Hull FC are looking to go one better in 2026.
Hull FC enter 2026 with one thing in mind: improvement. Aiming to go one better, the goals have been laid out, and are centred on achieving a first Super League play-off finish since 2020.
Just missing out last season, the Black and Whites finished seventh, and while an injury-hit spell towards the back end of the year didn’t help their cause, the side are looking to fix up the areas within their control, from home form to their ability to string results together more consistently. Here are three improvements for the year ahead.
Home form
The most obvious area for Hull to improve is their home form, with just four victories and a draw coming from 13 league games at the MKM Stadium last year. And while head coach John Cartwright was keen not to put too much attention on it publicly, the reality was that, for whatever reason, Hull’s form, which was strong on the road, dipped at their home ground. Is it pressure? Expectation? Apprehension? Who knows. But it’s been a common theme for three seasons now.
It’s something everyone in black and white knows needs to be fixed up, with Hull even replicating their away day routine by meeting at a hotel and travelling to the MKM Stadium together in an attempt to break their home duck. Eventually, some sage and a lighter, performed by Brad Fash prior to victory over Wakefield, did the job, and three more wins followed. Nonetheless, it’s something that must be put right in 2026, with the side giving their loyal members, over 9,000 of which are now signed up, something to cheer about.
Availability
Hull’s injury toll was ridiculous at times with the likes of John Asiata, Ligi Sao, Jordan Lane, Oliver Holmes, Will Pryce, Herman Ese’ese, Jed Cartwright, and Liam Knight all out for significant parts of the season. Reducing that total will be crucial to any hopes of final finishes in 2026.
Hull have taken early steps to try and do just that. They have undergone partnerships with sports performance and rehab suppliers, from recovery gear to supplements and more. They have also, as first reported by Hull Live back in November, seen former Head of Strength of Conditioning, Paul Hatton, return to the club. Hatton worked with Hull’s rehab crew in the off season at his The Edge practice and has helped put together a strenuous pre-season programme alongside Tom Bennett and co.
Interestingly, the club did a lot of work with hamstrings in the early stages of pre-season training, with the muscle group being a common problem last year. In short, every precaution and step has been taken to maximise availability chances and ensure Cartwright has a bulky squad to select from. Hull know the importance of that, with professionalism increased again and training standards high. Hopefully now they will get a bit of luck along the way.
Consistency
As aforementioned, Hull have to control the controllable, and on that front, nothing is more important than their own form. Gaining that bit more consistency in performance is something Cartwright has already spoken to Hull Live about. They were results that went against the grain last season, Huddersfield (twice), Castleford at home, etc, and it’s eradicating those drop-offs that is the challenge. Naturally, it’s hard to reach a peak in performance every week, but if Hull can limit the drop offs they did see from time to time last season, then it’s fair to suggest, with the quality already here and that brought in, that they’ll be in the mix for a play-off finish.