Latest news with #JohnCartwright
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Zak Hardaker makes big Hull FC top-six admission and uses Hull KR example
Zak Hardaker has insisted that this Hull FC side is a top six team – and on their day, even a top four one – but they have to continue to turn up every week, put the performances in, and look to get better. Advertisement The Black and Whites currently hold onto sixth position in Super League, with Sunday's 38-6 win over Salford Red Devils keeping John Cartwright's side inside the play-off picture. But with key games coming up against the teams in and around them, Hull, who were far from perfect even in victory, know they have to first keep up their standards and then look for the necessary improvements in every game. If they do that, then Hardaker, who knows a thing or two about making the play-offs and winning trophies, believes both the players and the ability are there to first control their own destiny and then achieve their end goal – with belief picked up from ten wins on the road this year, not to mention their current position. READ MORE: Zak Hardaker explains back row challenges and John Cartwright's firm Hull FC warning READ MORE: Popular Hull pub unveils new look following three-week revamp Advertisement Speaking to Hull Live post-match, Hardaker said: "There was a lot of talk about where this team was going to be this year, and I don't think John has put any pressure on us internally, saying we need to finish top six, top four, or top two. But as our performances continue throughout the year, I'm man enough to say – and I've played this game a long time – that we're definitely a top six team. But it's up to us to turn up every week and put a good performance in. "On our day we can be a top six team, even a top four team, but we're not on our day every week. That's the point with us. We train hard through the week, and sometimes it doesn't come off on the big day, but we're definitely a top six team, and I'd be telling lies if that wasn't definitely our aim now. We need to keep turning out wins and make our performances better. "I think, with a fully fit team, we can beat anyone. I genuinely mean that. The two top teams at the minute are Wigan and Hull KR. Wigan fell short at Wakefield; Hull KR are really good, sublime to be fair, but on our day, I think we can match anyone. "We played Hull KR two months ago; we had a man down for 70 minutes, and we contested for large parts. We can beat anyone; it's just about keeping our connections and keeping that willingness to work for each other. We want to make this club proud again, and we're on the right direction with that." Advertisement And while Hull ran out seven-try winners at Salford, there were still parts of the performance that frustrated Hardaker, with the knowledge they can be better. The 33-year-old continued: "We're still frustrated with that performance – there were elements that were really good; we had 20-minute spells, but that's not enough, and against the bigger and better teams, you need to do 40 minutes, have a rest, and then do 40 again. "We've done some dumb things, not finishing on last tackles, and some selections weren't good enough, and we ended up defending our line for large parts, and that drains you. There are parts where we can learn going forward. But it was good to get a good score on Salford, and we're looking forward to Warrington now. "It's a mad league at the moment, and that's why we have to play well every week. It doesn't matter who we are playing – we have to be a good Hull FC team and one that makes people proud. Hopefully, we can keep ticking those two points off. It's a tough game up next, and it will be another good test to see where we're at." Hull head to the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Saturday for the second time this year. It comes before a big run of home fixtures at the MKM Stadium, something this team has to be ready for. Advertisement Hardaker added: "I think John touched on it before; we've got eight of the last 11 games at home. The FC fans have turned out week in, week out; they've been tremendous, and they were brilliant again here. "It's really important that we get a home win now. We've just got the draw against Leigh, and that's disappointing, but it's Warrington next, and they'll be looking to bounce back up (after defeat to Huddersfield). It's up to us to put in a really good performance ahead of our run of home games, but we know where we need to be. We just need to keep building."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hull FC suffer disappointing defeat at Warrington Wolves as side made to rue sloppy account
