Hull FC’s season hit another low point in Toulouse.
Hull FC produced a shocker at Toulouse.
One more game. Then it’s over. The greatest relief for all connected to Hull FC after another abject display away at Toulouse Olympique in their penultimate game of the 2026 season on Friday night.
Defeated 44-30, Hull were woeful at times in what was a pathetic performance, particularly in the first half. The Black and Whites were down 30-0 at half-time. They might as well have waved the white flag, with their defensive attempts going beyond pathetic in what was a display that had no fight, grit or intent about it. There was no willingness to stand up and defend, with Hull’s effort and attitude dreadful in a stinking performance on a stinking hot night at the Stade Ernest Wallon.
The French side, playing with a freedom that is certainly easy on the eye, rolled through and around Hull. They carved FC open like a knife through butter, with characters and attitude certainly questioned for the second time this year as they looked for shortcuts instead of sheer hard work.
In attack, it wasn’t much better and things only improved when the game was done – a telling reality of where this Hull sides mentality is at. They turn up in patches and don’t have the consistency to be taken seriously at this level. And that has been the case throughout the year and shown in their lack of ability to string back-to-back results together.
Yet despite the first half being one of the worst in recent times, Hull – whose bright sparks came from Lloyd Kemp, Connor Bailey, Lewis Martin, Sam Lisone and, after the break and a poor sin bin play, Aidan Sezer – did manage to salvage something and make the result look less sinister in the second half.
It doesn’t mask the opening 40 minutes, far from it, but five tries and 30 points provided a result that is far from the big defeats seen before this group got together – and puts some perspective behind the true dross of 2022-2024. However, that also speaks volumes again about attitude, with Toulouse perhaps easing off after what was, from their perspective, a blistering first half.
But that opening was as bad as it gets from Hull. It was pitiful and can’t be highlighted enough. It’s also a different sort of disappointment, certainly, to two years ago, when a side containing young, fringe, and loan players were battered every other week. This side, albeit without some key components due to injury, still has enough to be competitive, and it should by no means lose halves by 30 points against teams on half the budget, akin to York Knights, who have also done the double over Hull this year. But that shows where this team is at and why the club – who have also made mistakes – are making significant changes for next year.
Those changes are well-known. Amir Bourouh is off to Catalans Dragons. Ligi Sao, whose Hull career is now over after a failed HIA, is off to Bradford Bulls, Davy Litten to Wakefield Trinity, and Jake Arthur to Huddersfield Giants. The reality is more players will leave than those already confirmed and after first-half showings like this, it is no surprise. It’s just not good enough and far from acceptable and shows why change is root and branch – and goes much beyond the playing squad.
Worst of all, this squad can still finish bottom and after Bradford’s result on Thursday, is one of four to be locked on 14 points alongside York and Huddersfield. Results would have to go seriously against Hull for that to happen but it’s still a possibility going into the final round – a damning reflection on just how bad this year has been.
It should never have been like this but in truth, the season was done months ago. It’s been damage limitation since, and while players talked the talk in regard to a play-off finish, they have failed to act on those words and perform at the standard required to get anywhere close to that level. It’s been, to pull no punches, an embarrassment of a season from a squad that was tipped to kick on after a promising 2025 season. They have done anything but, and the fact the year has fizzled out akin to two years ago and ended up being a write-off is a travesty.
In many respects, it’s been poor from the get go. Hull struggled at the start of the season with the pace of the game and after parting ways with John Cartwright, interim coach Andy Last hasn’t been able to pick up the pieces. The only respite, as aforementioned, is it will soon be all over, and on that front, full-time at Headingley on Friday night cannot come quicker.
And while the mood is very much doom and gloom, hope, as always, springs to next year, to Steve McNamara, and what’s coming in. Hull have recruited seven players already and more will come in, but that look to jam tomorrow has created a grim situation, an environment of apathy, and a season that’s ending can’t come soon enough.