Whiting wants back row berth

Hull utility Richard Whiting is focusing on securing himself a back-row position in the Airlie Birds squad this season.

New head coach Peter Gentle has expressed a wish to have players dedicated to certain positions, insisting he would rather have specialists from the academy playing, rather than playing first teamers out of position.

It meant that Whiting was seen as something as a mystery, with the former Featherstone Rovers player featuring in a wide range of positions for Hull over the years, including centre, stand-off, full-back or in the back-row.

He told the club’s official website: “Earning a spot in the second row has been the focus for me during the pre-season.

“We have a really strong squad for this year and that could either work for me or against me. I know we have a lot of talent in the second row so it will be hard to force my way into the team, but on the flip side, we now have depth in positions where I may have been asked to cover for in recent years.”

Whiting joined Hull from Featherstone in 2003, and scored a try in the Challenge Cup final success in 2005.

He added: “It’s a good place to be right now and I think I speak for everybody when I say the squad has come together really well and we now all can’t wait for Super League to start.”