Hull FC coach Lee Radford has backed Steve Michaels to deliver on his return to the side against Leeds tonight, despite a warrant for his arrest in his native Australia hanging over his head according to reports Down Under.
Michaels has been dragged into the Gold Coast Titans drugs scandal after the reports emerged in Australia last week including his name, but Radford says until there are any developments aside from the newspaper report, it is business as usual.
Therefore, Michaels is included in the 19-man squad for the game, and says that simply put, he needs a game.
“I could have done with a game if I was Steve,” Radford told the Hull Daily Mail.
“I can only put myself in the position he is in. It has been tough on him and he’s clearly been rattled. But I think it is probably a good thing for him to play. Hopefully, he can make some positive headlines.
“At the minute, it is a report in a paper and that is all. There has been no contact from the NRL, Gold Coast, the Queensland Crime Commission and no contact from the police over here, so at present it is a press report in the Courier Mail.
“Until that changes, I think Steve could do with a game, so we’ll continue putting him up for selection unless something changes to put a different light on the matter.”
