
Hull FC edged out Castleford Tigers 16-10 at Wheldon Road on Saturday afternoon as John Cartwright’s reign got off to a winning start. The Black and Whites scored three tries on the day in what was ultimately a low quality affair in West Yorkshire with Jordan Rapana, Jed Cartwright and Amir Bourouh getting over the line.
Castleford scored first half efforts through Josh Simm and Innes Senior, but Danny McGuire’s side didn’t quite have it in them to break down Hull and fightback late on.
Here’s five players that stood out to us from the pre-season friendly contest.
Jordan Rapana – Hull FC
It’s a fair assumption to make that Rapana is going to be a crowd favourite at the MKM Stadium. The former Canberra Raiders man showed off his nous and ability to read the game early doors by making a couple of smart defensive plays and throughout his stint on the field he seemed to relish the physicality.
He took his try very well, side stepping the Tigers’ scramble defence with ease to touch down. However, what’s clear is Rapana is a player who is willing to take responsibility, hold himself accountable and stand up, which is something so many at Hull failed to do last season.
Judah Rimbu – Castleford Tigers
Rimbu would probably rather have played at hooker against the Black and Whites but he was thrust into the halves and he looked the part for large parts of the contest. He was lively on the ball and alert to opportunities throughout.
His partnership with Daejarn Asi might take some time to develop if he is to remain in the halves this season, but on the back of his showing against FC, he can excite the Tigers faithful this season.
Tex Hoy – Castleford Tigers
Danny McGuire described Hoy as the best player on the pitch in the first half and he wasn’t wrong. Coming up against his former club, Hoy was a constant threat with the ball in hand and he gave FC fans a reminder of his abilities with a break early in the contest.
He then set up Castleford’s second try of the game, combining well with Asi before finding Senior in space on the flank. He carried a danger in the second half, too, as he stepped into the halves, but he couldn’t quite find the opening he needed to punish Hull.
Herman Ese’ese – Hull FC
Ese’ese was probably Hull’s top performer last season and he was at it once more on Saturday, turning in a powerful showing with the ball in hand in the first half. The Tigers struggled to handle his size and strength through the middle and he regularly made metres after contact or found an offload.
Hull rotated their pack frequently to ensure Ese’ese wasn’t used too much, while the likes of Jack Ashworth and Brad Fash seemed to enjoy lengthy stints in the second half. But, with the prop firing on all cylinders, they should have no worries through the middle as they approach the new season.
Callum Kemp – Hull FC
Along with his twin brother Lloyd, Kemp stepped off the bench for the second half and managed to impose himself on the contest fairly quickly. The half-back, who is just 18, took the game to Castleford with his fearless mentality and sharp thinking, pushing the home side back on their heels.
He showed his defensive strength to take out Sam Wood on the charge and both twins played a role in denying Fletcher Rooney late on. Speaking after the game Cartwright described the spark and energy the Kemp twins brought to the side as ‘the difference’, before predicting: “People will come through the gates to watch those two.”
