Hull coach Lee Radford defends his decision to pick Steve Michaels

Hull coach Lee Radford has defended his decision to include Australian Steve Michaels in his side for Thursday's Super League clash with Leeds at the KC Stadium.

The 28-year-old has been recalled for a second appearance for the Black and Whites, just five days after being implicated in the cocaine scandal that has engulfed his former club Gold Coast Titans.

The Queensland Crime Commission has issued an arrest warrant for Michaels as part of its investigation into drugs trafficking, but Radford says the club have received no communication from Australia.

"At the moment it is simply a report in a paper," Radford said.

"There has been no contact from the NRL, no contact from the Gold Coast, no contact from the Queensland Crime Commission, no contact from the authority over there, so at present it's a press report in the Courier Mail and, until that
changes, then I think Steve could do with a game.

We'll continue to put him up for selection unless something changes and puts a different light on the matter.

"We'll continue to put him up for selection unless something changes and puts a different light on the matter. If I was Steve then I could do with a game. I can only put myself in that position and I think that will be a good thing for him."

Radford has also recalled skipper Gareth Ellis, the former Leeds second rower, after a two-match absence with a rib injury, and admits he could be crucial to Hull's hopes of returning to winning ways after back-to-back defeats by Warrington and Salford.

"We are thin on troops at the moment so having him back in the side is obviously a boost for us," Radford said. "We could have done with having him last weekend against Salford for the physical aspect that he brings to the game. At times he is irreplaceable to us."

Leeds coach Brian McDermott is mindful of the experience that the former England international brings to the Hull team.

"He's a great ball-carrier and a very smart defender and just to have someone like that in the dressing room beforehand is obviously going to have an effect," McDermott said.

The Rhinos are one of only two teams with 100 per cent records after the first three rounds and have the chance to go two points clear but McDermott has not been entirely satisfied with their performances.

"Not just yet," McDermott said. "There are things to get on top of but we're winning games. I think this is normal at this time of the year - there are things to get right.

"We need to improve a little bit of everything. Defensively we haven't been as sound as we were last year and in attack we've been tame for parts of some games."