Hull FC take on York Acorn in the Challenge Cup this Saturday afternoon. Played at Featherstone Rovers' Millennium Stadium, Hull Live looks at some pre-match talking points.

New faces and early team news

As many as ten new faces could line up for Hull FC in West Yorkshire. New head coach John Cartwright, set for his first competitive game for the club, has named four new signings in his 21-man squad: John Asista, Cade Cust, Oliver Holmes, and Hugo Salabio, while six youngsters from the Elite Talent Group—Lennon Clark (back row), Owen Haldenby (prop), Will Hutchinson (hooker), Ben Johnson (centre, half-back), Lloyd Kemp (full-back, centre, half-back), and Joe Ward (winger)—are all included.

And while all ten players probably won't debut, at least six will, with Hull fielding a new-look side that will also likely contain Ryan Westerman and Will Kirby—two teenagers who made their first-team debuts last season.

READ MORE: 'Laid more gas pipe' York Acorn's spirit shown as amateurs prepare for Hull FC clash

READ MORE: Hull FC back to recruitment drawing board as Salford complete takeover and end 'firesale' threat

Set to mix youth and experience, with the likes of Jack Ashworth and Brad Fash named in the side along with Logan Moy, Lewis Martin, and co., Hull will hope for a strong performance, one that showcases what they've been working on this pre-season, in particular their shape with the ball and their defensive effort without it.

As for early team news, and given his impressive performance last week at Castleford, it's fair to expect Kemp to play a role, with the player capable of playing in the full-back, centre, and half-back positions, while left-footed Westerman is likely to play at centre and kick the conversions as an established goalkicker at academy and reserves level.

Elsewhere, Denive Balmforth may share the hooking responsibility with young dummy-half Will Hutchinson, while winger Lewis Martin is set to start after coming off the bench at Castleford. The likes of Will Gardiner and Zach Jebson should also play big minutes after some fair game time last season, with Asiata linking it all together at loose-forward.

Stay professional

Harvey Barron gave a good insight into Hull's focuses in an exclusive interview with Hull Live this week. Outlining some of Cartwright's plan, the side will be expected to get on top with hard, direct carries, returning the ball well, and playing with energy.

A big emphasis has been placed on how they shape up around Asiata, their go-forward, and completion this year, with Hull turning the ball over on their terms and in the corners, making their opposition work in undesired areas of the field. Eventually, the hope is they can suffocate their opponent with error-free rugby league, get on top, and post points. Up against a National Conference League side that will be fired up, this is good practice to put it all into action.

And while some will keep a keen eye on the scoreboard, it's perhaps how Hull shape up, complete, and defend that will interest Cartwright most, especially with the Super League opener at Catalans Dragons just one week away.

Keep Acorn to nil

Hull can't bang their defensive drum enough this year. And while there is technique to tackles and ruck control, in particular, defence is also about fundamental rugby league traits: attitude, grit, effort, and your willingness to get off your line, dig in, and work hard for one another. It's those traits that this Hull side must show in abundance if they are to move forward and put last year behind them.

It would be a fair indication of the attitude Hull have to defending this term if they could nil York Acorn here. The NCL outfit will get their opportunities, and the Black and Whites won't have it all their own way. And like at Castleford last week, where that defensive desire was there by the bucketload, the biggest takeaway may lie again in what this team does when they don't have the ball.