Hull FC head coach John Cartwright has lifted the lid on the Black and Whites’ decision to release Liam Knight from his contract over the weekend.
The prop had a contract until the end of the season with Hull, but the decision was made last week that he would be released from his deal and allowed to head back home to Australia on compassionate grounds, with his partner remaining down under during his time in East Yorkshire.
Knight spent just one year with Hull, joining in March last year, and he went on to make 22 appearances for the club. Unfortunately, his season was ended prematurely last season due a stress fracture, but he did impress last year in spells and he helped Cartwright’s side find form as they made a push towards a play-off spot.
He has featured in all three Super League games Hull have played this year, but home sickness has ultimately led to him calling his time in Super League a day.
“At his best he’ll leave a big hole but it’s been ongoing with Liam for a while,” Cartwright said in his press conference this afternoon. “I’ve been chatting to him since Christmas time and he hasn’t been in a good place mentally, just being away from home.
“We put a timeline on it and we spoke after the game last week against Wigan and I could see his heart and head was not over here. I fully understand where he’s coming from but Liam at his best makes us a stronger team.”
Asked about the extended deal he signed last summer, Cartwright added: “That was a decision he had to make, whether he felt like he could give his best to the team and want to be here. He was honest in the end. His heart and his head wasn’t around spending the full season here and it was a pretty easy decision in the end. It doesn’t matter who you are, if your heart’s not in it, it’s too tough a game to play.
“We got a few wounded in the middle so we decided pretty much after the Wigan game that if we could get another game out of him, try to go out on a winning note, and then we get troops back the following week. He did that but we didn’t get the win unfortunately.”
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