Hull FC Fans Forum lowdown: Las Vegas, injuries and recruitment
Love Rugby League was in attendance for Hull FC's fans fourm.
Hull FC held their latest fans forum on Wednesday evening, with head coach John Cartwright, CEO Richie Myler, co-owner Andrew Thirkill and COO Tony Sutton all fielding questions from supporters.
The event covered an array of topics, on field, off field and everything in between. Love Rugby League was in attendance, and here were the key topics covered.
Injuries
Cartwright provided positive news on the injury front as the new Super League season looms. As it stands, the Black and Whites are only expecting Herman Ese’ese to be out of action for the round one opener with Bradford Bulls.
Everyone barring Herman Ese’ese is currently on track to be available for contention, with both Aidan Sezer and John Asiata tracking to beat their respective races against time after off-season injuries.
It’s a welcome change for the Black and Whites, who have notoriously struggled with injuries during the pre-season.
Las Vegas 2027
Not a no, not a yes. Myler said the club had an interest, but nothing was over the line. Both they and St Helens had showed some interest in being part of the event this year, but it will be Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos who made the trip to Sin City.
“Currently, not yet,” Myler said when asked if the trip was finalised.
“The whole Vegas venture is fantastic for the game, it puts the sport on an amazing platform. It’s something we may want to be a part of in the future. It’s exciting, anything that showcases rugby league; I was envious watching it last year, I’ll be envious watching KR do. We’re interested in the future.”
Recruitment
Myler admitted paid credit to the players that bought into the vision heading into the 2025 season by joining the club at its lowest ebb. He made it clear recruiting now is much easier than it was back then.
But the reality for the Black and Whites is that this will be a smaller recruitment cycle, with cap space not as readily available heading into 2027. Do not expect a raft of signings heading to the MKM Stadium next year.
The club did not want a 14-team Super League
This is no real secret. Hull FC, alongside Hull KR and Wigan Warriors, were against the expansion. Thrikill made his feelings clear.
“We pushed very hard to not have a 14-team league,” he said. “We felt the clubs were financially strained to start with and increasing to 14 made the problem bigger.”
Johnny Whiteley honoured
One of the club’s all-time greats has been handed one of the ultimate honours heading into the new season.
Johnny Whiteley MBE played over 400 games across 15 years for the Black and Whites and is a bona fide icon of the club.
Inducted into rugby league’s hall of fame in 2018, he won two titles with the Black and White and coached Great Britain to an Ashes series victory in 1970, the last coach to do so.
Thirkill confirmed that the East Stand will now be renamed in honour of him, with Whiteley’s family to be in attendance for its opening when Hull host Bradford in round one.
Denive Balmforth’s future
The young hooker is popular among supporters, but will spend the year on loan at York Knights. Cartwright was asked about the decision and used former Black and Whites hooker, and now Hull KR star, Jez Litten, as an example to justify the call.
“It’s a tough decision. We have two hookers in Amir Bourouh and Cade Cust. Cade was brought to the club as a number 14 player and play hooker, but the beauty of him was he could play in the halves and through circumstance had to play there last season.
“We’ve strengthened our halves by signing Jake Arthur which has freed up Cade to be the person we wanted him to be.
“For Denive, he’s here for three years, we spoke about players who weren’t going to get a lot out of playing reserve grade, the opportunity came for him to go to York and develop. Hopefully he plays a full season, and he comes back an accomplished player. We’ve loaned him out to develop. Jez Litten is a good example, they’re seeing the best of him at the moment. I’m not pointing fingers, if he’d been loaned out and come back he might still be here.”
