Hull FC know they must improve their training pitch situation.
Hull FC full-back Will Pryce.(Image: Dave Loftouse, Hull FC)
Hull FC’s training situation could be a factor behind their hefty injury tolls this year, at least according to club CEO Richie Myler.
The Black and Whites have suffered more than most on the injury front once again in the first third of the 2026 season, losing the likes of John Asiata, Sam Lisone, Arthur Romano, and Jed Cartwright to long-term injuries. They also lost Will Pryce and Joe Ward to season-ending ACL injuries at the start of the year, while Herman Ese’ese remains sidelined with an Achilles injury suffered last August.
And Myler has now stated that the constant changing of surfaces could be a contributing factor to the club’s injury tolls, with Hull interlocking between 4G and grass pitches at their University of Hull base.
Hull moved to the university for pre-season training back in 2022, beginning a 20-year partnership with the higher education establishment, and, barring a few sessions, have trained on the site since. However, the lack of a suitable grass surface has been an issue, with Hull instead training on the adjacent pitches at the Roy West Centre, home of the East Riding FA, last summer, not to mention Cottingham Tigers RLFC’s Hilltop facility.
They have used the grass pitches behind the 4G surface at the university this year, despite previous concerns surrounding the hardness of the surface. And it’s the interlocking between those surfaces and the 4G pitch that Hull believe could be a contributing factor to injury totals, alongside the speed of the game, time of the year, et al.
“There are clearly a high level of injuries happening in the game and there needs to be a review into it,” Myler told Hull Live. “I believe there will be. The game is getting faster, and it’s getting more intense, and players are exposed to higher impacts under more fatigue.
“It could also just be a freakish thing we’re going through, but we will also conduct our own review into the injuries we’ve had. Obviously, some of those injuries have been unavoidable, but some can be avoidable.
“We had a big review at the end of last year on hamstring injuries. That was highlighted to us and it was suggested that it wasn’t necessarily down to 4G or grass but changing on the surfaces on a daily basis. That’s where the risk comes in.
“Some of our injuries are down to players with a history of hamstring issues, but some injuries have been unlucky, like a player falling on the back of a player’s knee (Will Pryce at Wigan), but we know our facilities need to be better.
“Our processes also need to be better. We knew that it would take time to get our environment right. It needed time to raise standards; it can’t be fixed overnight, but the university have been fantastic. We’re getting there and we’re trying to move forward.”
Hull Live also asked experienced player Tom Briscoe for his take on Hull’s injury situation. The 36-year-old, currently studying for a PhD in Sport and Exercise Science at Leeds University, stated he has seen improvements in the club regarding their injury prevention and hiring of new staff.
“We’ve brought in extra staff for the rehab and the injury prevention exercises and the time we’re taking to do all of that is all there,” Briscoe said. “I think a lot of the injuries have been unfortunate and pretty serious injuries.
“Some of them are reoccurring but you’ve got to take that within rugby league – it just happens. But I feel like we’re doing what we can as a team to try and manage them.”