Hull FC had a worthwhile run-out at Wigan.
Harvie Hill impressed for Hull FC.(Image: Dave Lofthouse, Hull FC)
Hull FC were edged out 22-18 in a solid pre-season clash at Wigan Warriors on Sunday afternoon. Here, Hull Live looks at some talking points.
A decent hit out
Pre-season it may have been, but that was a good game. It was a tough, physical, and at times entertaining clash, with both sides producing moments of quality. And while it was aesthetically pleasing, it was also worthwhile, with both sides building up the minutes in the tank and getting combinations into flow.
For Hull, those combinations saw Lewis Martin, who picked up where he left off last year, score three tries, with the winger linking up well with Callum Kemp, Arthur Romano, and Will Pryce. The latter also returned the ball well alongside Harvey Barron, while Jake Arthur had some classy touches in his first run out, with Hull – who also saw a decent display from Davy Litten at both centre and full-back – getting plenty out of the contest, which flowed well throughout. Defensively, the away side also scrambled really hard and more than held their own, with Wigan having plenty of opportunities on their goal line. Overall, a good promising hit out, with lots to go at.
Ligi Sao’s return
Arguably the biggest positive for the Black and Whites was the return of Ligi Sao. The prop has been out for 12 months with a serious knee injury, spending the majority of that time in rehab. However, he made his long-awaited comeback at Wigan, and the longer it went on, the better he got. Sao – who is almost like a new signing this year, albeit now one of the club’s longest-serving players – played two long stints and got through plenty of carries, getting the leg drive going and making good ground. He made no errors either and should take a lot of confidence from his performance. Onwards and upwards.
Pack power
Of course, it’s important not to dive too deep into pre-season games, but one thing isn’t in doubt: the depth of Hull’s pack this year. They were without four big middles here – John Asiata, James Bell, Liam Knight, and Herman Ese’ese – but still matched Wigan physically and stuck in the contest throughout.
Starting the game, Harvie Hill was paired with Sao and was physical with and without the ball. Yusuf Aydin was also really strong, while Sam Lisone, Brad Fash, and Hugo Salabio got through some fair stints. On the edges, Joe Batchelor looked really assured, especially defensively, in his 40 minutes, while Jed Cartwright came through unscathed. Connor Bailey too had some moments with his carries, breaking out of some tackles in the second half. There’s plenty for Cartwright and co to think about.
Jake Arthur kicking option
Hull FC’s new half back has been brought in to take some pressure off Aidan Sezer this year. On this evidence, he can do just that. There was one or two passes that really opened up Wigan, while he took the kicking responsibility on his head. That will please Cartwright, with his combination with Sezer set to grow as the year unfolds.
Andrew Thirkill’s classy moment
Hull FC co-owner Andrew Thirkill was seen mingling on the pitch pre-match, but it was what he did on the pitch post-match that stood out. After Liam Marshall addressed the crowd, Thirkill presented the Wigan testimonial man with a commemorative silver plate. A club stalwart at the Warriors, Marshall has won it all with his hometown club, scoring 170 tries in 213 appearances, with the Black and Whites doing their bit to play their part on his big day.
On to Salford
It’s competitive action up next for Hull, who begin the 2026 season in the Challenge Cup at Salford RLFC. Heading back over the Pennines, Cartwright has already confirmed to Hull Live that he will field a strong team, with an eight day turnaround between the cup tie and the Super League opener against Bradford Bulls. Nonetheless, it would be fair to expect a mix of youth, new blood, and experience, with Hull, who certainly whetted the appetite in Wigan, aiming to start the year as they mean to go on.