Fash launches his testimonial next month.
Brad Fash will celebrate ten years at Hull FC next month with the launch of his testimonial. The prop forward, a true black and white, has been granted a full year’s testimonial by the RFL, with a launch dinner getting things underway on November 16.
A one-club player, Fash’s theme is ‘Local and Loyal’, with the likes of Danny Houghton, Richard Horne, and Jamie Shaul all set to be in attendance.
Fash has over 200 career appearances to his name, having made his first team debut back in 2015. He has been a regular since 2017, earning a winner’s medal for his part in the club’s last Challenge Cup triumph.
Outlining his pride, Fash said: “I’m really proud. I’m really proud to be awarded a testimonial and I’m proud to have done 10 years at the club. Obviously, it’s my hometown club and I always wanted to play for Hull as a kid and it’s sort of a dream come true, really. I never expected it to come this far, but I’m glad it has. I kept working every day to try and get in the team.”
Fash continued: “It means a lot (to play for Hull). It means a lot to me and my family. My first experience of rugby league was with Hull FC. I remember 2005, going to the Challenge Cup win all the way in Cardiff and things like that. I was aged nine when I went there and it was just a great sense of pride at the time just watching them and supporting them, and then the switch flipped to me playing for them.
“I’m just really proud, to be honest. It’s one of those things with Hull-born players that play for Hull FC: they’re deep-rooted supporters. I’ve always been a Hull supporter and I’ll continue to support the club after I leave or I retire or whatever happens at the end of my tenure at the club.”
Fash played seven games in his debut year but had to wait until 2017 to play in Super League again. He then found his place in the team as a no-nonsense player full of grit and hard work, winning the club’s Player of the Year award in 2022.
“Each game’s an experience and each game has been worth playing and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” he said. “Obviously as a young kid when I was first coming through, I got to play in the cup run, the ‘17 cup run.
“I didn’t play in the ‘16. I got a winner’s medal from that. And that was a great experience just seeing how those fellas in front of me prepped and how ready they were coming into that game.
“I’ve had some great times – Derby days, Magic Weekends, things like that. I’ve just really enjoyed every game and enjoyed playing with the lads; it has been one of the best parts of it.”
But for Fash, who will also celebrate his testimonial with a Christmas event, a ladies’ night, a darts night, a race night, a closing dinner, and a testimonial game, the best part of his rugby league career is doing it alongside his teammates.
He explained: “I’ve had some great mates coming through, like the likes of Laney (Jordan Lane) and Brownie (Jack Brown), those sorts of players like around my age, a bit younger like, but I had a good craic with them playing.
“And then I’ve played with some great players, the likes of Gaz (Ellis) and Sika Manu. On the day you thought, ‘We’ve got it today – these men are playing,’ which is a great feeling to have. And I respect all of those players, each one individually for what they are.
“It’s important to hold on to that sort of dressing room camaraderie. It’s probably one of the things that players who no longer play the game miss the most. The craic is one of the best parts about playing and you’re still in that team environment.
“It’s almost like being a kid still, but you know, you’re a fully grown adult man with a wife, two kids, that sort of thing, and you’re there playing rugby with your mates every week and it is hard work and it is tough but you do recognise it for what it is and it is fun and it is what you wanted to do as a kid.”
And on the year ahead, he added: “It’ll be nice to do the events and interact with people a bit more on a personal level as opposed to when we’re just on the pitch and then you see us walk around at the end of the game. I think it’ll be nice to be a bit more personal in terms of events and I think that’ll be a really good experience.”