Hull coach Richard Agar is hopeful the signing of Australia Test prop Mark O'Meley can provide his ailing side with the boost they need.

The Black and Whites fell to a 12th defeat in 15 outings when they lost to Leeds yesterday but were able to announce the capture of O'Meley on a two-year deal from the Sydney Roosters.

The 28-year-old, who won the NRL with Canterbury in 2004, will move to the KC Stadium in time for the start of the 2010 season, joining Craig Fitzgibbon, Sean Long and Jordan Tansey who have all agreed similar moves.

"He's a Test prop and one thing he does, he plays very tough and he's very aggressive," Agar said. "He only knows how to play one way and he'll make sure that if he's playing that way that other people get behind him.

"He is another addition that will bring leadership to the table."

O'Meley, who is cutting short his planned three-year stay with Sydney to move to Hull, will undergo knee surgery this week that rules him out of the rest of the season.

And despite admitting his sadness at leaving Sydney, O'Meley, has won 15 caps for Australia, is looking forward to getting started with Hull and continuing to play alongside his Roosters team-mate Fitzgibbon.

"I have had a wonderful time at the Roosters but am really looking forward to the new challenge at Hull FC," he said.

"Hull are a massive club it will be great to get over there and meet my new team-mates and obviously it will be great to continue playing alongside Fitzy."

Agar will be hoping that O'Meley's knee operation goes without a hitch as he has also seen Long, who will move to the club from St Helens, effectively ruled out of the rest of the regular season with a broken jaw suffered in the Saints' 20-10 defeat to Salford on Friday.