Liam Knight has put his connection with Hull FC down as a key factor in signing a new deal at the club. In fact, the front rower, who has signed a 12-month extension for the 2026 season, insists he is ‘at home’ with the Black and Whites and already has not ruled out a longer stay.
Arriving at Hull back in February, Knight hit the ground running, and as first reported by Hull Live earlier this season, soon attracted interest from the club for a new deal.
That deal is now done, and it’s one that works for both parties, with the 30-year-old producing a sequence of stellar performances for John Cartwright’s side. It’s also one that fits Knight’s needs, who has a partner back in Australia and will reassess the situation again as a couple next year.
But for a player who came close to retirement from the game altogether last autumn, his new deal caps off a whirlwind ten or so months, with Knight, comfortable in the black and white and with 19 appearances now to his name, fully committed and geared up to continue to make his mark.
Speaking on his new deal, Knight said: “I’m stoked to be here. I really like this club, the boys, and the coaching staff, and I’m excited to be on board for another 12 months and see what we can build. I’m just enjoying my time here.
“I already had a couple of mates in this team, and then I just fell in love with the fans and the atmosphere at home games and away games; they’re just dedicated, and just the group of boys that we’ve got here and the coaching staff – it’s a really fun place to come to work. Our performances – you can see we are improving, slowly, and again, it’s just a lot of fun to be a part of.”
And on his relationship with Danika Mason, who covers the NRL via Channel 9 back in Australia, Knight continued: “I’ve got a girlfriend back home, and she can’t come over. I said to the club, ‘One more year, and then we’ll see where we sit.’ I’m open to possibilities, but I’ve got a relationship back home that means a lot to me.
“It’s an ongoing challenge, and it’s a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be with the time zones; we talk once or twice a day and wake up early in the mornings and that kind of stuff, but also the positive with that is you learn how to communicate. You have to get out of your comfort zone so a lot of positives come out of it.
“I also go to Singapore after the game against Huddersfield. I get to see her. That’ll be good. Obviously, I was carrying her back home, so she’ll be missing me. I’m only joking. She’s got a lot on her plate, and I’m super proud of her. She’s very, very busy, and she does an amazing job. It’s good to see her doing so well back home.”
Of course, Knight’s re-signing at Hull comes after the passing of a quota extension. Hull tied up their overseas spots in March, signing James Bell, but after an increase was known to be a formality, the club, namely Cartwright and CEO Richie Myler, wasted no time in agreeing to a new deal.
But Knight took no notice of that process, one that saw him linked with Warrington Wolves and close friend Sam Burgess.
“I just blocked it out,” Knight said. “Richie said it was going to happen, and I said, ‘Awesome, I’ll just keep doing my thing.’ It won’t do me or the club any service if I just sit around and think about it. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen—I’ve just got to control myself out on the field and keep going after it.
“There were chats (with Warrington), and Sam is a close mate of mine, so there was obviously interest there, but I was never offered a contract or anything like that. I’m happy to stay at Hull, so I didn’t go too far there. I feel at home here and I’m lucky it’s all sorted.”