It’s been 141 days since Hull FC’s 2025 season ended against Catalans Dragons, but now here we are, 20 weeks later, ready to go again at the start of a new competitive year. Back on the road, it’s Salford RLFC first up for the Black and Whites, who head over the Pennines once again after last week’s pre-season outing at Wigan Warriors, taking on the reformed club in the Challenge Cup third round.
Naming a strong squad, John Cartwright is going full tilt for the tie, paying respect to Les Diables Rouges, the original Red Devils, who are expected to hit Hull with a lot of enthusiasm and passion early on. The head coach has named the likes of Aidan Sezer, with all his big guns who played last week, minus Lewis Martin, set to feature.
The reward for victory? A place in the last 16, and some welcome momentum building ahead of next week’s Super League opener against Bradford Bulls at the MKM Stadium. But before we look ahead to that, there’s a job to do first – and a professional one at that.
As always, stay tuned for all the build-up, team news, live action, and post-match reaction as we bring you every step of the Black and Whites’ journey in 2026. Let the rollercoaster commence.