FORMER Giants coach John Kear takes temporary charge of Hull for tonight's Super League clash at leaders Leeds.
Coach Shaun McRae has returned to Australia to be with his seriously ill father.
McRae decided to fly home this morning after his father's condition worsened.
The former St Helens and Gateshead coach will also miss Tuesday's home encounter with Wigan, who host Wakefield tonight aiming to build on successive wins over Huddersfield and Leeds.
Tonight's clash at Headingley brings together the teams with both the best attacking and defensive records.
Hull go into the match on the back of a four-game winning run, their last defeat being 23-12 at home to Leeds last month.
The Airlie Birds rattled up 192 points in the course of those four wins and have climbed to third in the table, but Kear has still highlighted areas of concern.
He said: "I think in the last 10 minutes at Castleford and in our last two games we have been loose offensively and defensively and we have to step up to the mark.
"The players know that and I am confident they will go to Headingley and up their standards, as they need to."
Hull will not risk playmaker Jason Smith, who suffered back spasms in the win over London at Leicester last week.
Leeds' main concern is the fitness of star half-back Danny McGuire, Super League's leading tryscorer.
Wigan's main selection issue against Wakefield surrounds skipper Andy Farrell, who has declared himself available despite badly breaking his nose against Leeds.
Wakefield are in the play-off picture after winning three of their last four games but have fitness concerns over two players ahead of their trip to the JJB Stadium.
Darrel Griffin and Olivier Elima are doubts with groin and hip problems.
