BEN Crooks has been told to bulk up if he wants to fight for his place and make an impact again at Hull FC.

Crooks has been at the centre of much speculation on the terraces since being left out of the side by coach Lee Radford.

The 20-year-old has not featured since the 20-16 defeat at Catalan on June 21 and has been sent to play at dual-registration side Doncaster in the Championship.

Read more: www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-FC-star-Ben-Cooks-told-bulk-want-team-future/story-21947337-detail/story.html

He needs to.

Leeds did it with Kallum Watkins a couple of years ago, seemingly locking him in a gym for an off-season - that's what needs to be done with Crooksy.

He already has the skills, attacking flare and guile any good centre needs. However, too often in both attack and defence he loses the collision with the opponent, and that's where his confidence gets shot to bits. A few more kg's will give him the confidence to run it in harder in attack & make the important tackle in defence. I was exactly the same at his age (albeit playing a much lower standard), same build, same position.

Saying that, it’s not all down to Crooks, there are noticeable problems in his play that I hope Radford is working with him on. Simple things like not running a ball in too upright, lowering your centre of gravity in the impact, and obviously his tackling/wrestling technique.

I was surprised at the start of the year that he didn't look any heavier, I expected him to bulk up for this year. What a player he would be if he had Yeamo's upper-body strength.

Ben Cooks ?

depends, some people are just built the way they are, I've spent 20 years+ trying to put on weight and I cannot (healthily) get above 12 stone, if all (B)Radford can see in him is his physical size then that's (B)Radfords limitation, not Crooks'

No , probably just eats salads.

How often do you squat?

you mean "train", I used to, 4 times a week, didn't change anything, I have no desire to be muscle bound and immobile.

my body is not designed to go above 12 stone, H E A L T H I L Y!

It's not just Radford. Crooks' lack of physicality has been an obvious issue since his first game, and needs to be addressed if he's going to become a successful SL player.

But what if he is "just" the size he is, wasn't a problem last season, so why is it this?

I'd agree to an extent, about weight gain. However Crooks family tree suggests (his old man) suggests its within his DNA that he could probably bulk up. I am not in the Pro Radford camp by any means but I hope this puts pay to those suggesting that Crooks has been treated badly as some appear to think.

You won't become "immobile" unless you train like a man possessed for a couple of years, and eat c. 4k calories a day, but I guess you've heard this all before. Do whatever works for you and your journey

because he hasn't had the man mountain that is Lineham finishing off his tackles for him, and subsequently has been dropping off the man which has destroyed his confidence.

Greg Inglis was nearly let go by the Storm after he couldn't put weight on, and he turned out okay with patience and strict planning. Hope Radders isn't just planning on sending Ben down KFC after every session.

There was also a mention of a "niggling" groin injury since pre-season - this won't have helped his confidence.

It's a bit like a dodgy hamstring - trying to avoid over stretching doesn't, in practice, help your game.