Hull FC Down Under: Curtis Naughton answers SOS after chance encounter

Joel Tomkins, Hull's Scott Taylor and Sam Tomkins appeal to the referee during Saturday's historic game (Picture: David Neilson/SWpix.com/PhotosportNZ)

SUCH is the state of Hull FC's injury crisis in New South Wales that head coach Lee Radford admitted, for the first time in his career, he had to actually write down his team during a game just to work out who was doing what.

Matters have got worse since Saturday’s 24-10 loss against Wigan Warriors with Scott Taylor, their England prop, having now undergone emergency surgery to remove his appendix.

Hull had already lost three players to injury during the first half in Wollongong – remarkably Taylor played the fixture believing he was just suffering from stomach cramps – and, with possibly six players dropping out for the second fixture against St George-Illawarra Dragons, Radford is thankful for a reinforcement.

He has agreed a deal that sees Newcastle Knights’ Curtis Naughton – the Dewsbury-born winger who left Hull last year and eventually ended up returning to Australia – to rejoin them temporarily. If, as expected, the East Yorkshire club gain clearance from the RFL, the 22-year-old – who spent time with Sydney Roosters after leaving Bradford Bulls – is set to make his ‘second’ debut at the ANZ Stadium on Saturday.

There will be plenty of youngsters gaining an opportunity, too, and Radford told The Yorkshire Post: “I think we’ll play everyone who’s available.

“So it’s a great chance for them to play against some big names – international names – and hopefully put on a great show and be better for it.

“Ultimately that’s what I want from this tour now; I want us to go back better for the experience.