John Cartwright grasps Hull FC reality as community club visit offers perspective

John Cartwright has played in plenty of champion teams so knows all about what makes one tick. And the Aussie has spoken of the “brotherhood” trait that he feels will be invaluable in turning around Hull FC ’s fortunes.

Improving their team spirit is seen as key after a demoralising campaign saw only London finish below them in Super League. As a player, Cartwright won the Aussie Grand Final with Penrith as well as a State of Origin series for New South Wales and a World Cup with Australia. He was also an assistant coach when North Queensland Cowboys claimed the 2015 NRL title.

As Cartwright discussed Hull’s pre-season training plans, he said: “For me, we get plenty of time to practice our footy. But it’s what you think of the guy next to you. And making sure that for whatever reason - whether it’s a common goal, mateship or whatever - they have to be connected, solid and really playing the game for each other.

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“Any good side I've ever been involved with has always had that extra feeling of a brotherhood when they run out onto the field. It’s something you can’t see or put your finger on why. But when you’re in that group and you do have that brotherhood feeling it’s like having an extra player on the field.”

Cartwright has also been getting his bearings around the city - and an understanding of what rugby league means to people in Hull.

Asked if he can see similarities with Penrith, he said: “I see a lot of similarities with the area and the love for the game. “Rugby league in Australia is massive. It’s like football here. “The leading players are like movie stars. The game over there in the last ten years has gone way ahead of any other sport.

“But the thing Penrith has going for it is they had 10,000 kids from 19s down to Under Six's playing rugby league. While ever you have that amount of numbers playing, the cream rises to the top. And there’s a lot of cream. But I wandered out to a game yesterday at West Hull. It was Under 15s and it was refreshing to see such a really tough game, both teams going hard at it and a fair few people there in the crowd enjoying the game.

“I’m not sure of the figures here of kids playing rugby league but the feeling I get walking around the town is that there’s real support in the town.”

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