Jordan Abdull fully focused on Hull FC goals amid KR stick and club similarity

"Don't," Jordan Abdull smirked when reminded that his Hull FC first-team debut was a decade ago. "I feel old now."

Back where it all started, Abdull, now 28, has signed a three-year deal with the Black and Whites ahead of the 2025 season. Returning as a more senior and rounded player from the teenager who debuted at Wakefield Trinity back in 2014, the club junior has the experiences in his locker, playing at London Broncos, Catalans Dragons, and on the other side of the river at Hull KR.

Determined to deliver two key ingredients—leadership and direction—Abdull cuts a calm and composed figure. He knows his role and what he needs to bring to what is very much a new-look side under a new head coach in John Cartwright. Make no mistake about it; he's raring to go.

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"It's a good feeling to be back," Abdull, speaking exclusively to Hull Live, said. "It's one of them where I think the time was right; both when I left, it was right for my career, but coming towards my late 20s, my contract is going to see me into my early 30s, and I just think it's probably the right time to go back to where it all started.

"I'm more experienced now, and it's definitely my leadership where I believe I can make an impact on this team. The way I started to play at London and Hull KR, especially, I just grew into being a dominant half-back and being that leadership figure on the pitch. I think that's the main attribute that I can bring to this side for the next three years, and having that voice, it's something that has just not been there for the last couple of years, so that's what I've learned most while I've been away.

"I've lived in London, I've lived in France, and I've played on the other side of the city. There's been some big tests along the way, but I feel like I've matured every time that I've come up against a different challenge. I've definitely picked up experience and gained knowledge both as a player and as a person."

Moving back to Hull FC from Hull KR—via Perpignan—Abdull knows what he's in for. After all, it's something he's done before. He spent a year at Hull KR on loan in 2017, before returning to Hull FC in 2018. He was then back at Hull KR in 2020 before spending 2024 with Catalans Dragons. He knows the territory, but he's ready to thrive off it.

Looking back on his signing, which was exclusively reported by Hull Live earlier this year, Abdull explained: "I was still under contract with Hull KR, and I had an offer to stay on at Catalans for another year. It was a big decision. I have been back and forth a few times, and every time you get even more stick, so I knew that that was going to be something that came with it, but like I said earlier, I think it was the right time in my career to come back to where it all started.

"I see so many similarities between Hull FC now and Hull KR four or five years ago, where you're almost starting afresh, you're in that rebuild phase, there are new coaches, and new players, but I really enjoyed the challenge of that when I was at Hull KR, so coming back to Hull FC was what I wanted to do.

"I made the decision pretty early, so I had enough time to mentally prepare myself for coming back and dealing with the negatives that come with it as well. Now that I'm home, I just want to do everything I can for the group and just enjoy the challenges ahead."

Walking into pre-season training at the start of November, there were some familiar faces for Abdull—and none more so than Brad Fash. The duo played in the club's academy side together, with Jordan Lane, albeit a couple of years younger, also part of that group.

"I've known Fashy since our West Hull and Skirlaugh days," Abdull said. "We used to have a rivalry at school, and we came through the academy together, and Laney was then a year or so after us. Fashy doesn't change. He's still Fashy. Anyone who knows him knows what he's like as a person, but it's nice to come back and have a few familiar faces. There's Lasty (Andy Last) back as well, who I can't seem to shake off, but he'll be great for the club moving forward.

"It's funny; we sit and have breakfast in our team room, and the heritage board is on the wall, and I look back and see where my number is. I think people forget just how long it was when I debuted, but it's definitely been a really exciting three weeks at pre-season so far, and I'm excited to see what we can do as a group."

And as for Abdull individually, the desire is there to be the best he can be—perhaps even adding to his 2021 England cap. The half, renowned as one of the best kickers in the Super League competition, is enjoying the ride, putting his hamstring issues behind him and diving into pre-season with one thing on his mind: getting as fit as possible.

He added: "The last few years have been so frustrating with injuries nonstop, and then the more you get injured, your mental health suffers, and you start to gain weight. It's been a snowball effect for two to three years now, but yeah, while England isn't at the back of my mind, it's not my sole focus at the moment. My focus is to try and do everything I can for this club and make sure that I'm in a position to play 25 rounds as opposed to only playing 10-15.

"I hate not playing. I hate watching teams that I'm a part of lose when I feel like I can have an impact, so as much as I'd love to represent my country again, just representing this club as many times as I can over the next twelve months is my goal, and then if the opportunity comes again at the end of the year to play for my country again, then it would be a hands-down yes every single time.

"It was the proudest moment of my career to play for England, but it's not something that I'm just going to expect; it's something that I need to earn the right to do. The best thing I can do to earn that right again is to stay consistent with my football at Hull FC."

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