Liam Watts has insisted he is unmoved by comments made by former club Hull FC about his departure from the club – saying he is ‘perfect’ with how he is off the field as he begins life back with hometown club Castleford Tigers.
Watts’ high-profile departure from the KCOM Stadium has been intertwined with comments from Hull about his disciplinary issues – which culminated on Thursday when Hull coach Lee Radford confirmed his exit ‘wasn’t for playing purposes’.
But Watts, speaking for the first time since joining the Tigers on a three-year deal, says it was his choice to start afresh at Castleford, and he sees no issues with his off-field behaviour.
“I’m perfect with how I am off the field,” he said.
“It’s just comments that have been made and nobody knows otherwise. Go and ask him (Radford) what he thinks my off-field issues are, but between me and you guys, there’s no off-field issues.
“Between me and you, they can say what they want. It was me that chose this, me who chose to come here, and it’s not about Hull anymore. It’s about me being a Castleford Tigers player and I’m proud to be here.”
Watts, however, insisted there is no bad blood between himself and Hull following his departure.
He said: “It’s just rugby league at the end of the day, and that’s how things happen. The club thought it was best, and when I spoke to them, I agreed.
“We’ve not left on bad terms; there’s still things to be done and it’s for my own personal career that I think I’ve got a chance of getting in that England squad at the end of the year. Under Daryl (Powell), I’ve got a really good chance of doing that.”
And the prop admits he has ‘unfinished business’ with Castleford – having left the club he has supported all his life when he was a teenager to join Hull Kingston Rovers.
“I tried to play it as cool as possible, but I’ve always wanted to come back and I think I’ve got a bit of unfinished business here, leaving at such a young age and not really getting to make a mark on the team at the time,” he said.
“I am here now to do my best for Castleford, that’s what I want to do and it’s why I am here.”
