Sharp, at 53 the oldest coach in Super League, has left his post with immediate effect, according to the club, who said the decision was reached by mutual consent.

The announcement comes less than a fortnight before the club's Challenge Cup quarter-final with Bradford, but with the team lying next to bottom of the table following their 34-26 defeat at Harlequins.

Hull chief executive James Rule said: "On behalf of the board of directors, staff and players at Hull FC, I would like to thank Peter for his contribution to the club and wish him the best of luck in his future career."

Sharp's assistant, Richard Agar, has been placed in temporary charge as the team prepare for Sunday's home game against
St Helens.

Sharp, who coached Manly in his native Australia, was in his third season at the KC Stadium, having taken over from John Kear in April, 2006.

He enjoyed instant success, guiding them to 14 wins from his first 17 matches which earned them a second-placed finish and a trip to Old Trafford for the Super League Grand Final which they lost to St Helens.

But they slipped back to fourth last season and have won just four of their opening 14 league matches this year.

Sharp has not been helped by a horrendous run of injuries which began in pre-season with the loss of half-backs Adam Dykes and Richard Horne, winger Matt Sing, loose forward Richard Whiting and captain Lee Radford.

They have frequently been without seven first-choice players and the injury curse struck again on Sunday when Whiting, having recovered from a broken arm, was ruled out for the rest of the season with a broken leg.

Agar, who gained first-team coaching experience at York, before joining Hull as Kear's assistant, was seen as the long-term successor to Sharp.

But, if the club decide that the former Dewsbury and Rochdale stand-off is not yet ready to take on the job, they may opt for ex-Leeds coach Graham Murray, who is immediately available after handing in his resignation at North Queensland Cowboys.

Told at the start of the year his contract would not be renewed beyond this year, Murray's position became untenable after the Cowboys suffered a fourth successive defeat at the weekend to drop to 15th in the table.

"It's not the way I wanted to leave – I'm not bitter about it and once upon a time I did say I would walk away," said Murray after seven years with the club.

"But this is about the club, it's not about the individual, this is about trying to get this club back on track. And the best interest of the club is for me to resign."

Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr said a decision would be made within 24 hours on Murray's replacement for the remainder of the season, but it was likely assistant coach Ian Millward would take over.

Former St Helens and Wigan chief Millward, who has been appointed as assistant at Canberra for next year, is expected to hold the reins until Neil Henry takes over from 2009.

Murray guided Leeds to the inaugural Super League Grand Final in 1998 and masterminded their Challenge Cup final triumph a year later.

His greatest achievement in Australia was taking the Cowboys to the 2005 Grand Final where they lost to Wests Tigers.

Warrington forward Rob Parker, who was recently warned over his tackling technique, has been ordered to appear in front of the Rugby Football League's disciplinary committee.

The former Bradford second row has been cited by the League's match review panel for three alleged offences of dangerous tackling during the Wolves' 38-14 Super League defeat at Wigan.

Parker has been charged with a grade D offence, which carries a suspension of between two and five matches.

Hull KR centre Ben Cockayne will face the possibility of being banned for up to six matches when he appears before the disciplinary committee tonight.

He is alleged to have struck with his forearm off the ball during his side's 50-16 defeat at Huddersfield and, in a separate charge, is also accused of making a dangerous tackle.

Bradford second row Chris Nero will be out for between six and eight weeks after X-rays confirmed he sustained a fractured collarbone in the 46-24 win at Castleford.

The 27-year-old was an ever-present for Huddersfield last year and has appeared in all 14 of the Bulls' Super League matches so far this year.

Among the games Nero will miss are this Friday's Super League derby with Leeds and the Challenge Cup quarter-final against Hull on June 1.

He should be back in time for the semi-finals at the end of July if Bradford get through.