Hull FC vs Huddersfield Giants Prediction: Hosts worth covering with a handicap

Hull FC and Huddersfield both need a win at the wrong end of the Betfred Super League table and the pair come together at the MKM Stadium on Saturday afternoon. (Kick off 3pm, Sky Sports+)

FC had a really good go at Warrington last week but ultimately suffered a fourth straight loss, while the Giants' home defeat to Toulouse left them rock bottom.

Hull FC vs Huddersfield Giants Odds

Hull are the favourites to win this clash at 3/10. Huddersfield Giants are an 11/4 shot to come away with the victory, while the draw is available at 18/1.

Team News

Hull FC are without another couple of key players this week as they bid to get back to winning ways in a game they really should be winning. The 2015 Steve Prescott Man of Steel Zak Hardaker is absent after failing a Head Injury Assessment in the narrow defeat at Warrington last week.

Half-back Cade Cust played loose forward again last week and misses out with a shoulder issue. The men to come in for interim boss Andy Last are Jed Cartwright and new loan signing Max Wood from Warrington. Young forward Wood really has a point to prove after finding opportunities limited under Sam Burgess at the Wolves this year despite some lively performances.

Still absent are a host of star names including Will Pryce, John Asiata, James Bell, Sam Lisone, Ligi Sao, Brad Fash, last season's top try scorer Lewis Martin, Connor Bailey, Arthur Romano and Joe Ward while a further two players - Roman Dawson and Yusuf Aydin are suspended.

Huddersfield will need a little more time to gel under their new boss but Lenihan only makes one change to his squad this week. It is good news too as half-back Oliver Russell is fit to return. Lewis Jagger drops out.

New signing Zane Dunford isn't in the country yet.

Handicap 3-Way - Hull FC -10  @ EVS

These are two sides that you would not be backing at all right now, but fortunately they play each other this week so one of them has to win.

Hull have been hamstrung by that lengthy injury list and a bit of poor decision-making behind the scenes, but showed they still have some fight in their side by coming close to threatening Warrington's 100 per cent home record last week. Most were backing a big Wolves win in that one but it was Hull who took an early lead - one they kept until the final half an hour, and still trailed only 6-4 heading into the final minute when Warrington clinched it.

The Giants are going through their latest rebuild, and defeat by Toulouse underlined just how much work there is for new boss Jim Lenihan to do.

I can genuinely see both sides winning this one. I really expect the Giants to start picking up points soon given the array of attacking talent in their side but they have a frustrating ability to self-combust which is just about stopping me from backing a victory that will come soon enough.

Hull should be encouraged by their efforts last week and I feel that they may just about have enough to get over the line here.

The handicap is 10 points which feels about right and it is a toss up for me whether to take that or a home win by 1-12. Given that both of these sides are capable of so much more than what they have been showing us, I'm going to back Hull to build on last week's performance with a win by a couple of scores.

Rugby League Odds

George Flanagan Jr. Anytime Tryscorer @ 5/4

For my second selection this week I am again looking at the anytime try scorer market where the best value is - as you would expect - with the visitors. The Giants may end up losing another game here but they do have points in them, and trusty selections such as Jacob Gagai (6/4) continue to tick along.

 I fancied both Gagai and the returning George Flanagan Jr. to score last week and even though both players did cross against Toulouse it was not enough to prevent the French side taking the win. Flanagan will continue to get better as he gets more games under his belt following injury and I like him again at 5/4 this week.

 Hull's try last week was scored by Harvey Barron and they have struggled to fill the scoring void left by the absence of last season's talisman Lewis Martin. I can see another Barron score this week at 4/6 while half-backs Jake Arthur (11/4) and Aidan Sezer (3/1) are also of interest.