Hull FC have regrouped and must dive into battle again – even if their season feels like a last cause.
Hull FC winger Tom Briscoe.
It’s easy to be kicked while you’re down, and Hull FC will naturally feel like that this week.
Dealt a serious-looking knee injury blow to promising young forward Will Kirby in last week’s defeat to Wakefield Trinity, the squad was hit again after Warrington Wolves recalled loan forward Max Wood over the weekend, leaving Hull, already decimated by injury and suspension, even shorter this week.
It doesn’t get any easier, with Andy Last’s depleted side facing in-form Wigan Warriors at the MKM Stadium on Saturday before the Magic Weekend game against Hull KR the following week. It’s an incredibly tough couple of weeks, and Hull are going to have to roll up the sleeves and play tougher than they have all season just to stay competitive.
Last called for his players to show some guts last week, and they need guts now. They need to be gritty, resilient, and spirited; take those qualities up a notch; and really dig in as one, front up in the middle, build into games, and take their chances.
In many respects, Hull will learn who is truly up for the fight over the next fortnight, and with some turnover expected at the end of the year, who they can build around for the future. And there’s been a lot of talk about the future in recent times.
Behind the scenes, the parts are moving for 2027. There’s no secret there, with incoming head coach Steve McNamara getting things moving ahead of his autumn arrival.
On that front, there’s been a couple of signings made for next season in Bailey Hodgson and Alrix Da Costa, with Scott Taylor returning to the club as an assistant coach and more backroom staff appointments and grass pitch improvement in the works. It’s a busy period with a lot at play – and it’s easy to get lost in that.
But enough of jam tomorrow, there are still 12 games of the 2026 season to go – 12 games to salvage something, even if it’s pride – and pride goes a long way.
It’s clear that opportunity and resources are being ploughed into 2027, and while it can feel, and has felt to many, like this season has been a write-off following the departure of John Cartwright and the lack of recruitment to replace Will Pryce and Liam Knight’s cap space into the squad, Hull have to keep going.
They could get the likes of Zak Hardaker back this week, while James Bell, Ligi Sao, Connor Bailey, etc., are back in training with a return date not a million miles away. The injury toll is hoped to ease off in the coming weeks and give Hull a fighting chance.
And while the top six looks like a bridge too far, it’ll be interesting to see how Hull come out swinging for the final three months of the season, with Last challenging his squad to latch onto positives, whether that be their defensive grit, Logan Moy’s re-emergence, or Tom Briscoe rolling back the years.
And while they’re clinging onto those positives, they’ll do well to remember that they’ve made inroads in terms of their grit and spirit over the last 18 months, and they are a much tougher team to beat these days. They’re going to need that resilience now more than ever. As the old adage goes, ‘Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.’