Wayne Godwin will be a frustrated spectator as the Bulls plot the downfall of his former club Hull FC in the Carnegie Challenge Cup.

The wily hooker bowed to the inevitable today, going in for surgery on a double hernia that sidelines him for the next month.

Godwin has missed the last two matches and agonisingly faces sitting out Sunday's last-eight showdown against the side he left last winter.

"I hoped I could get through the whole season and put the op off until then," he explained.

"I was getting through games and training and sometimes I wouldn't feel it for ages but then it's deteriorated as we've gone on and it took a turn for the worse against Catalans. That's when I knew we had to do something.

"There's no good time to be injured but I am gutted to be missing my old team Hull in the cup quarter-finals. It's going to be a great game and it's on TV as well, so it's a big occasion. Everyone's pretty positive though and I could be back playing in four weeks."

Ironically, that should see Godwin actually face Hull when they meet again in a Super League rerun of this weekend's Odsal fixture.

He scored in the victory over the Black and Whites at KC Stadium last month, delivering a performance that helped convince Steve McNamara the effervescent No 9 was worth a new three-year deal.

Godwin insists Bulls fans have not seen the best of him yet though and said: "I've been a quick healer in the past and the aim is to be back for that second Hull match as fit as ever.

"I won't have to carry this injury like I have in the past and hopefully when I'm back there'll be plenty more to come from me and plenty to play for as a team."

If they can overcome the 2005 cup winners in his absence, the Bulls will be just one win away from Wembley.

Hull are looking to kick-start their season though, having installed assistant Richard Agar as new head coach on Tuesday following last week's sacking of Peter Sharp - the man who signed and sold Godwin within 12 months.

Godwin said: "There's always pressure at Hull but I was surprised Sharpy went. I thought they'd have had more confidence in him as he's a good coach and he'd have wanted to turn them around.

"But on the other side, Richard Agar is a good young coach and so it's given another English coach a chance in Super League, which is pleasing.

"I saw them against Saints, who they ran really close in his first game and they'll have got a lot of confidence out of that.

"They've some quality back now but it makes no difference to us what's happening at Hull. The Challenge Cup is huge for ourselves and everyone knows the importance of this weekend in getting to Wembley."

Meanwhile, Godwin has given his backing to 18-year-old hooker Keal Carlile, who might win his debut off the bench on Sunday.

He said: "Macca rates him highly and I can see why. Keal's a good, young kid who's trained alongside me and Tez (Terry Newton) all pre-season, so we've got to know him well.

"He's been going well for the under-18s and it's great to see him in there. It would have been nice for him to get on against Leeds last Friday but I'm sure his chance will come. He's got plenty of skills and I definitely rate him."

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