Preview: Hull
v Leeds (Round 8)

Richard Agar takes charge of Hull for the first time against Leeds insisting he is not the man to succeed John Kear.

While Hull wait for an answer from number one choice Steve McNamara, Agar has somewhat reluctantly stepped into the breach, alongside fellow coaches Andy Last and Steve Crooks and conditioner Billy Mallinson.

"Between us we're holding the fort until the club hopefully make a fairly swift appointment," said Agar.

"My name has been put forward as a stop-gap but we're doing it as a team. We're all chipping in and working as a unit."

Kear left the club on Monday after being told his contract would not be renewed and Agar, whose own contract is also up at the end of the year, says he will not be throwing his hat into the ring.

"I'm quite realistic," said the former Dewsbury and Rochdale stand-off.

"I know I've got a period of learning to do. I'll keep getting more experience and, if the time ever came when I felt I was capable of taking on a job, then I would consider it but I'm smart enough to know if and when that time comes."

Agar faces a difficult start against a Leeds side looking for a seventh successive league win over Hull, although of course they lost to them in the Challenge Cup final last August.

"It is a tough first game," added Agar. "Leeds are in excellent form and it's a massive challenge for us."

Leeds are at full strength with the return of Shane Millard, Chev Walker and Willie Poching while Hull have suffered a couple of late blows.

Shaun Briscoe, who withdrew from the team on the eve of the cup final with appendicitis, is out this time after rolling his ankle in training and will be replaced at full-back by Motu Tony.

Hull are also without prop Paul King, another player to start every match this season, who has a chest infection but at least they can welcome back skipper Richard Swain, who has missed the last four matches with a torn bicep.

Hull FC v Leeds Rhinos, KC Stadium, Friday April 97 2006

Hull 18-man squad: Dixon, Domic, Yeaman, Raynor, Cooke, R. Horne, Brough, Lupton, Dowes, Swain, Tony, Carvell, Radford, Hill, Whiting, Chester, Thackray, Wheeldon.

Leeds 18-man squad: Mathers, Donald, Walker, Senior, Smith, McGuire, Burrow, Bailey, Diskin, Peacock, Lauitiiti, Ellis, Sinfield, Millard, Poching, Feather, Scruton, Kirke.

Referee: K Kirkpatrick