Warrington Wolves kept their Super League season alive with a 24-10 victory over Hull FC on Saturday evening, and in doing so, silenced any lingering hangover talk following their Challenge Cup final defeat to Hull KR at the start of the month. Advertisement Led by George Williams, who, similarly, put to rest any doubt of his commitment to the Wire's cause following a high-profile transfer link to NRL outfit the Dolphins, the home side was too strong, pulling away at the start of each half to record a win that keeps their play-off hopes very much alive with 11 rounds of the season still to go. As it stands, the Wire are just two points behind seventh-place Wakefield and three behind sixth-place Hull, with Sam Burgess' side showing plenty of craft and courage to earn the two points and perhaps reignite their campaign. READ MORE: John Cartwright reacts to Hull FC defeat as search goes on for key performance answer READ MORE: Highlights as Warrington Wolves keep season alive with victory over Hull FC Advertisement For Hull, it was a disappointing defeat. They weren't at the races to start, and despite a mini resurgence before half-time, they didn't produce for long enough periods to trouble the scoreboard and threaten the result. Aidan Sezer was at the heart of all they did well, but it wasn't enough, with game star Williams in turn producing the goods alongside half-back partner Marc Sneyd to ensure a big win in the context of Wire's season. Hull coach John Cartwright named an unchanged side for the first time this season—and incredibly, the first time since the play-off game at Wire back in November 2020. Meanwhile, Warrington full-back Matt Dufty made an early return from a fractured cheekbone, with centre Toby King dropped. And it was the Wire who started the stronger of the two sides. They got their first try through Josh Thewlis, with Jordan Rapana caught in the defensive line, and the winger, once he broke through, having a clear run to the try line as he raced 80 or so metres following some soft Hull defence. In response, Hull actually shaped up well. They tried to get their halves playing wider with Liam Knight used as the middle link, and at times, it worked to effect. However, it was the home side who came up trumps again, with a slick right-to-left move putting the other Thewlis brother, Jake, over in the corner. The young gun went over untouched, with Marc Sneyd's boot making it 12-0 to the Primrose and Blue outfit. Advertisement Hull needed some inspiration, and as has so often been the case this season, it came through their captain and leading half-back Sezer. The skipper first ran strong, taking a Cade Cust pass to attack the line at pace and burst through before showing the necessary composure to find Harvey Barron to finish in the corner—although whether the pass was legal was certainly dubious, to say the least, with the home crowd screaming 'forward.' But little did Hull care. They were back in it, with Sezer again proving instrumental. The half attacked once more, coming onto Cust's pass again and bursting through the line to score. That put Hull within two points at the break, with a contest that looked like it was getting away from them after an inconspicuous start firmly in the balance. But that Hull fightback was soon laid to rest in the second half—albeit it was the away side who broke and had the chance to score and take the lead. But Wire did just enough to get to a Hardaker pass after a Sezer half break and prevent FC's right edge from running away—with Tom Briscoe failing to take in the pass. That defensive play was rewarded, with Wire then regaining control with two quick-fire tries. First, Sam Powell scooted over from close range, with the veteran hooker smelling an opportunity to strike, before Lachlan Fitzgibbon added a fourth, getting on the end of a crisp move that saw the Black and Whites carved open again. Advertisement Sneyd again made no mistake from the tee, with the Wire 14 points to the good and in the ascendancy once again. They were camped on Hull's line for what seemed an eternity, but the away side miraculously survived. They kept going, with Lewis Martin—his foot in touch before grounding the ball—seeing a try overturned by the video referee. The effort from Cartwright's side wasn't in question, but ultimately, it was all in vain as Wire ran out deserved winners, with two massive games now coming up at the MKM Stadium—first St Helens and then Wakefield. For this Hull side, resurgent but still with a long way to go, next month is certainly make or break. Teams Warrington Starting XIII: 1. Matt Dufty; 2. Josh Thewlis, 20. Connor Wrench, 4. Rodrick Tai, 28. Jake Thewlis; 6. George Williams, 35. Marc Sneyd; 13. Luke Yates, 17. Jordy Crowther, 10. Paul Vaughan; 38. Sam Stone, 12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon; 11. Ben Currie Advertisement Interchange: 14. Sam Powell, 27. Luke Thomas, 8. James Harrison, 19. Stefan Ratchford. 18th Man: 39. Tom McKinney Hull Starting XIII: 1. Jordan Rapana; 2. Harvey Barron, 5. Tom Briscoe, 20. Davy Litten, 22. Lewis Martin; 14. Cade Cust, 7. Aidan Sezer; 8. Herman Ese'ese, 9. Amir Bourouh, 40. Liam Knight; 3. Zak Hardaker, 4. Ed Chamberlain; 16. Yusuf AydinZak Hardaker and Ed Chamberlain start with Yusuf Aydin at loose-forward. Interchange: 16. Jack Ashworth, 19. Brad Fash, 24. Jack Charles, 39. Sam Eseh. 18th Man: 27. Matty Laidlaw Scorers Warrington Tries: Josh Thewlis, Jake Thewlis, Powell, Fitzgibbon. Goals: Sneyd 4/4 Hull Tries: Barron, Sezer. Goals: Sezer 1/2 Scoring System: 6-0, 12-0, 12-4, 12-10, HT, 18-10, 24-10, Referee: Chris Kendall. Video Referee: Jack Smith Attendance: 10,235
