Lee Radford has warned “horrible” Jake Connor to tone down his mischievous ways after a string of on-field incidents.
The young utility is one of Super League’s most in-form players, taking the man of the match award in Hull’s last two games.
The manner of his performances have seen some call for the 23-year-old to be named in England’s squad for their mid-season test against New Zealand in Denver.
Radford said the youngster needed to stop winding up opponents as much, although admitted it could also work in his favour.
“He’s just a horrible man, who is giving our team a reputation for being grubs and who can start a fight when there is no need to start a fight, but he can play,” Radford said.
“Every time you speak to him it’s the opposition’s fault. I think he had ten minutes in the bin at Featherstone for the same thing Kevin Brown did at the weekend but because it’s Jake Connor he gets ten minutes.”
When asked about the possibility of Connor earning an England call-up, Radford said: “He’d be a fantastic utility option but I don’t know what position he’d go to Denver in.
“There are some centres in fantastic form in the competition and in the halves I don’t know. He’s talented enough to go to Denver and he’d certainly get under the Kiwis’ skin, I’m sure of that.”
