Hull FC will navigate a key period of the 2025 season over the next several weeks without two of their most influential players: John Asiata and Will Pryce. The Black and Whites duo have suffered hamstring injuries in back-to-back games, with Asiata tearing the muscle in victory at Leigh Leopards and then Pryce the following week away at Catalans Dragons.
Both players have a similar diagnosis, with the duo looking at around 8-10 weeks out. They will both be scanned again after six or so weeks of rehab to check their progress and ensure they are on track with their recoveries. But what games will they miss, and what is a realistic timeframe for their return?
Well, eight weeks for Asiata would put him on track for a return against Wigan Warriors on July 19. Eight weeks for Pryce would be the Huddersfield Giants game a week later, on July 26.
Hull have a bye after the Huddersfield game, so the Salford Red Devils game on August 10 would be 11 weeks for Asiata and ten for Pryce. The Leigh game on August 16 would be 12 weeks for Asiata and 11 for Pryce.
The Salford game in August, given Hull have a week off to get extra training in and maximise recovery, could be a date Hull look to pencil in the players’ returns. But that is nothing more than speculation, with said scans after six or so weeks to determine whether they will return as planned, return early, or take a little longer.
At the least, it does give some perspective to how long Hull could be without the duo, with some key fixtures coming up. Currently, John Cartwright’s side are sitting in fifth place on the Super League table. They have winnable games up next against Castleford Tigers and Salford Red Devils, but then it gets more tricky, with games against Warrington Wolves, St Helens, and Wakefield Trinity.
Not that anything should be taken for granted in this competition, as the Magic Weekend defeat to Huddersfield Giants proved. If Hull slack off against any opponent, then they will get beaten. But should Hull get two wins, then they would be well poised, with teams below them all playing each other, to maintain a top six finish.
That, all things considered, would be some achievement for Cartwright’s first year in charge. But as the head coach instructs, it has to be a week-to-week mentality. Get past Castleford, and then they can worry about what comes next.
Hull FC’s remaining fixtures
- R14 – Castleford – home – June 13
- R15 – Salford – away – June 22
- R16 – Warrington – away – June 28
- R17 – St Helens – home – July 5
- R18 – Wakefield – home – July 1 0
- R19 – Wigan – away – July 19 (eight weeks since Asiata injury)
- R20 – Huddersfield – home – July 26 (eight weeks since Pryce injury)
- R21 – Salford – home – August 10
- Bye
- R22 – Leigh – home – August 16
- R23 – St Helens – away – August 22
- R24 – Leeds – home – August 30
- R25 – Rovers – away – September 7
- R26 – Warrington – home – September 13
- R27 – Catalans – home – September 19