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
John Cartwright reacts to Hull FC defeat as search goes on for key performance answer
John Cartwright put a sloppy account with the ball down as the catalyst for Hull FC's 24-10 defeat at Warrington Wolves on Saturday evening—with the head coach conceding that he doesn't have an answer to why his side keeps producing error-strewn performances. Advertisement The Black and Whites completed at just over 50%, one of their worst returns this year, and that paved the way for their seventh league defeat of the season. In turn, Warrington built the ascendancy on the back of those errors, with the home side being good value and undoubtedly deserving winners. Keeping their own play-off chase alive, the Wire were comfortably the better team, pulling away at the start of each half. Hull fought back before half-time and certainly made a fist of it at the break, but they couldn't do so again in the second half. READ MORE: Hull FC ratings as Aidan Sezer moments fail to mask under-par team display READ MORE: Hull FC suffer disappointing defeat at Warrington Wolves as side made to rue sloppy account Advertisement For Cartwright, there are still answers to be found, with his side making too many errors, even if their effort and resilience are not in doubt, absorbing countless pressure in the second half. Speaking to Hull Live post-match, he said: "There were just too many errors, simple errors—and especially coming out of our end. They started strong and fast, but we just gave them too many opportunities, and while we were happy to be only two points down at half-time, the scoreboard got away from us—especially in the second half. "We fought really hard during different patches to try and get back in the game, but every time we got the ball, we just turned it over. It's pretty simple, really, and at the end of the day, you just can't win when you give the opposition so many free shots at you. "It was just one of those nights—I don't know why. As a coach, you search for the answer, but it's an answer that no coach in the history of the game has got an answer for. You can have a beautiful day like today, great conditions that are perfect for rugby league, and we completed just over 50% of our sets. I wish I had an answer for that, but I don't." He continued: "It's been going on since 1908. There's no real answer, I don't think. I suppose, at the end of the day, it's having players who don't make errors. That's what makes the good players really good." Advertisement After going down 12-0, Hull fought back to 12-10 at half-time, with Aidan Sezer at the heart of it. On that spell, Cartwright said: "There was a ten-minute block of footy where we were really good, and we held on to the ball, but you don't win playing for ten minutes—the game goes on for eighty. "We've been doing that all year, but for bigger blokes. Today, it was a really important game, and we turned up with a really poor performance. It was really disappointing. "It's got nothing to do with preparation, and their attitude is great. We defended down there for nearly 30 tackles on our try line without having it crossed. "In the modern game, that is really tough to do—the average is about ten or eleven tackles down there. They work really hard for each other, and they save tries together, but we want to be a team that is competing every week, and you just can't make errors like we did. Defensively, we proved we can do it, but we've got to be smarter with the ball." Advertisement Despite the defeat, Hull still have their destiny in their own hands, but they need to be more consistent in their completion, giving themselves a better chance to put blocks of results together. "It's still early on, and I'm not looking at where we sit," Cartwright explained. "It's about putting in a good performance. If you put in good performances, you win games, and everything else takes care of itself." Cartwright also confirmed no injuries came from the loss. "I don't think anyone came off injured," he added. "We've got bumps and bruises as usual, but I think we're okay."
