Hull FC head coach Lee Radford has had enough of hothead prop Liam Watts. Yet another red card came the prop's way in FC's victory over Warrington, increasing his tally of sending-offs to a remarkable four in less than a year. Now, Watts has been given his marching orders by Radford just a year after signing a new three-and-a-half year deal. Whilst Watts is one of the league's most formidable prop forwards, there are major questions over his discipline. If - and it's a massive if - the near 17 stone, 6 ft 4 colossus can sort out this side of his game, then Castleford have a tremendously talented player on their books and one which could propel them back to the top.
Youth days and switch to Humberside
As a Featherstone Lions junior, Liam Watts was scouted by Castleford Tigers' youth academy before he made the move to the red-and-white side of the Humber to join Hull KR in 2008. Handed his debut as a 17-year-old by then Robins' boss Justin Morgan, Watts earned himself a regular place in KR's first team in 2010, registering 27 appearances. From there, the prop kicked on, appearing 63 times and scoring seven tries in a Rovers' shirt. Whilst at KR, Watts earned both an England Knights call-up and a call-up to the England Four Nations' squad in 2010 before a move to city rivals Hull FC came to fruition midway through the 2012 season.
Whilst at the black-and-white side of Hull, Watts transformed from a decent forward into a very impressive one, becoming one of the most fearsome props in Super League.
With over 150 appearances to his name over the course of nearly seven seasons, Watts seemed intent on staying at the Airlie Birds for the rest of his career. However, Watts has always attracted bad publicity. It is this problem which has cost him his Hull FC career, but one which has opened the door for Castleford Tigers.
Ill-discipline, on and off the field
The signs that Liam Watts was going to be a difficult character to handle were there from the very beginning of his Hull KR career. In June 2011, Watts and then teammate Ben Cockayne were suspended for "alleged breaches of club discipline", thought to be connected to a police chase that ended when a car crashed into a wall.
But, it has been his on-the-field misdemeanours which have caught the headlines in recent years.
In the last twelve months, Watts has been suspended for a total of nine matches, three of which he is currently serving, while he has been cited by the Rugby Football League’s disciplinary panel for 18 separate incidents since last February.
This does not exactly make good reading, but Hull FC stood by him and even defended him on a couple of occasions for harsh dismissals. However, his headbutt on Warrington's Dom Crosby proved to be the last straw. FC boss Lee Radford made some scathing post-match comments about Watts' actions and it is quite obvious that, from that moment on, Radford did not want the former Featherstone Lions' junior at the club anymore.
Parting blow
In a fresh statement explaining why Watts was leaving the club, Radford took his comments and criticism of Watts further. The Hull boss said: “I would like to wish Liam all the best moving forward and hope he can find some consistency off the field to benefit his career in the future.
“We have some great, young, enthusiastic front rowers coming through at the club who appreciate our values and behaviours and they will benefit from more game-time."
The decision to allow Watts to go - in fact, FC offered the forward to clubs in the aftermath of the victory over Warrington - appears to be related to both on and off the field issues. Radford's subtle attack on Watts - insinuating that the prop does not appreciate FC's values and behaviours - will not exactly be music to Castleford fans' ears.
After their past history with the likes of Justin Carney, Rangi Chase and Zak Hardaker, some Tigers fans have met the signing of Watts with apprehension, but, can you really blame the doubters? The signing of a bad penny hasn't worked out in the past, but, could this be about to change?
A risk, but it could pay off massively
Castleford signed Hardaker from Leeds for a massive £150,000 fee, now they appear to have landed Watts in a deal believed to be around the £100,000 mark with Watts said to be on a hefty wage packet. If so, the Tigers are once more running a great risk. But, Watts seems altogether a different prospect than Hardaker. The former Hull man has lost his head too many times on the field in recent years, but Daryl Powell's man-management is up there with the best in the game.
Watts' aggression is part and parcel of his game - if Powell can get Watts to control that then the Tigers will reap the rewards of their £100k investment. Hardaker on the other hand, is out of control off the field; given multiple chances by Leeds and then another by Castleford, he is hardly the remorseful type.
Plus, Watts suits Castleford's style of play; he is a mobile forward with a wicked offload. In fact, I would go as far as saying he is the prop forward that the Tigers - and their fans - have been crying out for. He is the "big, nasty prop" that has been on Castleford fans' wish list for the past few years. Imagine Watts starting alongside Grant Millington in the front row with the likes of Junior Moors and Jesse Sene-Lefao coming off the bench.
That is a scary prospect and one which could lead Castleford to greater glory.
Castleford boy
Watts also hails from Castleford itself. It is a feather in the cap for the Tigers' boardroom that Watts chose his hometown over a big-money move to Toronto. Despite a deal appearing to be very close with the Canadian outfit, Castleford's interest in the forward meant that he soon changed his mind. The attraction of pulling on his boyhood club's shirt was just too much; it is this passion for the club that could make Watts a real asset for the Tigers. He knows what the club means to the fans as he is one of them himself.
Watts is an England-quality front-rower - I've always said that - but I've always said he needs to work on his attitude on the field too.
Being aggressive and physical is one thing, but channelling this aggression is another; it is this aspect of Watts' game that makes it a risk for the Tigers to bring him to Wheldon Road. Yet on his day, he is one of the best prop forwards in the league. Make no mistake, Castleford have pulled off a major coup and it is a huge statement of intent. If Watts can get his head sorted on the field, he has the ability to become one of the Tigers' greatest ever Super League signings.
