Former Hull FC flop lands new contract Down Under for 2026 season
Former Hull FC half Will Smith.
Former Hull FC half-back Will Smith has landed a new contract in Australia for the 2026 season, after inking a deal to continue his career in the lower grades Down Under.
Smith joined the Black and Whites on a short-term deal in the second half of the 2022 season. However, he was restricted to just seven appearances for the club under Brett Hodgson, scoring two tries.
Smith returned to Australia at the end of the season and secured a train and trial deal with Wests Tigers. However, his time with the club did not go to plan, with Smith making just four appearances throughout the whole of 2023 as Wests finished bottom of the NRL and were the unfortunate recipients of the wooden spoon.
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But Smith continued his career away from the NRL, signing with Newcastle-based club Wests for 2024 and 2025. However, he is now on the move again after signing with Lakes United. The move reunites him with brother Matt and brings him into the same squad as another familiar face in Super League, ex-St Helens forward Sione Mata’utia.
Smith began his NRL career with Penrith Panthers in 2014, making 21 appearances for the club across three seasons. He then moved to Parramatta Eels in 2017, where he would spend another five years, making over 50 starts.
His move to Hull came at a time when he was looking to reignite his career, but in Super League, he struggled to make a real impact when it mattered.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for me to get back playing some footy at a high level and to try and help Hull FC get to the semi-finals,” Smith said at the time of his arrival in England. However, it did not work out to plan as Hull eventually finished ninth under Hodgson after a disappointing second half to the season.
However, Smith is now plying his trade in Australia’s lower grades with a number of other players that have had stints in England in recent years.
