Radford’s call to youngsters
HULL FC head coach Lee Radford says Boxing Day’s trip to Castleford Tigers will be a chance for the youngsters in his squad to shine.
The Airlie Birds travel to Wheldon Road for the first of their pre-season friendlies, which will be followed by a meeting with city rivals Hull KR, the League one newcomers Toronto Wolfpack, Salford Red Devils and Doncaster.
Radford has included the likes of Danny Washbrook, Dean Hadley and Josh Bowden in the squad to face the Tigers.
The FC head coach says it will be a chance for the youngsters to show him and the coaching staff what they are capable of.
“I think it will be a real test for our young squad members,” said Radford.
“There are no learner plates at first team football, you get thrown in and it will be interesting to see how these young blokes will go.
“Cas have gone as strong as they possibly can for the game, so we need one or two of the young blokes to put their hands up and show the coaching staff that they’re ready to be picked next season.”
Castleford head coach Daryl Powell has named a strong squad, which will see the firstever Harrison-Bryan Trophy awarded to the winning team – honouring two ex-players from each side who also fought in the First World War.
Powell’s squad includes captain Michael Shenton, who missed the majority of last season through injury, and new signing Zak Hardaker, who has linked up with the Tigers on a year-long loan. ■■Liam Sutcliffe wants to play stand off for Leeds Rhinos next season.
The 22-year-old began the 2016 season at half back, but made a switch to full back during the season.
Sutcliffe made 13 successive appearances as Rhinos’ last line of defence before returning to stand off for the final game of the season.
He has been named at stand off for Rhinos’ Wetherby Whaler Festive Challenge clash against visitors Wakefield Trinity on Boxing Day and hopes that is a sign of things to come.
“I want to play at half-back this year,” said Sutcliffed. “Ashton Golding is going to be doing a job for us at full back, so hopefully this year I want to nail down the stand-off position and have a really good season there.” HUDDERSFIELD Giants head coach Rick Stone will be looking forward to a return to training in January with his new squad in place.
His two signings from Australia confirmed this week, Jake Mamo and Shannon Wakeman, will enjoy Christmas at home.
Both full back Mamo, signed from Stone’s former club Newcastle Knights, and powerhouse prop Wakeman, a free agent who produced some storming performances for NSW League outfit Illawarra Cutters last season, are waiting for their visas and are expected to join the club early in January.
And established international duo Jermaine McGillvary and Leroy Cudjoe will spend all the pre-season with the club.
The pair had been expected to be called away on England duty, but the Rugby Football League has pulled the plug on a planned warm-weather training camp following widespread opposition.
In the Four Nations tournament Giants winger McGillvary scored tries in the 17-16 defeat against New Zealand at the John Smith’s Stadium, the 38-12 win over Scotland at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena and the 36-18 defeat against Australia, while centre Cudjoe was in head coach Wayne Bennett’s initial training squad.
Bennett was set to take a group of leading Super League players for a fortnight-long training camp in Dubai in early January.
However, former England boss Tony Smith was among a host of Super League club coaches to criticise the move, claiming it would disrupt their preparations for the start of the 2017 Betfred Super League season for little reward, and the RFL appears to have backed down.
However, McGillvary admitted to being disappointed by the change: “I’m disappointed. I was looking forward to going to camp and getting the core of the boys together to learn some new things.
“I’d have really enjoyed it, but it wasn’t to be.
“I don’t think a lot of the Super League coaches agreed with it. They didn’t want the core of their team going across when they needed them to train, which is understandable.
“It’s disappointing from our point of view, but you’ve got to consider the coaches and their point of view.
“I bet if you asked the players, they’d have wished they could go, but obviously it won’t happen now.”
The announcement is sure to undermine the position of Bennett, who insisted the pre-season camp, along with a mid-year international in Sydney, were essential components to the build-up to the 2017 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Bennett and the England management, which includes former national captains Kevin Sinfield and Jamie Peacock, had drawn up a 17-strong list of players for the trip, with clubs apparently offered £10,000 per player in compensation.
Bennett, who is halfway through a two-year contract, recently claimed to have the backing of the Super League coaches.
However, former Giants coach Smith, St Helens boss Keiron Cun-