Josh Bowden's proposed switch from Hull FC to Featherstone Rovers up in the air

Josh Bowden’s proposed move to Featherstone Rovers appears to be up in the air, according to head coach Brett Hodgson. Bowden was understood to be close to joining Brian McDermott’s Featherstone last week after an approach was made by Championship high fliers to take the prop to Post Office Road.

Bowden has struggled for game time with the Black and Whites this season, making just four Super League appearances, with his last coming in the win over Warrington Wolves last month. However, Hodgson has suggested that deal now appears to be hanging in the balance.

Asked about the forward’s potential switch to West Yorkshire, the head coach expressed doubt about whether it will go through but refused to go into detail.

“I am unsure at this stage,” he said in the build-up to Saturday’s contest with Wigan Warriors at the MKM Stadium. “There are conversations but if I’m a guessing man I’m thinking that it might not happen at this stage.

“They are conversations that we have within the environment, I’m not willing to go into that externally.”

When pushed further on whether there was doubt about the move in the short-term or if it could be off altogether, Hodgson replied: “Possibly a little bit of both, we’ll see.

“The thing is Josh is still a big part of our squad and should we need him to play on the weekend he’ll put his hand up and he’ll do the best he can. There was an opportunity and conversations that he could have gone to Featherstone and they wanted him.

“There are some reasons why it hasn’t happened at this stage but we’ll see how that goes.”