Hull FC will welcome Bradford Bulls back to Super League in their round one clash but what does the strongest Black and Whites side look like?

John Cartwright had a massive impact in his first season at the club, lifting them from 11th in Super League and on six points to seventh and on 27 points, just three shy of the play-offs.

That was despite a spate of injury issues and Hull FC will be hoping they can get on top of those issues in 2026 as they hunt for their first play-off appearance since 2020.

They’ve recruited strongly for the upcoming season with a clear directive to improve their pack, adding numerous players from rival Super League clubs, whilst also adding some spark in their halves by signing Jake Arthur from the NRL.

Ahead of their round one clash with Bradford Bulls, we’ve gone through what their strongest XIII and bench could be for that game with five signings in line to feature.

What does the strongest Hull FC XIII look like in round one?

A number of the below players are nursing injuries but the only man certain to miss round one is star prop Herman Ese’ese, who is still recovering from an Achilles injury.

Full-back: Will Pryce

Pryce is one of those with some injury concern though it’s not as big as others and it’s thought he will start the season and it’s set to be a big one for the ex-NRL man. He now has a defined role and has had a full pre-season so 2026 could be the year we see the best of Will Pryce.

Wingers: Harvey Barron and Lewis Martin

Two of the jewels in the Hull FC crown in respect to their young rising stars with Lewis Martin ending 2025 as the top try-scorer in Super League and Harvey Barron quietly going under the radar, on account of Martin’s try-scoring, to become one of the most exciting wingers in Super League.

Centres: Davy Litten and Zak Hardaker

Davy Litten will be a lock at centre this year and he’ll likely be joined by Zak Hardaker who was moved around the pitch to fill in every position bar prop and hooker in 2026. The blend of youth and experience compliments this back-line well.

Halves: Jake Arthur and Aidan Sezer

Jake Arthur is the big signing that Hull FC have made and they’ll be hoping he is more akin to Jake Clifford in quality and impact than he is to Will Smith. He’ll partner with Aidan Sezer who had a very strong first season at the MKM Stadium.

Hooker: Amir Bourouh

Amir Bourouh cemented his role as the starting hooker in 2025 and he’s set to reprise that with Cade Cust to offer relief from the bench.

Props: Harvie Hill and Liam Knight

With Ese’ese out, it means Liam Knight will likely be the starter though he ended 2025 with an injury. New signing Harvie Hill will have to step up from a contributor at Wigan to being a main man at Hull FC, something he is more than capable of.

Second-rowers: Joe Batchelor and Jed Cartwright

Jed Cartwright had a torrid time with injuries in 2025, even ending the season off the field with a pec injury, and he’s another who could well miss out/not be risked early on given his injury record. Signing Joe Batchelor should slot right in as a starter but he’s another who has missed time in the past.

Loose forward: John Asiata

Yet another who might not be risked is John Asiata who underwent surgery in the off-season but it’s undeniable what a huge impact he makes when he does play. Keeping him fit in 2026 could be the difference between making and missing the play-offs.

Interchanges: Cade Cust, Sam Lisone, Ligi Sao, James Bell

Cade Cust will be the utility whilst signing Sam Lisone is one of the best impact players from the bench in Super League, playing that role in all 27 of Leeds’ games in the league last year. Ligi Sao returns after a year out whilst signing James Bell is another who has sustained an injury in pre-season so could be a doubt. Should Bell not be fit then new recruit Connor Bailey could be a player who steps up.

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