The Kiwi recruit on Hull FC’s start to the year, righting the wrongs, his pre-season injury, and his eyes-up game.
16:00, 20 Mar 2026Updated 17:27, 20 Mar 2026
Hull FC forward James Bell.(Image: Dave Lofthouse, Hull FC)
‘Don’t write us off just yet.’ The defiant message from Hull FC forward James Bell.
The Black and Whites have started the year with four losses from their opening six games in all competitions, but the Kiwi, signed from St Helens in the off-season, is backing the side to turn it all around.
Insistent that confidence and belief remain high, Hull take on Leeds Rhinos at the MKM Stadium this Sunday afternoon, and despite nine players out injured, Bell, set for his third game for his new club after his own pre-season setback, is raring to go.
“It’s still early days,” the 31-year-old told Hull Live. “We’ve got a lot of things that have happened and a lot of injuries; that’s not an excuse, as we’ve still got a really good team, but it’s still very early on in the season.
“It’s a rollercoaster at times is rugby league and I’ve been in a lot worse positions before and gone on to play finals footy and given it a real crack. We’re not far off and the boys are still really positive.
“We know what we need to do – it’s just a matter of doing it and doing it this week to get ourselves a win. That’s the most important thing.
“We just need to do what needs to be done. It’s just a matter of time for us. The boys are really confident and I’m really confident that we can start winning some games.”
Set to run out at the MKM Stadium for the first time, Bell, outlining the challenges ahead, is now looking for some home comforts. He continued: “The supporters definitely deserve a win and I think we can definitely do that this weekend. I’m really excited. I can’t wait. I can’t wait to see the fans and my family in the ground. It will be a big moment for me.
“But the most important thing for us as a group is to stay confident and trust what we’re doing. We’ve got little things that we need to fix; we know that, but we’ve got to set the tone straight away for how the game’s going to play out. If we have a big start, we’re putting ourselves in a good position for the rest of the game.
“We know we’re not helping ourselves at the moment (with errors and penalties); the amount of extra work we’re doing every week is not helping us. If we can tidy that up, then we’re going to give ourselves more energy for other areas of the game.”
Of course, Bell’s time at Hull so far hasn’t gone to script, with the player suffering a knee injury in pre-season training. Originally diagnosed as a four-week recovery, further scans revealed something more sinister, with the player going under the knife and out for over two months.
“I did it in a wrestling session,” Bell said. “My knee got stuck and twisted over itself. It wasn’t ideal, but things could be worse, for sure.
“It was frustrating; I’ve said that a lot when I talk about my pre-season as an individual, but it is what it is. Injuries are part of rugby league, unfortunately, but the good thing is it’s fully recovered, and I’m back now, which is nice, and I feel really confident now in my fitness and my game.”
As for that game, Bell debuted off the bench at Wakefield earlier this month, playing at loose-forward, before starting in the back row at former club Leigh last week to cover Hull’s various injuries. But regardless of where he plays this week, he’s determined to kick on.
“If you want the best out of me, it’s probably me playing in the middle of the park, but in saying that, I’m more than comfortable to do a job in the second row,” Bell added. “It just affects the impact I can have on a game.
“If you’re playing in the middle, you can go after it a bit more and make an impact, but in the second row, you’re waiting for the game to come to you. I definitely find myself more effective in the middle, but rugby league is a bit of a funny one; you never know what’s going to happen. You can have something set out and then everything changes.
“I’m just hoping to bring a bit of speed and deception now – it’s just a matter of time, getting reps and minutes in. It’s definitely going to come.
“Eyes up, footy, that’s me – especially being a smaller body in the middle. I can find the gaps a bit easier or open up opportunities for the other bigger boys. That’s something I pride myself on and it’s the same in defence. I’m a bit of a smaller body, so I go out and do a bit more work and I can play with a bit more line speed. That’s my game, and hopefully, I can show what I’m all about.”