Hull FC are on the lookout for new players following a disrupted start to the 2026 season.
Hull FC head coach John Cartwright.(Image: SW PIX)
John Cartwright has indicated that Hull FC are after a full-back and a prop as they look to fill the holes left by Will Pryce’s season-ending injury and Liam Knight’s release from the club.
Knight’s departure has opened up a quota option for the Black and Whites, with a handful of NRL full-backs reportedly offered to Super League clubs amid the full-back injury crisis that has plagued the competition early on this season. Those players include NRL players Trai Fuller, Tyrell Sloan, and Chevy Stewart.
Cartwright has admitted to Hull Live that those players are of interest, but there are many factors to consider, mainly the salary cap, and not just this year’s cap, but for 2027 and the makeup of next year’s squad. The head coach also remains insistent that any new player has to be the right fit, with the club continuing to assess their options with nothing concrete in terms of a new signing made yet.
“They’re all of interest, but it’s all about salary cap space,” Cartwright told Hull Live when asked about Fuller, Sloan, and Stewart. “We have got an import spot there and it’s ongoing; the cap and the roster never sleep, they’re always ongoing, and especially when you’ve got a few people on the sideline and Will is out for the season.
“It (full-back) is an area we’re looking at, but there’s nothing concrete as of now. We have a bit of cap space there, but losing Liam Knight has made us a little bit skinny as far as front rowers are concerned. We’re looking, but I said last week and the week before, we certainly won’t rush.
“There are a lot of things to consider, including our future beyond this year, and the salary cap comes into play. We are on the lookout, and if the right fit comes for us and we can fit it in the salary cap, then we’ll certainly have a look at it.”
Cartwright is also hoping the market becomes a little bit more fluid as the NRL season gets into its groove. The opening round was played out last weekend and once players learn where the land lies at their current club, it might open up more recruitment opportunities.
“It’s difficult at the moment with the time of year,” Cartwright added. “They’ve only had a game over there and all of the players have had a full off-season and fancy their chances of playing in the NRL. When that five/six-game mark comes in and it becomes a little bit clearer where they sit in their organisation, then (it might be easier for us).
“The Perth team has also only made 10 or so signings so far. They’re going to sign another 20 players that would normally be on the market to come over here. It’s getting a bit harder to get players over here, and especially of the ilk that you want to bring.”