Joe Ward on his Hull FC debut, Super League goals, and honest hard work.
Young Hull FC winger Joe Ward. (Image: Hull FC)
Hull FC take on Huddersfield Giants in their first pre-season game on Sunday afternoon, and for players like Joe Ward, it’s a big opportunity to make their mark.
Keen to impress, the 20-year-old is hoping to take his chance as part of a 23-man squad facing fellow Super League opposition in Brad Fash’s testimonial match.
Ultimately, it’s playing in Super League that is the goal for the winger this coming season, who made his senior Hull debut in the Challenge Cup against York Acorn last year. A proud moment, it’s a day Ward, who hails from Leeds and signed for Hull’s academy ahead of the 2023 season, can recall even now.
“They put the team on the board the session before captain’s run and I found out I was playing there,” Ward, speaking to Hull Live, said. “We have a team meeting every morning and there was two club legends, Keith Tindall and Paul Cooke, waiting to present our shirts.
“I really enjoyed the game and I got to play with a lot of good players, John Asiata was playing, and Fashy – a lot of good names. It was a memorable day for both me and my family.
“I’m hoping to get a few Super League games in this year now. That’s the number one goal for me: to play a Super League game.”
Securing his future last season, Ward, who has been training alongside Harvey Barron, Tom Briscoe, and Lewis Martin this pre-season, has time on his side to do just that and is ready to go in what will be his fourth year at the club.
“I signed for two more years at the end of last year,” the winger continued. “It was a good year for me last season, and signing that contract was a massive sigh of relief.
“I’ve got two years now to kick on. I just need to keep training hard and if I play well in the reserves, you never know, Carty, Lasty, and Grixy might then back me to play a first-team game.
“We do a lot of 13 on 13 in training, and every session I’m up against either Harvey, Lewis or Brisc. We all challenge each other and we all get along. They all help me a lot, if I do something wrong, they let me know, and if I do something right, they are always the first ones to praise me.
“But I like to think I’m pretty strong out of the backfield. I’m pretty good on my feet and I like to get through a lot of work. That’s a non-negotiable now and a lot of coaches notice if you’re working hard or not.
“As a winger, you’ve got to get the first one or two carries in and make the rest of the set easier so the half-back can get a good kick on the end of it. It’s massive, really, but it also helps you get into the game.
”Some games you’re defending a lot, you get a few sets against you, and you don’t touch the ball for five minutes and you’re stood on the wing freezing and you can feel a bit rusty. It’s just a massive part of a winger’s game now.”
Getting involved from the get go is what Ward aims to do on Sunday, with a mix of youth and experience selected. He added: “This is my fourth year at this club and this is home to me now. I’m from Leeds and I was at scholarship at Bradford Bulls, but I came down to look at the facilities and it was just the right move for me. I wanted to get away from home and grow up, really. I’ve never looked back.
“I was injured at the start of pre-season, I did my ankle at the back end of the off-season, but I’ve been back in full training since after Christmas. It’s been tough, but I’m all good and raring to go. Hopefully, I can have a good game and we get a good win for Fashy.
“We’re all keen to get out there and to try and put a good performance in. I know a lot of the young lads in the squad from playing in the academy and reserves, and a lot of them are ready for this step up as well. We’re really looking forward to it.“