SHAUN McRae has backed Kirk Yeaman to come back stronger after the former international centre was dropped for the first time in his career.
And Hull FC's director of rugby says Yeaman's omission against Castleford last week shows everybody at Hull is vulnerable as coach Peter Gentle considers further changes in the wake of successive defeats.
A 30-28 loss at the Tigers left Gentle fuming after the Aussie coach anticipated a response from his players to a woeful display in France against Catalan Dragons two weeks earlier.
Gentle admitted in the aftermath at Castleford he was considering further changes with a host of players such as Gareth Ellis, Tom Briscoe and Danny Tickle among those available for selection for next Monday's game at home to Wakefield Wildcats.
Yeaman will also be hoping for a return after the 29-year-old was left out for the first time since establishing himself as a regular nearly 10 years ago.
"We all know what Kirk is capable of doing and I am sure he will only come back stronger from this," McRae told the Mail.
"Kirk is working his socks off to get back in the team and what this shows is that everyone is vulnerable. That is the sort of pressure you want the team under.
"You never want to make wholesale changes because that rarely works, but sometimes you have to make a few changes and it certainly doesn't hurt."
The return of his injured trio of Ellis, Tickle and Briscoe, combined with the availability of the likes of Yeaman, Josh Bowden and Paul Johnson, who were all dropped for the Castleford game, has given Gentle a number of options ahead of the visit of Richard Agar's side.
Successive defeats have seen Hull drop out of the top four and they will start Monday's game in seventh place at least with their two closest rivals, St Helens and Hull KR, meeting on Friday.
With eight games of the regular season remaining, and an all-important Challenge Cup quarter-final on the horizon, Gentle is eager to see recent issues resolved with a return to the type of form shown in May when Hull went unbeaten with victories against the likes of Leeds and Warrington.
With options at hand, McRae admits the Hull coach has some tough choices.
"We came out of the Castleford game with no fresh injuries and I dare say because of that Peter has got some tough decisions to make," added McRae.
"He's got the opportunity this week because of the long turnaround to look at all positions and there is a chance to make changes.
"You can only make changes if you have the squad depth to do it and Peter has that with almost a fully-fit squad. It's the sort of pressure you want as a coach as he's got about 25 fit senior players and can only pick 17. There will be some unhappy players because someone will have to miss out next week."
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