Hull FC's Josh Griffin contract stance outlined with ban changing dynamic

Tony Smith has admitted Josh Griffin's current suspension doesn't help his case to earn a new deal at Hull FC. The back-rower was slapped with a seven-game ban after losing a tribunal last week following an incident that saw him sent off after the half-time whistle during the club's Challenge Cup defeat to St Helens.

Both Griffin and match official Chris Kendall differ in what profanities were said, with the tribunal siding with the latter's take. That saw Griffin banned for the full extent of the Grade F charge for 'Questioning the integrity of a match official,' a verdict that sees him out of action until mid-August.

Speaking about the direct impact on Griffin in terms of the player's future, Smith admitted that the outcome doesn't help the player in his quest for a new deal, despite Griffin's rich reign of form prior to the incident, a run that saw him score seven tries in five games.

"It's not ideal for Josh or the club in that respect," Smith explained. "It puts things on hold for the moment, that's for sure. When you're playing for a contract and you can't play, it makes it difficult to drive your point home.

"All those things (the dissent charges and cards) play a part in whatever decisions are made. We'll weigh those things up. I'll make those decisions on the contracts with some input from others when I get advice. We'll have to pick that up at the appropriate time."

Smith was asked about Griffin's future prior to the St Helens cup game, and he confirmed that some talks had been made with the player.

"He's trying hard at the moment and he's keen to go again next year," Smith said. "We've had some talks. He was weighing things up, and as I say to most players when they start to get to the latter part of their career, it's not often you make early judgements.

"You need to see how they feel, how their bodies are, and how they're handling training as well as playing. It's a tough sport, both in terms of preparation and recovery.

"He's doing pretty well. He had a top game against Warrington and he was pretty solid before that. We'll see how that goes in the next little while."

Hull have signed eight players to new deals so far this year, with Ligi Sao, Brad Fash, Joe Cator, Jack Brown, Cam Scott, Will Gardiner, Nick Staveley, and Zach Jebson all securing their futures into the 2024 season. You can view the club's full contract situation here.