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Cartwright chuffed, Aussie star shines in Hull win
John Cartwright hailed a clinical display from his side as Hull ended a four-game losing run with a 26-12 Super League win at Leigh. Cartwright's side scored all their points in the first half on Thursday as they ran in tries through Cade Cust, Herman Ese'ese, Lewis Martin and Sam Eseh while an inspirational Aidan Sezer kicked five goals in his 250th career appearance. The Australian coach said: "We set it up in the first half. The first 15 minutes was an arm wrestle but we didn't panic and stuck at it. "We then got a bit of decent ball and Sezer was at his very best on his 250th. "To go out and compete like they did, and attack the way they did, it was good to see. "I know we're capable of that. It's not always possible to do every time we go out and play but tonight was nice and clinical." Leigh coach Adrian Lam held the opposite view of his side and was heavily critical of the Leopards' defence. Lam said: "I'm very disappointed. I didn't see that coming. "They were 10 times better than us but when you make decisions like we made, it can really hurt you heavily. "There were several players that played their worst rugby of the year. It was unacceptable." Tries from Edwin Ipape and Owen Trout in the final quarter added some respectability to the scoreline but the result was never in doubt. Ex-NRL star Sezer was at his creative best for Hull, spreading the play for Cust to show his strength to burrow through several challenges to touch down. Sezer then landed a 40-20 kick which led to Will Pryce driving close to the line and Ese'ese crashing over. Another followed on the stroke of half-time, Eseh finishing off more good work from Sezer under the posts. With five goals from Sezer, Hull held a commanding 26-0 advantage at the break. Ipape finally got them on the scoreboard with just over an hour gone when he wriggled under the posts after a Tesi Niu break and Ben McNamara converted. Trout cut the arrears further and Josh Charnley threatened to create another after an electric break, but Sezer got back to cut out Ipape's pass. John Cartwright hailed a clinical display from his side as Hull ended a four-game losing run with a 26-12 Super League win at Leigh. Cartwright's side scored all their points in the first half on Thursday as they ran in tries through Cade Cust, Herman Ese'ese, Lewis Martin and Sam Eseh while an inspirational Aidan Sezer kicked five goals in his 250th career appearance. The Australian coach said: "We set it up in the first half. The first 15 minutes was an arm wrestle but we didn't panic and stuck at it. "We then got a bit of decent ball and Sezer was at his very best on his 250th. "To go out and compete like they did, and attack the way they did, it was good to see. "I know we're capable of that. It's not always possible to do every time we go out and play but tonight was nice and clinical." Leigh coach Adrian Lam held the opposite view of his side and was heavily critical of the Leopards' defence. Lam said: "I'm very disappointed. I didn't see that coming. "They were 10 times better than us but when you make decisions like we made, it can really hurt you heavily. "There were several players that played their worst rugby of the year. It was unacceptable." Tries from Edwin Ipape and Owen Trout in the final quarter added some respectability to the scoreline but the result was never in doubt. Ex-NRL star Sezer was at his creative best for Hull, spreading the play for Cust to show his strength to burrow through several challenges to touch down. Sezer then landed a 40-20 kick which led to Will Pryce driving close to the line and Ese'ese crashing over. Another followed on the stroke of half-time, Eseh finishing off more good work from Sezer under the posts. With five goals from Sezer, Hull held a commanding 26-0 advantage at the break. Ipape finally got them on the scoreboard with just over an hour gone when he wriggled under the posts after a Tesi Niu break and Ben McNamara converted. Trout cut the arrears further and Josh Charnley threatened to create another after an electric break, but Sezer got back to cut out Ipape's pass. John Cartwright hailed a clinical display from his side as Hull ended a four-game losing run with a 26-12 Super League win at Leigh. Cartwright's side scored all their points in the first half on Thursday as they ran in tries through Cade Cust, Herman Ese'ese, Lewis Martin and Sam Eseh while an inspirational Aidan Sezer kicked five goals in his 250th