5 hours Ago By [email protected] (Daniel Tomlinson)
John Cartwright believes there has been an incremental rise in the standard of his Hull FC team this year – especially given the lack of continuity they've faced so far. While having a settled spine, with the likes of John Asiata ever present and Aidan Sezer and Amir Bourouh missing just one game apiece, the edges and middles have been torn apart. It got so extreme that Hull sought out three new middle recruits in Liam Knight, Liam Watts, and Sam Eseh, while the current back row situation is so severe that two centres, Zak Hardaker and Ed Chamberlain, and a prop, Jack Ashworth, have been filling in there.
In the outside backs, new combinations have also been by the bucketload, but still, despite what personnel comes into the team, Hull, a much improved and tougher outfit this year, continue to compete, playing the brand of attacking rugby instructed from their head coach. In fact, barring one game against Wigan in round two, they have been in the thick of the action in every Super League game. That has seen them defy early expectations and sit in fourth place on the table, well poised after one third of the season.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's clash against Wigan, Cartwright, installing grit and resilence into Hull this season, was quick to highlight that progress but equally share his big desire. "I think it's been a progressive thing, probably from the first kick-off," Cartwright said. "We've just been struggling to get any continuity with our team, and that's across the competition.
It's a tough game, and injuries happen. "But I think it says a lot about the type of footy we're playing. We can make a lot of changes, and while we've been fortunate in the key errors, in centres, back rowers, and wingers, we have brought someone in and kept the same way we're playing and played at a certain level.
"That's always really pleasing – to have that next man up mentality – but it would be nice to get a constant 17, really build, and go from there. That's probably wishful thinking in such a brutal game." Elaborating on what has impressed him, Cartwright continued: "It's the effort areas – they don't always win you games, but they will get you into games.
"The polish you can put on the back of the effort areas decides how you go against the better sides in the competition. We've got the best this weekend, and we need to keep turning up with those effort areas that keep you in the game but also be a lot better in finishing the ends to our sets. "We've had a long turnaround, and I think it always helps just to freshen your side up.
The extra couple of days can make the world of difference. We've had nine days, so we are a little bit fresher." Prepping well for the Wigan clash, Hull will field the spine against the champions, with a balance found.
Watch Hull's best highlights and tries this year, and it's clear to see the shape and structure come from Asiata and Sezer, with Cade Cust and Will Pryce able to strike with their running games. It's a shape Cartwright has full faith in, but there's only one thing that is now going to get the cogs fully spinning: time together. "That's the only thing that will make them better – getting an understanding and getting a feel for what each other is doing before they actually do it," Cartwright explained.
"That's one thing that I think Wigan do better than anyone. "There's a real understanding between all of their key men, and they know what they're going to do before they do it. That just comes with time spent.
They have been together for years; our boys with Will coming in have had three games. We know the quality is there; it's just now about spending time together." Looking to kick on, Hull are aware of the long road ahead, with 18 rounds still to come after the Wigan clash.
Defying external expectation, the Black and Whites have turned a few heads, but internally, they know nothing has been achieved yet, with the side now hoping to avenge last week's derby defeat with another scalp over the best team in the land. "We're only eight games in, and there's a hell of a lot of points available still to come," Cartwright added. "But I think we've been consistent.
"We're still working each other out and finding the type of team that we want to be, but as far as competing and doing the little things in games well, we're certainly doing that – that's an area that I think if you do get right, you're going to win more than you lose. But again, there's still a long way to go. "There are sides that we haven't even played yet, and there are sides in Wigan who we will have played twice.
It's a really tough one, and the competition is very even; there are a couple of standouts there, but the majority of it is pretty even. "All I keep saying to myself is we'll be judged on where we sit at the end, not where we sit now. I'm happy with where we're at now, and I've been happy with most parts of the games we've played and the progress we have made.
"When the weather warms up and times are spent more together, the footy tends to open up a bit more, and that's when the better sides are easier to handle. I think we'll find that as the seasons roll on, but that's the same for us too. I still feel that there is a lot of improvement left in us.
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