John Cartwright is confident success will come to Hull FC; it’s just a case of when. The Black and Whites, who finished in a dismal 11th place in Super League last season, are undergoing a huge long-term rebuild under their new head coach, with Cartwright working in tandem with CEO Richie Myler to try and turn around the club’s fortunes.

That has seen nine new players brought in for 2025 alongside new coaching and performance staff, and most significantly of all, new owners. Purchasing the club last December after a period of exclusivity, Hull’s top brass exchanged hands with Adam Pearson selling the Airlie Birds to business duo Andrew Thirkill and David Hood. The former, meanwhile, is the father of Myler’s partner, with the whole club determined to come together as one.

That cohesion will be crucial to any success Hull have, with Cartwright preparing for his first game in charge of the club against Castleford Tigers, a pre-season friendly and Joe Westerman’s testimonial match, this Saturday. And while it’s a long road ahead to get Hull back up to where they desire to be, Cartwright, who signed a three-year deal as head coach, has insisted that the club will taste success in their bold new era, even if they have to wait to achieve it.

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"They’re really good and successful people," Cartwright said of Hull’s new owners. "They’re both really approachable too. Wherever they’ve gone in business, they’ve tasted success, and the same thing will happen for this club.

"We don’t know how long it’s going to take, but we can look forward to some success in the future. Both of them are in it for the long haul, and that means that we’re going to get success. They are investing in the club, and they want to make things happen. It’s just a matter of when.

"They are very hands-on. They’ve only been in a short period of time, but they want to ensure that every area of the club is improving. They’re very thorough with everything. They let Richie and myself take care of the football department, but they’re still in touch. They’re always just a phone call away."

Hull know they must improve in 2025, with last season their worst in the Super League era to date. Managing just three wins, 2024 continued the downward spiral seen since 2021—with Hull last making the play-offs in 2020, albeit in a reformed format. However, Cartwright isn’t fazed by recent history. In fact, it’s a clean slate for the team, one that is certainly a new look ahead of a new campaign.

"It's a totally new setup," he added. "It's a new group of coaching staff, besides Grixy (Simon Grix), and it's a new playing squad with new combinations. It's going to take a while, but even after you get to the end of the season, you're still searching for the perfect game; I don't think I've ever seen a perfect game, but it still doesn't stop you searching for it.

"We know where we sit at the moment, and we're searching for improvement. There's a lot of really good, strong sides in the Super League, and we're just looking forward to seeing where we stand when we start playing."

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