Hull FC owners Andrew Thirkill and David Hood have released a joint statement to reaffirm their desire to resolve the club’s continued injury situation.
The Black and Whites’ season has been blighted by injuries, with a raft of key men missing large chunks of game time due to muscle and ligament issues.
The sheer amount of absentees have seen Hull slump to 10th in the Super League table, having won just four of the 12 games they’ve played so far. And, with 15 players out this week, they go to Warrington Wolves with a depleted squad once more.
Fans have voiced their concern at the sheer amount of issues the club have picked up in recent times and the owners have felt the need to speak out with a statement to address the situation.
In the statement, Thirkill and Hood admit they have been slow to spot warning signs in the performance and training environment.
They add that the club is undergoing a full investigation in an attempt to nip their injury issues in the bud.
They also go on to outline that talks are underway to improve the club’s training facility in an attempt to push the club up the Super League table.
The statement released on the Black and Whites’ channels read: “All at Hull FC recognise the frustration many members and supporters are currently feeling regarding our ongoing injury situation. As owners of the club, we share those frustrations and believe it is important to provide some context regarding how we got here and, more importantly, where we are heading.
“The club has been impacted by an injury crisis of unprecedented proportions. We currently have 15 players unavailable for selection, representing more than 60% of our salary cap expenditure. This includes a significant number of senior players and all three of our marquee players who have been unable to take the field together for extended periods.
“The reality is that any Super League club losing such a substantial proportion of its first-team squad would face considerable challenges. Salary cap restrictions mean clubs cannot simply replace injured players with like-for-like signings, whilst the expansion to 14 clubs has further reduced the availability of experienced, high-quality players across the competition.
“As new owners, we acknowledge that we may not have identified some of the warning signs within the club’s performance and training environment as quickly as we would have liked. With the benefit of hindsight, there are areas that warrant closer examination and that is exactly what we are now undertaking.
“The appointment of Steve McNamara as Head Coach from the 2027 season is a significant step forward for Hull FC. Steve will play a leading role in reviewing our talent development environment and overall rugby operation to ensure every aspect of the club is aligned with our ambition of creating a best-in-class organisation capable of delivering sustained success.”
On the training ground itself, it continued: “The club already has access to a 3G training surface, but we are actively exploring ways to increase the proportion of rugby training undertaken on natural grass pitches as part of our wider review into injury prevention and player welfare.
“We are also engaged in positive discussions with the University of Hull regarding improvements to our training facilities and infrastructure. These discussions represent an exciting opportunity to strengthen the foundations of the club for the future, with further announcements to be made in the near future.”
Thirkill and Hood also reiterated the need for patience and time as they strive to rebuild the club with the guidance of CEO Richie Myler.
“Our members and supporters should be assured that the ownership group remains fully committed to returning Hull FC to where it belongs,” the statement concluded. “However, rebuilding a club that has experienced years of underperformance and underinvestment is not a short-term exercise. This is a long-term project that will require hard work, resilience and, at times, patience from all of us.
“We understand the frustrations. We share them. But we are also confident that the work now being undertaken will create a stronger, more sustainable and more successful Hull FC in the years ahead.
“Make no mistake: we are absolutely committed to delivering long-term and sustained success for Hull FC. We thank our supporters for their continued loyalty, passion and belief as we move forward together.”