Mitieli Vulikijapani set for Hull FC debut this weekend

Fijian winger Mitieli Vulikijapani will make his Super League debut in Hull FC’s round 10 fixture at Leigh on Saturday.

The British Army serviceman was given a 12-month contract after impressing in trials early in the year and will get his chance due to a glut of injuries among the Black and Whites’ outside backs.

Centre Josh Griffin has been ruled out for the season with a ruptured Achilles, and he was joined on the injury list after last week’s win at Castleford by Carlos Tuimavave, who is facing three to four weeks out with a hamstring tear, and Cameron Scott, who will be sidelined for a month with a shoulder injury

READ: Hull FC suffer double injury blow

“It makes us quite thin in the centres,” said Hodgson, who has ruled out switching Jake Connor from full-back.

“Thankfully, I thought Mahe Fonua did an excellent job there last week and we’ve got a couple of options in the centres this week.

“There’s Connor Wynne, and Bureta (Faraimo) has played centre at some stages in his career. And Mitch will debut this week.

“Whoever jumps in there has a job to fill and I’m very confident that he’ll do it to the best of his ability.”

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