career appearance. The Australian coach said: "We set it up in the first half. The first 15 minutes was an arm wrestle but we didn't panic and stuck at it. "We then got a bit of decent ball and Sezer was at his very best on his 250th. "To go out and compete like they did, and attack the way they did, it was good to see. "I know we're capable of that. It's not always possible to do every time we go out and play but tonight was nice and clinical." Leigh coach Adrian Lam held the opposite view of his side and was heavily critical of the Leopards' defence. Lam said: "I'm very disappointed. I didn't see that coming. "They were 10 times better than us but when you make decisions like we made, it can really hurt you heavily. "There were several players that played their worst rugby of the year. It was unacceptable." Tries from Edwin Ipape and Owen Trout in the final quarter added some respectability to the scoreline but the result was never in doubt. Ex-NRL star Sezer was at his creative best for Hull, spreading the play for Cust to show his strength to burrow through several challenges to touch down. Sezer then landed a 40-20 kick which led to Will Pryce driving close to the line and Ese'ese crashing over. Another followed on the stroke of half-time, Eseh finishing off more good work from Sezer under the posts. With five goals from Sezer, Hull held a commanding 26-0 advantage at the break. Ipape finally got them on the scoreboard with just over an hour gone when he wriggled under the posts after a Tesi Niu break and Ben McNamara converted. Trout cut the arrears further and Josh Charnley threatened to create another after an electric break, but Sezer got back to cut out Ipape's pass.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sezer stars as Hull get back to form with emphatic Super League win at Leigh
John Cartwright has already enjoyed some wonderful moments as Hull FC coach and transformed the club's fortunes in just three months in charge, but this win at Leigh could well turn out to be his finest victory yet. There is no escaping the fact that after a wonderful start to 2025, Hull have endured a difficult few weeks. Injuries and a loss of form have resulted in them exiting the Challenge Cup at the hands of their biggest rivals and tumbling outside the playoff places as the midway point of the season approaches. Related: Manchester United face urgent dilemma: ditch Amorim or revamp the squad | Jonathan Wilson But this was an emphatic return to form at a ground where away victories are hard to come by. The Leigh coach, Adrian Lam, had joked this week that their opponents here were a carbon copy of how his side play – perhaps in no small part due to the fact that four of the FC side were Leigh players as recently as last season. And in truth Leigh were beaten at their own game. Hull were magnificent, 26-0 ahead by half-time and while they didn't score a point after the break, they really didn't need to. Two late Leigh tries were nothing more than consolation as the Black and Whites returned not only to form, but into the Super League playoff places. 'We've put some consistent footy together against a side I rate highly,' Cartwright said. His side suffered another worrying injury to a key individual, with John Asiata to be sent for scans on a hamstring injury, but that should not take the edge off a very encouraging night. Anyone Cartwright asks to play out of position, they duly deliver. Tries from Cade Cust and Herman Ese'ese gave the visitors some early dominance, and they didn't relent. Lewis Martin finished a fine Will Pryce break to extend that lead further, before a decisive blow right on half-time when Sam Eseh punctured another gap in the Leigh defensive line. Aidan Sezer, on his 250th career appearance, converted all four tries and kicked a penalty to open up an unassailable lead at the interval. The Leopards, woefully under par, had been comprehensively outplayed. 'I just didn't see that coming,' Lam said. 'It was disappointing in every area, really soft and just not what we've built this season on so far.' There were improvements by Leigh after the break, but by then Hull had lost Asiata and playmaker Cust, and were defending well enough to ensure that their lead never looked threatened. It wasn't until the final quarter that Leigh finally opened their account when Edwin Ipape crossed from dummy-half, before Owen Trout followed with a try of his own six minutes later. However, even at that stage, it was obvious Hull had done more than enough when it mattered earlier in the evening.
