Hull FC winter arrival announces immediate retirement due to injury

Hull FC forward Oliver Holmes has announced his sudden retirement from professional rugby league after just one appearance for the club.

Holmes joined the Black and Whites at the start of this season from fellow Super League outfit Leigh Leopards, but has only featured once, starting in the back-row in February’s Challenge Cup victory over community club York Acorn.

He has since been battling a knee injury that has rendered him unable to feature for John Cartwright’s side in the opening 13 matches of the new Super League season.

And the former Castleford Tigers and Warrington Wolves man has now conceded defeat in his battle to return to full fitness, calling time on his career with immediate effect.

\We’ve tried different injections and I’ve been for surgery, but things just haven’t worked out how I wanted them to’

Holmes admitted he has tried every avenue to get back onto the field, but has now confirmed he will not play professionally again.

“Calling it a day has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve made throughout my career,” he said.

“The head still wanted to go, but unfortunately the body was saying no. I gave myself every chance to get back playing again, but unfortunately that just didn’t happen and that’s the way it is in sport sometimes.

“We’ve tried different injections and I’ve been for surgery, but things just haven’t worked out how I wanted them to on the medical side of things and now’s the time to call it a day sadly.

“The hardest part of it was telling all of the lads last week. I told them all how gutted I was that I wouldn’t be able to take to the field with them and represent this club.

“That was really emotional being stood up there in front of them all, delivering that news.

“I did one last training session with the team on Thursday and then after that I got a hug off each one of the boys to say goodbye.

“Then, when I got home, I had a load of texts from all of the coaching staff with some really nice messages. All of that just sums up what a tight-knit group it is this year.”

‘Everyone at Hull FC has got a lot to look forward to… this group is doing something special’

Holmes was a star in the Castleford side who went on to win the League Leaders’ Shield in 2017, earning his one and only England cap in 2018.

He would leave the Tigers at the end of 2021 to join Warrington but spent just one season with the Wolves before a move to Leigh.

There, he won the Challenge Cup in 2023 before switching to Hull FC for the start of this season. And despite retiring, he believes the Black and Whites have a bright future ahead.

He said: “What I will say is that everyone at Hull FC has got a lot to look forward to moving forwards.

“The club has got a lot right with the rebuild and things are moving in the right direction at a great speed.

“The players can feel it at training and it’s visible in games – this group is doing something special.

“As I leave Hull FC, I want to say a massive thank you to everybody at the club – the players and the staff – for the support they have given me during my time here.”

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