Hull FC have plans to bolster their training ground.
Andy Last in Hull FC pre-season training. (Image: Hull FC)
Hull FC are hoping to have grass pitches installed at their University of Hull training ground as part of their facility and infrastructure upgrades, Andy Last has confirmed.
The Black and Whites, via a statement from co-owners Andrew Thirkill and David Hood, have made no secret of their intent to boost their facilities in the coming future in order to help reverse an unwanted injury toll – with training surfaces being a big area of focus amid new backroom staff and fresh appointments.
Club CEO Richie Myler aired his concern at the switching from 4G to grass surfaces in an interview with Hull Live back in April – and the club are looking to prevent that change as much as possible with the installation of new irrigated grass pitches on site.
The club have trained at the university since November 2022 and opened up a new club hub last year, a building which has certainly enhanced the team’s environment, professionalism, and the like, with video rooms, physio rooms, staff offices, social areas, and a kitchen all available.
But now they are hoping to take it one step further, with grass pitches, not to mention a new area to enhance rehab and recovery for their injured players.
Asked for an update on the developments and a timeframe, Last said: “At the university there are certain aspects that we have to go through and certain things that management have to go through to get clearance to be able to do certain things, but I know that the club are on with sourcing the grass pitches and putting in water tanks, etc., and also looking at some areas of space to create a recovery and rehabilitation type centre.
“There’s lots of positive stuff in the pipeline, but with regards to the timeline of it, I can’t give you any guarantees. You know what these things are like; sometimes there’s a little bit of red tape that we have to work our way through, but it’s definitely ongoing and it’s exciting, the plans which the team have got moving forward.”
Laying out the importance of the upgrades, using Saturday’s opponents Wigan Warriors as an example, Last continued: “I remember going to Wigan a few years ago now, I think it was Orrell, and they had a brand-new training facility – and that’s 20 years ago, and it was state of the art.
“You go to Robin Park now and it’s a different level again. But that’s the thing: all clubs are evolving, all clubs at the top are spending the salary cap. And then where do Wigan find their 1% on top of that, things like facilities, training camps, sport science, saunas, ice bath and recovery. Wigan are at the top of that. I know that they have a personal chef who comes on the team bus with them because we used him for England and his protein flapjacks are outstanding. But that is the level and that is why they’re at the top.
“As a club, we know where we need to be. And Steve (McNamara, incoming head coach) knows where he wants to take this club and the big thing IS and Steve has spoken about it, but the owners need to meet the same ambitions as what Steve wants, which is, the absolute best for our club.
“There’s a lot of exciting things that are going to be happening for us. We’ve just got to ride it through until we get there and try to get there as quickly as we possibly can.”