Brad Fash on his testimonial game, Hull FC’s positives, the new ruck rules, and why he chose Brantingham Park.
Hull FC forward Brad Fash. (Image: Dave Lofthouse, Hull FC.)
To say Hull FC forward Brad Fash went full circle on Sunday afternoon is a fair assessment. The testimonial man, who celebrated his 30th birthday the day before, was the oldest black and white player to line up against Huddersfield Giants – with his first taste of first-team action ironically coming in another testimonial match for Gareth Ellis 11 years ago.
Running out against Wakefield Trinity, Fash played a handful of minutes that day, comparing his own journey to the start of several young Hull players who impressed against senior Super League opposition.
“I felt old,” Fash, speaking after the game, joked. “But no, I found it alright. The first 20-25 minutes I felt great, and the last 10 minutes, I had waited to come back on and felt a bit stiff, but other than that, it was good.
“It was a good game and a good day out, and I thought the young boys who stepped up gave a great representation of themselves, which was great.”
On the realisation of being the eldest player in the Hull team, Fash, who has recovered from off-season ankle surgery this winter, continued: “It’s certainly a change. I remember coming through and playing in the likes of Gaz Ellis’ testimonial and things like that.
“I think I got about four minutes, but I was really happy for them four minutes, and it was a great opportunity for me. It’s led on for these last 10 years, which has been great.”
Ultimately, Hull lost Fash’s testimonial match 28-16, with Huddersfield pipping the Black and Whites five tries to four, but it was still a worthwhile exercise with some bright sparks for the home side.
“We started a couple of big middles,” Fash said. “We started with myself, and then we had a couple of experienced boys coming off the bench. I think we adhered to the system quite well and we defended pretty good as well, especially the first half, which was good. Carty and the rest of the coaching staff will be able to take something from that.”
And as for the new ruck rules, with faster play of the balls now in action and infringements more strictly penalised, Fash explained: “I thought it went pretty well – I thought we adhered to the rules pretty well in the first half.
“We responded to the ref’s calls and we responded to his decisions. It could have been slower at times, but it was alright – it was a first run out and a first go at it. It’ll take some getting used to, but everyone’s going to get used to it, so it is what it is, and those are the rules, and we’ve got to do as we’re told.”
Opting to play his testimonial at Hull Ionians’ Brantingham Park, Fash also thanked the fans for their support on his big day. He added: “It was a great experience. I thought the support was fantastic, and for everyone who turned out, it was really good. I appreciate it.
“It was great and they showed a lot of support. It was a cold day, freezing cold, and I’m really proud that the supporters turned out. My son plays down here at Ionians, so I wanted to have it here for him, and he really appreciated it.”