Hull FC’s new back rower on club progression, his own qualities, and settling into a new squad.
Joe Batchelor has jumped straight into the deep end at Hull FC, but that’s the way he likes it. Sold on the ambition of the Black and Whites, the back rower sought a new challenge, and in leaving St Helens for a return to his native Yorkshire, he’s found it.
Signing on for 2026 and beyond at the start of last season, Batchelor took a keen interest in how the club fared, and while he knew they were on an upward curve, the level of progression seen under John Cartwright came as a surprise, with unity, grit, and togetherness catching his eye.
Now Batchelor wants a piece of it, with Hull restoring some pride in 2025 and now looking to go one better next year, with a play-off finish the minimum expectation.
Speaking to Hull Live for the first time, Batchelor said: “It was a tough decision to leave St Helens, especially relocating my family and everything, but the top and bottom of it is the ambition of the club really sold to me.
“What the club did probably exceeded my expectation, if I’m being honest, in what they produced last season, but that’s even more reason to be excited about this coming season.
“Watching from afar, you could really see the closeness of the group and how hard they fought for each other. That was what really attracted me to the team. They made loads of changes going into last season but the togetherness was there to see.
“Where the club wants to go now is what I want to be a part of and coming on the journey and hopefully having an impact to do that excites me. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in and seeing where this team can go.”
Getting out of his comfort zone, Batchelor, who is fully fit and in training, linked up with his new teammates for pre-season last month. A fresh start, the former England international is eager to impress.
“It’s been good,” Batchelor said. “I’ve enjoyed getting into pre-season with a new set of lads that I’m not familiar with. They’ve all looked after me so far. It’s been a warm welcome from everyone. It’s a good change for me. I’m excited.
“I only know Belly (James Bell) from my time at Saints. There’s nobody else here that I’ve crossed paths with before, so we’ve got each other to lean on a bit. He’s a familiar face and a bit of familiarity. He’s a great signing for the club as well and he’s going to really improve us.”
And for his own qualities, Batchelor is clear and set on what he wants to do. Determined to nail down his back row spot on the right edge, he will look to bring his own qualities to the side as one of eight new recruits to the 2026 squad.
“Right-sided back rowers tend to end up doing a bit more defending – that’s the nature of the game – and I want to bring that work rate in defence to the side,” Batchelor explained. “I also pride myself on my line running in attack as well. That’s what I’m hoping to bring to Hull FC.
“I’ve played most of my rugby on that edge over the last few years and I’m excited to make some new combinations. There’s some talent there but nothing is a given.
“We’re going to have to work hard and knuckle down and make sure that the same qualities St Helens brought out of me can be brought out here. Hopefully I can have an impact on the group, but first and foremost I just want to impress the lads that are here and gain their trust.”
Batchelor will look to do just that this winter. Renowned as a player’s player, he’s a tough unit and knows what it takes to have success, having been part of Grand Final and World Club Challenge-winning sides at the Saints.
“It was a special time,” Batchelor added. “To top it off with the win at Penrith was probably what the group deserved at the time. It was a culmination of the four years of hard work beforehand, and to get that result at the end of it was the best feeling in the world.
“I was really lucky with the teammates and staff I had at St Helens to be part of that journey. I’ve got fond memories of the success we had, but it’s about Hull now and what we can do.
“We know we need to be tough – that toughness keeps you in any game and you need to do that first and foremost. We all saw that in abundance in the Hull team last year. Hopefully, we can build on that and then go a couple more steps further forward next year.”