Hull FC’s Will Pryce replacements examined as salary cap exemption explained

Hull FC will be able to apply for salary cap exemption to recoup the value of almost all of Will Pryce’s 2026 salary and use it again should they wish to find a replacement for the injured fullback.

However, the Black and Whites may also look internally – with a number of options available to John Cartwright as Hull come to terms with the loss of one of their standout players for the rest of 2026.

Hull star Pryce suffered a devastating knee injury in the closing stages of their defeat to Wigan Warriors on Saturday evening, with Pryce in visible discomfort as he left the field. Scans on Monday subsequently confirmed a season-ending injury for the fullback.

As is the case with Castleford Tigers, who are now active in the market once again to source a possible replacement for Blake Taaffe, Hull can secure an exemption from the RFL to re-spend the value of nearly all of Pryce’s 2026 salary: though they will clearly continue to pay the fullback.

But it means there may now be two Super League sides in the market for the same position, making it highly competitive all of a sudden.

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Hull were in a similar position at exactly this stage last year, when Ligi Sao went down with a season-ending injury. Any player who is ruled out for the rest of the season in the first three rounds can be removed from a club’s salary cap should they apply to the RFL.

As Pryce has played two games, it means 25/27ths of his cap value would be available for Hull FC to re-spend. Hull went and signed Liam Knight last year to replace Sao.

However, the Black and Whites are restricted to the domestic market unlike Castleford, as they have a full ten players on their overseas quota as it stands. That automatically makes recruitment far more difficult.

There are options within the squad that could be useful for Cartwright, though. One is Zak Hardaker, a man who has hundreds of games of experience playing fullback – though he has excelled in the three-quarter line and even the back row since his move to the MKM Stadium.

Another option is Davy Litten. He was given the number three shirt this year as is seen as a centre, but he can also be a good option at fullback and has played there before. Should Cartwright go with either of his perceived first-choice centre pair to replace Pryce, Arthur Romano – who did okay at Wigan on Saturday – could slot into the centres.

The other slightly more ambitious option would be to blood highly-rated youngster Lloyd Kemp. A star of the club’s academy, his brother Callum has already appeared for the first team this year.

But Kemp is a fullback by trade, and now could be the time for him to step into the breaches with Pryce gone for the year.

So while Hull do have the capability and the possibility to spend Pryce’s salary – or most of it – again in the market.. they may look internally, with more options than Castleford have after Taaffe’s own season-ending blow.

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