The Ashes are back, so we’ve combined a best ever lineup of Australians to play for Hull FC.
Hull FC have seen some of the very best Australian rugby league players turn out in the Black and White. Featuring across many different eras, the Airlie Birds were a pioneer for signing early Kangaroo Test imports and were never afraid to splash the chequebook.
In the club’s early years, stars like Herb Gilbert, Cecil Fifield and utility back Jimmy Devereux joined the Boulevarders. Then it was the era of Bruce Ryan, Peter Sterling, Jason Smith, and most recently, Craig Fitzgibbon.
In operation now for over 160 years, Hull have had some absolute stars from the land of the green and gold, and on the eve of the first Ashes series in 22 years, here’s a team combining the very best.
Full-Back: Nathan Blacklock – The Test speedster was primarily a winger, but he did line up at full-back, most notably in the 2005 Challenge Cup final after Shaun Briscoe was ruled out with illness – and what a job he did. Blacklock also produced a performance for the ages at Warrington in a play-off game the same year, with his hat-trick still standing out now – as do the chants of ‘Joey’s going home’. He served Hull well for two seasons, scoring 35 tries in 51 games, and is still highly thought of today.
Wing: Jimmy Devereux – The Aussie was comfortable in either the wing, centre, or off-half positions. A member of the 1914 Challenge Cup team that defeated Wakefield at Thrum Hall, Devereux was already a Test star when he arrived at Hull. He was the first overseas player to score 100 tries for the club and was only beaten by another club great of the age: Alf Francis. He played for Hull for eight years, making 181 appearances and scoring 101 tries.
Centre: Cecil Fifield – A 200-plus game veteran for Hull and four-time Kangaroo international, Fifield was a title winner with the club after the 1936 Championship final victory over Widnes. He returned to Australia in 1937, having scored an impressive 80 tries for the club.
Centre: Herb Gilbert – The Australian Test centre, ranked 14th in the Australia Rugby League Hall of Fame, had the honour of being the first Hull captain to win silverware with the club, skippering the Airlie Birds to the 1914 Challenge Cup final win. Signing Gilbert as a current Kangaroo player, his acquisition was a huge coup for Hull and in scoring 57 tries in 114 games, they got their reward for what was a world record fee at the time of £450. The club would beat their own record soon after, paying £600 for Billy Batten, one of the greatest to ever play the game. It was some centre pairing.
Wing: Bruce Ryan – Signed in 1947, the Australian left winger was in a class of his own at the Boulevard. Athletically built and a former sprinter, Ryan scored a credible 60 tries in just 84 appearances for the club across three seasons. He was one of five Australian Test stars who played for Hull in the late 40s. Imagine that today – Nathan Cleary, Reece Walsh, Harry Grant, and Isaah Yeo. Madness.
Stand-off: Greg Mackey – Nicknamed ‘Bluey’, the little half-back played a huge role as Harry Sunderland Trophy winner in the 1991 Premiership final victory over Widnes. A popular player amongst fans, Mackey sadly passed away in 2014. He played 95 times for the club.
Half-Back: Peter Sterling – The fact that Peter Sterling is still as idolised amongst Hull fans today as he was 40 years ago tells you everything you need to know. Sterling just got it. He got what the club was about, what it meant to the fans and what they expected on the field. On that front, Sterling produced absolute magic, coming for the Australian off-season in 1983/84 and staying for the longer 1984/85 spell. ‘Iconic’ is the word, and they don’t get much bigger.
Prop: Mark O’Meley – The Ogre came to England ahead of the 2010 season to ‘bash a few Poms’ and he didn’t do a bad job. The prop played for Hull for four seasons and certainly threw his weight around. A former Test star, he’s still a popular player today and, thankfully, is back to good health after a scare last year.
Hooker: Shaun Berrigan – The hooker signed for Hull in 2008 from Brisbane Broncos and spent three seasons with the club, playing 74 times and scoring 12 tries. He returned to the NRL in 2011 before hanging up the boots two years later.
Prop: Craig Fitzgibbon – A back rower throughout his Test career, Fitzgibbon was used as a middle forward for Hull. He slotted into the Black and Whites side alongside O’Meley, who he played alongside for the Kangaroos, and captained the club in his first season.
Back Row: Mark Minichiello – Arriving from the Gold Coast Titans, the signing of Minichiello proved to be instrumental. He was a machine out on the left edge, a real fan favourite as a destructive line runner, and a massive part of the two Challenge Cup wins in 2016 and 2017.
Back Row: John Muggleton – The brother-in-law of Peter Sterling, John Muggleton came to Hull from Parramatta for the 1984/85 season and played a big role, scoring an impressive 28 tries in 37 games.
Loose forward: Jason Smith – Think of Hull’s best in the Super League era, particularly in the early years, and Jason Smith immediately springs to mind. The Test star was still in his prime when he signed in 2001, staying with the club until 2004 after scoring 17 tries in 80 games. He was a magician, and the NRL knew it, with Smith seeing out his career back in Australia after his time at Hull.
Bench: Albert Kelly, Steve Darmody, Adam Maher, Craig Greenhill – A beefy bench here with Craig Greenhill, a prop of the early 2000s, providing some muscle alongside another 1914 Kangaroo Test star and Hull Cup winner in Steve Darmody. Adam Maher adds some to the back row, having played 100 times for Hull in four years, whereas Albert Kelly, a 2017 Cup winner, adds the X-Factor – and what a stint he had.