Few people at Hull FC are better qualified to give an opinion on new head coach John Cartwright than John Asiata. The club’s new loose-forward won an NRL Premiership under Cartwright back at North Queensland Cowboys, with the duo now reunited at the Black and Whites for 2025 and beyond.

And while that Premiership victory was a decade ago this year, the traits in Cartwright are still the same. In Asiata’s view, he still makes players relaxed, he’s still able to have the tough conversations, and he’s still as honest as they get.

That’s what made Asiata’s relationship with Hull’s new boss while the latter was an assistant at the Cowboys, with those traits now seen at Hull FC’s pre-season training, helping a new-look squad right the wrongs of last season and put a disappointing year behind them.

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"I had Carty as an assistant coach at the Cowboys, and I think as an assistant coach you are more relaxed as well," Asiata told Hull Live. "You build relationships with those coaches, and you become more like friends. You're able to build that relationship, and then you can have tougher and honest conversations.

"I think I've got that with Carty. We can speak just as well about the things that have gone bad just as much as those that have gone good. We can talk about what we need to work on and have those tough conversations.

"Carty is a person who isn't afraid to do that, and that sort of honesty between the group is going to be really good. To have those conversations and to be honest is the only way that we're going to get better, and that's what Carty is being at the moment."

Aiming to improve on last year’s 11th place finish, Hull know the road ahead of them. It’s not a quick fix, and it’s all centered on hard work. But at training, a plan is being formulated, on Hull’s strengths, with Cartwright encouraging his players to also come forward and offer their opinions.

"As a new squad, we're taking in feedback and putting forward what we like as a team," Asiata continued. "Carty gives us his opinions, and we work together to find out what fits the group. It's been pretty smooth.

"Carty is a very open person, and he loves to build his relationships with players, which is what I like to do as well, having that communication open to everyone in order to understand what we want as a group. Again, it’s been very smooth, and I'm really enjoying my time here so far."

Slotting into Hull’s new environment, Asiata has been impressed with what he’s seen, with CEO Richie Myler working hard to change the perception and mood around Hull’s training base. By many accounts, it is a more professional environment this term, with Asiata, who led Leigh Leopards to Challenge Cup glory in 2023, outlining his stance.

He added: "I don't know too much about before, but what I've experienced so far, what we're doing on and off the field, has been unreal. We're working in the community, and the boys are going out and doing stuff; they're being professional at training and with recovery and treatment.

"Everything has been really professional, and it's showing in the way that we're training at the moment. The boys are turning up and putting their best foot forward.

"For me, it's been good to come into an environment that some people were saying wasn't too great last year. From what I've seen since being here, the changes have been really good. We've just got to continue doing that for the rest of the year."

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