John Cartwright believes Zak Hardaker had his best game for Hull FC this season, albeit in defeat against St Helens on Saturday afternoon, and even went on to say he was the ‘best player on the field.’
The Black and Whites were beaten 13-6 at the MKM Stadium by the Saints, with Hardaker excelling in the full-back position. Playing in the role for the first time for Hull, Hardaker put in a stern display for Hull, with Cartwright, who has used him in the back row for the last ten games, calling the veteran a ‘marvel.’
Hardaker signed for Hull ahead of 2025 on a two-year deal and has quickly become a fan favourite after a sequence of competitive displays, ‘amazing’ his head coach with his sheer tenacity to keep turning up no matter what is thrown at him.
“I didn’t know a lot about Zak when I got here,” Cartwright told Hull Live post-match. “I watched him in bits and pieces, and I read about things that he had done, but he’s an absolute marvel. He amazes me every week.
“Wherever you put him, it’s not a problem. I said to him, ‘What are your thoughts on playing full-back?’ and he said to me, ‘No worries, mate, wherever you need me.’ I then joked, ‘Would you play front row next week?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, wherever you put me, I’ll play.’ They are gold, those blokes, but it’s not just wanting to do it—he does a great job wherever he does. He’s a natural.
“He doesn’t say a lot, Zak, but when he does talk, everyone listens. He leads by example. Today was the best game I’ve seen him play for us, and he’s had some really good games for us already. He was in their face the whole game; defensively, he saved tries, he made tackles up in the defensive line, and I thought he was just the best player on the field, to be honest with you.”
Cartwright also welcomed son and back rower Jed Cartwright back into his Hull side against the Saints. Featuring off the bench, the Aussie came through the game unscathed on his return from a four-month hamstring injury, with his best moments coming in defence.
“He made a couple of errors, Jed, when he went out there,” Cartwright added. “He was trying to solve problems he didn’t have to solve. But I thought once he settled down and got into the game, he made a big difference. There were some effort areas in defence and some nice strong carries. He will be better for the run.”