Hull FC have tied up young hooker Denive Balmforth to a long-term contract, with the 21-year-old signing a new three-year deal at the club. Hull Live understands that the Black and Whites have moved quickly to secure the future of one of their most promising young players, with Balmforth now signed up until the end of the 2028 season.

The dummy-half signed a one-year contract extension for the 2025 season last summer. However, he has impressed the likes of John Cartwright this pre-season with Richie Myler now securing the player, who made 14 first-team appearances last season, for three more years.

Balmforth was one of 11 members of Hull's squad out of contract at the end of the season. However, Hull Live also understands that one or two more retention decisions have already been made, as Cartwright, Myler, and co. plan towards the future with both retention and recruitment always on the agenda. That has seen Balmforth, who was attracting interest elsewhere in Super League, sign a bumper contract, with the player the only first-team squad member at this point to have his future sewn up as far as 2028.

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Hailing from Leeds, Balmforth made his first-team debut in 2022 shortly after signing from Warrington Wolves. He made four appearances in his debut year and spent the 2023 season on loan in the Championship at Newcastle Thunder. He has also featured for Hull's academy and reserves sides and will now hope to make a big impact at the club in 2025, sharing the hooking role with new recruit Amir Bourouh.

Myler, meanwhile, spoke about retention at the club's media day on Monday. He said: "We've retained a couple of players. We have a couple of boys that are off contract. There are a couple of our players that are still in that area of uncertainty, and there's a question mark on a couple where they need to have a big season. They know that."

Hull's other out-of-contract players ahead of the 2025 season are Jack Ashworth, Harvey Barron, Tom Briscoe, Zach Jebson, Will Gardiner, Matty Laidlaw, Jordan Lane, Ligi Sao, Nick Staveley, and Cobie Wainhouse. A full list of contracts can be found here.

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