Hull FC coaching dynamic explained including clarity on NRL hire’s role

Hull FC head coach John Cartwright has commented on his assistants and provided clarity on the hiring of one NRL coach.

Cartwright has arrived in the UK and has been leading pre-season sessions at the club with the Black and Whites being among the earliest teams to return to pre-season.

On the basis of last season’s showing, it could be seen as understandable that Hull FC have returned so early given that they won just three of their 28 games.

The man at the helm for plenty of those was Simon Grix who served as interim head coach after the sacking of Tony Smith but Grix now returns to the assistant role he held prior.

Cartwright has now explained how he will operate alongside both Grix and the returning Andy Last after confirming that there was little contact during the season, despite being hired back in May.

Speaking on the club’s YouTube channel and about in-season talk, Cartwright confirmed:  “Not a lot, I didn’t feel comfortable talking too much whilst the season was on this year and I think everyone involved in the place needed a break away from football once the season was over.”

“We’ll work very closely” – Last and Grix to be integral to Hull FC’s success

He’s now moved to speak on the dynamics in the coaching room with Cartwright no stranger to being an assistant himself. Since leaving Gold Coast Titans in 2014, the 59-year-old has held a number of assistant roles himself.

Cartwright said: “I have spoken to Simon and Lasty so they’re aware of how I want to play the game. They’ll be aware of the roles that they’re going to play. As a head coach, you’ve got to give your assistant coaches the opportunity to have their own say on how they want to play the game as well. Otherwise, there’s no point in having them.

“We’ll work very closely. I’ve got nothing but good mail about the pair of them from a lot of mutual friends and people who have been involved with them as players and as coaches. They know Hull better than I do so I’m really looking forward to getting their take and their ideas on how we can become better as a club.”

One other important member of the Hull FC coaching staff is Jon Clarke, however, there was plenty of confusion when the Black and Whites announced him as a member of their 2025 staff.

That’s because Clarke is contracted with Manly Sea Eagles for the upcoming season and it was confirmed by the NRL club and later Hull FC that Clarke’s role will generally be a remote one.

What Jon Clarke’s role at Hull FC will be

In his recent interview, Cartwright would hail the hiring as he explained how the situation will work with confirmation that Clarke is heavily involved in the pre-season training.

“We’re lucky to have a guy as experienced as he is to come in and help. We’ve got a pretty young performance staff and I think they’re the ones that are going to benefit the most.

“He’s over here at the moment, he’s had meetings with the physio, I met with him today, and we’ve got meetings Sunday and Monday with the rest of the performance staff.”

Clarke’s experience is one of the biggest assets he brings to the role with the former Warrington Wolves star having gone on to become one of the sport’s most highly-respected S&C coaches in the game.

That hasn’t been limited to just rugby league with Clarke serving on the England Rugby Union coaching staff as well as with the British and Irish Lions.

Cartwright explained: “I suppose just tapping into his experience will be the main thing. As I said, our performance staff are young but they’re very enthusiastic and like we are with players, we want to keep producing staff from within.

“I know Tommy (Tom Bennett – Current Head of Conditioning) is very excited about the prospect. He already has had several conversations with Clarkie whilst the NRL season was going and he’s only been too happy to help.

“He’ll oversee everything, he’ll chime in where he thinks we can be better and that’s how you get better, whatever you do. Just listening to different people at different clubs and even different sports, just getting their take on things.”