Hull FC are on the right track again.
Hull FC owner Andrew Thirkill leaves the field with Aidan Sezer and Davy Litten.(Image: SW Pix)
Plenty has changed at Hull FC over the last year or so, but for Andy Last, who returned to the club ahead of the 2025 season after four years away, there are two key pillars now driving the club on: connection and ambition.
For the 44-year-old assistant coach, the reconnection with the club’s supporters after a tough 2024 season has been huge this year, with the fight and commitment in Hull’s performances resonating with those who back them to the hilt every week.
But that connection is felt around the whole club again, from staff to coaches to players, with the ambition too to drive it further. That ambition stems from the very top, from owners Andrew Thirkill and David Hood to CEO Richie Myler to head coach John Cartwright and the squad, and in Last’s view, shows why the club are on the right track again and in the mix for a play-off spot despite an unwanted setback to Huddersfield Giants last weekend.
“I think the biggest thing for me is re-engaging with our supporters,” Last said when asked by Hull Live about the changes at Hull FC this year. “It was a really easy fix but hard to do.
“Our supporters want to see an honest, hard-working team, and I think this year’s team has certainly been honest and hard-working. Every game that we have played this year, we have been close and in a position to win. If you compete hard and bleed for the shirt, that’s what our supporters want to see, and I think we’ve done that.
“It’s been good to be back and re-engage with supporters and build those connections. I think it’s evident when we win, we’re getting lots of pats on the back, but there’s still a long way to go in our journey. It’s in its infancy, but I also think the new ownership has been massive.
“Andrew and David are both passionate men who want the best for Hull FC, and they are prepared to spend some money to make us the best. I think the recruitment we’ve done in the season shows their ambition; signing Liam Knight during the season and Will Pryce during the season is fantastic, and then some of the guys we’ve signed for next season, like Sam Lisone and people like Herman Ese’ese, have been fantastic.”
Last, who is still buoyed by what’s to come this year, is tipping a big end to the season, with Salford up next as they continue the fight for a top six spot. He continued: “You look at the squad and the team we are building for next season; it’s really exciting, but I’m really excited for this season too.
“The boys are confident, and they are working hard—there’s a real connection within the group, and when you go to Wigan and you’re beating them, not only once but twice, who, in my opinion, are still the best team in the competition when they’re fully fit, that gives you confidence.
“If we get into the six, we’ve got to go to a Wigan away, a Hull KR away, or a Leeds away, and we’ve been good on the road. That gives us confidence as a group. What we’ve got to do is make sure we take care of business between now and the end of the season, and that gives us an opportunity to build into those games.”