Rick Stone believes Huddersfield Giants can find a 15% to 20% improvement in their kicking game to provide an edge over Hull FC.
The Giants head to the KCOM Stadium desperate for a win to lift their Super 8s hopes of reaching the top four.
And Stone – who has named Gene Ormsby in his 19-man squad to replace ankle-injury victim and skipper Leroy Cudjoe – has been working the players on more clinical attack following their 18-4 defeat at Wigan.
“I thought we competed pretty well and the game (at Wigan) was close on balance, but we probably didn’t vice our chances and show the necessary composure, execution and quality on our last-play options,” explained the boss.
“It was probably the same the last time we went to Hull (for a 14-10 defeat to close the regular season), where our effort was really good and we matched them physically.
“But we let ourselves down, firstly, with a lack of discipline – which was definitely the case at Wigan – and secondly with our composure and execution, particularly down the other end of the field, so they are key areas we are looking to improve.”
In addition to Cudjoe, Stone is without injured trio Ollie Roberts (hamstring), Dale Ferguson (shoulder) and Sam Rapira (rib cartilage), but believes they have the combination of experience and youth to overcome a team whose following outing will be the Challenge Cup final against Wigan.
“Our kicking game and last-play options can have a big influence on how we do when we get down there (near the try line),” he explained.
“That’s about our halves taking responsibility and the blokes who generally kick the ball, first of all, finding the right execution of kick and then having the right chase team around it as well.
“For us, that’s about a 15% to 20% improvement if we can manage the game a little bit better and look after some of the things like composure and execution.
“All the build-up has been positive from the boys, even though they got beaten last week (at Wigan), and we are looking forward to going back to Hull and having another go.”
