The Hull FC winger on his sense of belonging, his new partner in crime, and pre-season training so far.
The 2025 season was a breakthrough year for Hull FC winger Harvey Barron – but if you think he’s prepared to sit still now, then think again. In fact, there’s only one thing on the 22-year-old’s mind: reaching the next level. And he’s determined to get there.
Knowing that hard work is key, Barron was fuelled by the confidence given to him. He was handed the number two shirt after impressing in pre-season this time last year and didn’t look back, only being out of the team through a hamstring injury that kept him out for several weeks.
Playing 24 times, Barron crossed the try line 15 times, and now it’s about growing once again in a team where, as a proud local lad, he has found a sense of belonging.
“I feel like I’m part of the team now and not just filling in for someone who is missing,” Barron, speaking to Hull Live, said. “It was definitely the season where I played the most games and to have a good run in the team, I was just really pleased with how it went and how I progressed.
“I feel like I’m contributing towards what we want to try and do at the club and I’m not just there to make up the numbers, which I felt like in previous years.
“I just want to keep building now on what I’ve done. I’ve found out what works for me, and I’ve adjusted to that. Speaking to Carty, Lasty, and Grixy, I know what I need to do to stay at this level and then get better and push on. I just want to keep progressing.”
From his backfield carries to his try-scoring, 2026 is all about growth for Barron – who has a new partner in crime to help him to do just that: Jake Arthur. The club’s new Aussie half-back is expected to slot into Hull’s right edge this season, partnering Aidan Sezer in the halves. And he’s already made an impression at training.
“He’s been flying,” Barron admitted. “He’s a big lad, and from what we’ve seen from him in the first week or two, he can throw the ball about. He’s also really professional. He’s always doing the right thing and he talks well in training. He leads the boys round; even with simple skill drills, he’s not shy and he’s not afraid to voice his opinion, which is great. That’s what you want from a half and a leader.
“He’s starting to show us what he can do and he’s confident in what he can do. He’s putting his best foot forward and building trust within the team. That’s a big thing.
“I’m looking forward to playing with him. I want a few more tries now, and hopefully with Jake coming in this year, he can get me over for a few more times.”
And as for recruitment, there’s another new signing that could be a familiar one for Barron next year: Arthur Romano. The Frenchman adds welcome depth to the centre and back row spots and could be an option to partner the towering winger.
“It’s another good signing.” Barron said. “It ensures a lot of competition in the backs. I’ve played against him a few times and he’s got really good feet and he’s really strong. Hopefully, he can play well and get some connections going and help us keep building as a team.”
Now into week two of pre-season training after November 3rd’s start, Barron has been in since day one, giving the lowdown on what’s happened so far.
“We’ve had a lot of high-performance testing and we’ve done a lot of hamstring work,” the winger explained. “We’ve had blood tests and stuff like that. It was a professional first week, and even though it was just young boys in, really, the intensity was high, which was good.
“We got put through our paces. It’s just good to get around the boys again and everyone seems to be happy to be back. The boys that are in now, we’ve been together for a long time. Like me and Davy – we’ve been together for years.
“We’ve played a lot of games together, and now with the younger boys, there are a lot that played down at Hull Wyke coming through together: the Kemp twins, Jon Turner, and the like. There are a lot of boys that know each other really well and we’re all getting along as one big group.
“You go to training every day with your mates; it’s a nice feeling, but we know there’s a lot of hard work ahead.”