Hull FC spent pre-season laying the groundwork for their 2025 campaign. And while things like fitness, resilience, and the like were targeted as strong pillars to build on during a gruelling three-month programme, equally so was their togetherness.
But that togetherness wasn’t just built throughout the first team squad – it stems right through the whole club, with Hull venturing down to Perpignan for their Super League opener with a big contingent travelling from East Yorkshire.
That saw new club co-owner Andrew Thirkill take the club down to the south of France alongside CEO Richie Myler, new head coach John Cartwright, returning assistant Andy Last, and a whole host of new signings.
For Hull, it was very much the start of a new era, one Myler and co. had been working on for several months. The result of that labour paid off, with Cartwright’s side running out 24-4 winners over Catalans – a result that would do just nicely as a bit of history repeating this Saturday afternoon.
It’s a trip player Zak Hardaker, one of those new recruits, recalls fondly. Speaking ahead of the clash, the 33-year-old, who has been one of the side’s strognest performers this year, said: “Our first game collectively as a group was down there, and that was our most important win as a club, not just because we won, but Andrew Thirkill came over with his family. That was the first time some of them had come over to watch us play.
“Richie Myler also came over, and we made it a bit of a family-orientated trip. It goes a long way to win as well, and we all had a few beers after. It was really nice to gel together and see the fans.
“They were really excited for this new version of Hull that we spoke about all pre-season, and to go there for the first game against a Catalans side, who always have high expectations with a new squad, get a good win, and celebrate it with the people at this club was really good.”
Hull have opted for the same route this weekend, flying down to Perpignan on Friday before Saturday’s game. However, they will be without owner Thirkill and CEO Myler this time around, who are attending a family wedding in England. But for the players, it will be business as usual, with temperatures set to be knocking on the 30-degree mark.
“They’re always good,” Hardaker said on the Catalans trips. “I’d prefer going on Tuesday and having a few days in the sun, but I think we’re going on Friday, playing Saturday, and coming home Sunday. I still enjoy it – it’s pretty good.
“The days I didn’t enjoy it were when you flew out on the day, played, and then came home. That was a real struggle, so just getting a day and a night is very beneficial to us as players. I’ve been told it’s going to be around 30 degrees, but I do like a trip to France to play in Perpignan as well. I’ve always enjoyed going over there.”
Hull will meet a Catalans side struggling at present. They parted ways with Steve McNamara – who coached Hardaker while at England – earlier this month and are coming off back-to-back hammerings against St Helens (40-0) and Wigan (48-0), with Joel Tomkins now in interim charge.
Paying tribute to McNamara, who has a strong affiliation from his playing days to Hull FC, Hardaker, who is expecting a ‘reaction’ from Catalans continued: “Steve Mac was really good with me – he picked me for England a few times, and I get on with him quite well.
“It’s never good when someone loses their job as a player or a coach, and probably the talk going into this game is always going to be their reaction.
“Joel Tomkins is taking over the coaching at the minute, and Sam is there too – they know how much it means to Catalans to get a win, and the performances from a Catalans point of view probably haven’t been good enough. They will expect a reaction.
“We went to their doorstep on the first game of the season, and we won, so I’d like to think they have nailed this one as a big game for them, but equally to us, we’re on a journey, and we want to get over there and get the win.”
Hardaker added: “I know Joel quite well. He was a ferocious player, and you’re always going to get him defending pretty tough. You’d expect that from Catalans anyway, but it’s not about them; it’s about us.
“That was the focus going into Leigh; it was about us and what we need to get back to. We watched the clips of the effort areas, and if we can replicate those things, it will go a long way to us getting the win.”