Herman Ese’ese’s outrageous display by numbers as Hull man emerges as Super League star

There was so much made of Hull’s extensive recruitment drive over the summer that it was sometimes easy to forget that their one shining light in a miserable 2024 campaign could always take his game to even greater heights with the right support around him.

Not even the most passionate Hull FC fan could argue against the notion that their recruitment in recent seasons has been mediocre at best. That is probably being polite. After all, three of their big overseas imports last year had gone out of the exit door before the peak of summer.

But it always felt different with Herman Ese’ese. He was the leader of a Hull pack who were bullied and beaten far too often in 2025 – but not through any lack of effort or determination from the big prop. He excelled while others around him were struggling.

And on a night when the Black and Whites’ new-found determination and grit under John Cartwright came to the fore, it was Ese’ese who once again stood tall as the leader Hull have badly lacked for some time.

There were magnificent displays from new recruits such as John Asiata and Amir Bourouh, it is worth noting. Bourouh in particular made 60 tackles and missed just one: a success rate of 98.4%.

But Ese’ese was utterly sensational. Put the try he scored to one side – though that in itself was an illustration of the force he is as he bulldozed his way through the Leigh line.

Ese’ese played 68 of the 90 minutes on Thursday night: a very, very high number for a middle in this day and age. He attempted 43 tackles and completed 42 of them: a success rate of 97.7%.

The prop’s 18 carries on the night were only bettered by John Asiata’s tally of 22. But Asiata only ran for 111 metres in comparison to Ese’ese’s 162. To put that average gain of 9.02 metres per carry into context, it is a figure only beaten season-wide by one middle: St Helens’ Morgan Knowles.

His eight tackle busts on the night – the most of any Hull player – moves him level with Junior Nsemba on 23 at the top off the leaderboard in that regard: though obviously, the outstanding Nsemba has played one game fewer as it stands.

But all of this underlines how Ese’ese is not only one of Hull’s best players, he is actually one of the standout props in Super League.

David Armstrong claimed man of the match for his electrifying display and his two tries. But in truth, Ese’ese had just as big a claim to that gong following another superlative display.

And with it looking increasingly like the prop has good support in his pack with him in 2025, he’s only going to get better and better.

Herman Ese’ese v Leigh Leopards: key stats (Hull FC rank)

Tackle busts: 8 (1st)
Carries: 18 (2nd)
Metres: 162 (1st)
Average gain: 9.02 (4th)
Hit-up metres: 162 (1st)
Tackles: 42 (3rd)
Tackle success rate: 97.7% (2nd)