HULL FC will have to start pre-season on November 1 without new signing Steve Michaels.
The 26-year-old centre has had his application to enter the country held up due to the lack of games played last season in the NRL.
There are no issues with Michaels' visa application however, with the former Gold Coast Titans player told he can start his contract at Hull at the end of the second week of November.
Michaels has agreed a one-year deal at Hull and is eager to make an impression.
He has started his training in Australia and will miss just the first two weeks of pre-season, alongside England international Joe Westerman, who is also absent because of his Four Nations involvement Down Under.
Michaels and Westerman will be Hull's only absentees, with fellow new signing from Australia Curtis Naughton already in the country and Aussie Mark Minichiello expected to arrive next week.
Hull coach Lee Radford had wanted his entire squad to start pre-season training together on November 1, but won't be concerned at having only two of his 34-man squad absent.
Michaels has been booked on the earliest possible flight out of Australia and is understood to have been given an individual programme which will ensure he is up to speed when he arrives at the end of the second week of pre-season training.
