Will Hutchinson on finding his feet in the Hull FC team, his running game, ambitions, Wigan, and relishing his childhood dream.
Hull FC young guns Will Hutchinson and Lloyd Kemp.(Image: SW PIX)
Super League hookers have made no secret that the faster rucks seen this year are bringing the best out of them, and Hull FC’s Will Hutchinson is no different.
Priding himself on a dynamic running game through the youth grades, Hutchinson’s biggest strength is his ability to ‘skip out’ from dummy half, engage markers, and create chaos. That’s something he’s shown at scholarship, academy, and reserve levels, and now it’s starting to bear fruit in first grade.
The result is a player, still only 19 years old, who feels more confident and comfortable at the top level – and one, after debuting last year, who is hellbent on making an impact at his boyhood club.
“It’s a quicker game now with the changes, and there are more quick rucks, more opportunities to run, and more opportunities to kick – it’s massively helped,” Hutchinson, speaking to Hull Live, said. “I feel like last year I didn’t put my best foot forward when I did play. I didn’t run the ball; I was just there, but this year, I’m running, kicking, and defending a lot better, and I actually feel like I’ve made a bit of a stamp on the team.
“My running game is getting there. Last year, I was mainly focused on my ‘D’ because it needed to improve. I went a bit away from my running game and I was just focusing like D, D, D, but now I feel like it has improved, and I’m getting back into it and remembering how to run the ball and manipulate defenders.
“I’m starting to skip out; both Lasty and Grixy have been big on that and instead of just dying with the ball, I’m trying to skip out and find people on a line.”
Coming into the team at Leigh last month, Hutchinson has added three more appearances to the four he got in his debut season last year. The teenager is no stranger to playing a waiting game at Hull FC. He wasn’t originally selected in the club’s scholarship squad, but after impressing in the development programme, he soon forced his way in. That patience paid off – and seemingly has done so again.
“I don’t get frustrated waiting for my chances because I know there’s Amir (Bourouh) and there’s Custy (Cade Cust),” Hutchinson, who is contracted until the end of 2027, continued. “If you get frustrated, you stop working hard, and that’s the main thing you need to do: you need to work hard, and you need to earn your opportunity.
“It’s not going to be just given to you, but I’m trying to keep my place now and give Lasty some headaches, but that’s my goal: to stay in the team.
“I’m going to work as hard as I can for to get my opportunities. I don’t want to leave this club ever. I love this club. I’ve supported it growing up and I wouldn’t want to see myself anywhere else. I’ve got my goals and I want to be the nine at this club and every opportunity I get is a good stepping stone into getting to where I want to be.”
And while there’s long-term ambition, Hutchinson’s immediate goals are focused on the straight and narrow. He said: “It’s one week at a time. You can’t think of next week or even the week after, or even the week that’s just gone. You’ve got to think of what you can control. That’s the only thing you can do: impress. Hopefully, I can keep impressing as much as I can and then keep developing.
“But I feel like this is what I’ve needed: a good run in the squad to get used to the speed of Super League. I know I can hold my own and have a positive impact on this squad. I’m really enjoying it. We’ve got a good environment and a good set of lads. There are no complaints from me.
“Last week (against Wakefield) was the longest I’ve played. I felt it, but I still felt good, got my second wind and felt like I went well. It’s a massive difference to reserves. It takes some getting used to but no, I’m feeling good and fit.”
Next up for Hull and Hutchinson is Saturday’s game against Wigan, with a stern challenge expected for the MKM Stadium clash. It’s an opposition Hutchinson knows well, having debuted in Super League against them and then being part of the Hull side who ran out 32-12 winners at the Brick last July.
“We know what Wigan are about and we know what they’re going to do,” Hutchinson said. “They’re going to come straight down the middle of us and we need to match them. We’re not taking a backwards step. We’re going straight for them through the middle.
“They’re going to challenge us and we need to try and dominate them. And then just get in good positions and complete sets in yardage. That’s the main thing. It’s man on man and we need to make sure we beat our opposite number. That will give us a good chance.
“Hopefully it’s a bit of a better result than it was last year (his debut). We got hammered last year. But it was a proud moment. If you play rugby, it’s your dream, isn’t it, and especially for the club you support – you can’t ask for anything better.”
On running out for his boyhood club, Hutchinson added: “It’s unreal. I love it. I don’t really get nervous so I just take it all in, especially when you go out for your warm-up and you hear everyone clapping and cheering. It’s the best feeling. You can’t beat it.”