Hull FC recall Jayden Okunbor from Bradford Bulls loan spell

Hull FC have recalled Jayden Okunbor from his loan spell at Bradford Bulls. The 27-year-old has been at the West Yorkshire club for the last several weeks, but due to injuries, the Black and Whites have made the decision to bring back the player.

Hull were dealt with injuries to forward trio Jack Ashworth, Ligi Sao, and Cam Scott during the defeat to Warrington Wolves last month, with Ashworth, as exclusively reported by Hull Live, already having surgery to correct an ankle issue. Sao (ankle/knee), and Scott (hamstring), are also understood to be out for several weeks.

That has stretched Hull in the back row positions, with Scott and Sao occupying the spot this season. Okunbor, meanwhile, has played five games on loan at Bradford, scoring three tries. Interestingly, he has played in the centre and, more recently, wing positions.

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He played eight games for Hull, all in the back row, at the start of the season, but hasn’t featured for the first-team since Simon Grix took interim charge. He instead played for the reserves a couple of times before his loan move to the Bulls. However, it is understood that Okunbor, who has still been training with Hull during his loan move, will now be back in contention to play against Salford Red Devils this weekend.

Hull also have other options to replace their injured trio. It is hoped that Jed Cartwright will debut after featuring in Sunday's 60-4 reserve massacre of Leigh Leopards. Cartwright played for 30 minutes, with a foot issue seeing the player limp off the field. However, it's not thought to be serious, and, as per Francis Cummins, it is something the club can manage.

Elsewhere, young duo Zach Jebson and Matty Laidlaw are fit and available after playing for the reserves. Will Gardiner, who also captained the side, is set to keep his place in the team after impressing against Wire two weeks ago, while Tiaki Chan could come back into the side after playing for France against England over the weekend.

Okunbor bolsters those options for Grix, with the Australian, who has shown an elite attitude despite the challenges of the season, now hoping to force his way back in with twelve rounds of the season still to go.

Read more: Hull FC reserves hammer Leigh Leopards as Jed Cartwright limps off with foot issue