Liam Knight reveals Covid battle and opens up on ‘wrong’ red card decision

FC PROP ON ILLNESS, BIG STINTS, EARNING RESPECT, AND KICKING ON

- By DAN TOMLINSON

LIAM Knight's performances for Hull FC have been earning him rave reviews so far, but just how far the prop forward has pushed himself over the past five months is really a testament to himself.

The 30-year-old, ever present since coming into the Hull team this year, has been producing 70-minute mammoth stints like they're nothing. But given his circumstances, they’re certainly something.

Battling long Covid for several weeks, the extent of the virus Knight has overcome has now been revealed, with the player, who underwent his own preseason in Australia before arriving in England, still rolling his sleeve up and getting on with the job. That, in a nutshell, sums up Hull under John Cartwright this year, who are tenacious, gritty, resilient, and the like.

And there have been fewer players that have shown more resilience than the club’s Aussie front-rower, who continues to go from strength to strength.

“I had long Covid” Knight, speaking in Hull FC’s weekly press conference, admitted. “I didn’t even know that was a thing. I used to hear about it, and I thought people were jeeing it up, but it hung around for like seven to eight weeks. I felt awful.

“I was tired and lethargic. My energy levels had dropped, and my breathing was poor. It was an average time, but I feel clean now. I’ve got over it in the last couple of weeks.

“I'm alright now. We've got good high-performance staff and a good system here. There's a good mentality with all of the boys - you've just got to get on with it.”