Hull replace sacked Maiava with Cusack

Hull have sacked their Samoan forward Hutch Maiava and replaced him with the Australian prop Peter Cusack. The club have cancelled the second year of Maiava's contract after a series of off-field incidents.

Maiava, who played for Samoa in their recent successful World Cup qualifying campaign, has had a limited impact for Hull since joining them from the Australian club Cronulla. He made 22 appearances, all of them as a substitute, last season and was often a target for fans.

His replacement, the 30-year-old front row Cusack, has been released from the final year of his contract at South Sydney so that he can take up the two-year deal offered by Hull.