Hull FC have re-signed three of their young players.
Hull FC prop Matty Laidlaw.(Image: Hull FC)
Hull FC have tied down three young players to new contracts, with Matty Laidlaw, Will Kirby, and Joe Ward all signing new deals at the club.
The trio, all products of Hull’s academy, have all featured in the first team this season, with Laidlaw playing five times, Kirby twice, and Ward, who debuted against York Acorn back in February, once.
Laidlaw has penned a new one-year deal. The 21-year-old prop has made 18 Hull appearances since his 2022 debut and has also played at Doncaster on dual reg this year. He is now signed up until the end of the 2026 season.
Featuring in John Cartwright’s side this season, Laidlaw, also playing for the club’s reserves side, has come up for praise from his head coach, with the young forward adding competition and depth to a front row that will contain the likes of Herman Ese’ese, Liam Knight, Sam Lisone, and Harvie Hill next season – not to mention Brad Fash and Yusuf Aydin.
Meanwhile, Kirby, as previously reported by Hull Live, has signed a new deal at the club. That extension keeps him at the club until the end of the 2027 season.
The 19-year-old made his senior Hull debut in 2024 at Salford and has two further appearances to his name this year. He has been playing on loan at Hunslet this summer, where he has featured seven times.
Similarly, Ward has also signed a new two-year deal, as reported by Hull Live last month. The 19-year-old winger has also featured on loan at Hunslet and for the club’s reserves side this year.
The trio follow on from several extensions already confirmed earlier this year, including the likes of Ese’ese, Knight, Lewis Martin, Harvey Barron, Davy Litten, Denive Balmforth, and Will Hutchinson.
Hull FC’s Director of Rugby, Gareth Ellis, said: “I’m pleased that we’ve been able to tie down three more of our promising young players into 2026.
“Matty has performed really solidly when he has been given those first-team opportunities this season and will continue to add some impressive depth to our forward options next season. And both Will and Joe have made great strides in 2025 while playing for our Reserves and on loan at Hunslet.
“All three players have applied themselves really well both on and off the field, and we’re really pleased to maintain that strong core of homegrown academy products within our squad as we move forward.”