Stiffening up the middles as Hull FC coach says he was right to sell Liam Watts

Hull host Wakefield Trinity on Sunday looking to bounce back after Easter Monday’s sobering 62-16 loss at Super League leaders St Helens.

For the second time this season, having also lost 63-12 at home to Warrington Wolves, Radford bemoaned the performances of his middles – essentially props and loose-forwards – in dealing with what was thrown at them.

However, Hull did, of course, sell frontline prop Watts to Castleford Tigers in a surprise move just over a year ago.

He has gone on to prove to be one of the competition’s leading forwards this term, earning a call-up to the England Performance Squad while Radford had to bring former Great Britain Gareth Ellis forward out of retirement in February to help stiffen them up.

Ellis, 37, was rested against Saints, having played in the record Good Friday win over Hull KR but he will return against Wakefield.

Hull looked to move Watts on due to off-field discipline issues as well as the fact he had been sent off four times in less than a year.

Asked if he regretted selling the two-time Challenge Cup winner, Radford insisted: “No.

“At the time it was definitely the right decision. I’m happy with that call – and we have got some blokes coming back now.

“Greeny (Chris Green) played his first game of the season on Monday and you’d like to see him get better in time.

“Josh Bowden is almost there, too. We’ve got a reserve grade game in three weeks’ time, which he’ll participate in.

“When we talk about stiffening the middle up, Josh will certainly add some whack. Hopefully he can get back to where he left from as he was going great for us last year before injuring his knee.”

Prop Bowden, 27, has been out since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament last May. Fellow front-row Green, 29, had been missing since August following Achilles surgery, but he returned against Saints and will look to continue his comeback against Wakefield, who are in third but level on points with Hull in fifth.

England prop Scott Taylor certainly needs some support up front as FC strive to mix it with the top sides.