LEE Radford made three changes to his squad for a tough game in France, but one was no doubt made in annoyance.
Callum Lancaster's injury at training was one of those things and, given the 17-year-old's efforts in recent weeks, his body is probably due a rest.
Jacob Miller's absence was expected, but in Liam Watts' passport fiasco Hull have lost an in-form forward who was expected to start in France.
Watts is an ideal foil for Mickey Paea's aggressive runs early in games, with his help in the tackle invaluable in recent weeks. To lose Watts would have been a blow, but to lose him in the manner they have has only served to annoy Radford, who will no doubt hand the prop a sizeable fine.
The attention on Watts' passport was just a sideshow to what has been another strange week at Hull on the playing side.
Having brought Garreth Carvell to the club in circumstances which did them little favours in the public relations department in West Yorkshire, Hull released the prop this week, just four months later.
Carvell was a signing made to ease Hull's injury woes at the start of the season and with a fully-fit pack, Radford saw no place for him.
A move suits Carvell, but it suits Hull too in freeing up salary cap space to make a further addition.
There was also news of another departure that went relatively unnoticed, with chief executive and finance director Tony Sutton set to leave for a new high-profile job in the city.
So, a significant week off the field, but it's on it tonight that matters.
Hull must win. Lose, and their play-off hopes look like being back on the scrapheap. Win and they'll fancy their chances of being back in the top eight next week. Such are the fine margins this year.
Catalan have been ominously good at home this year, but Hull's record in France isn't too shabby either and they'll fancy a victory that would be greeted with some significance across the competition.
