is straightforward: Hull have changed five names for a Friday night squad that could hand first-team debuts to Clark, Johnson and Phillips, with the final team still to be settled before kick-off.