Hull FC signing embraces three-way competition for starting shirt

Hull FC signing Amir Bourouh has claimed that the competition for places at hooker will only make him, and his teammates, better.

Black and Whites stalwart Danny Houghton hung up the boots at the end of the 2024 campaign and that has left a serious void with the club set to name a new number nine for the first time in over a decade.

John Cartwright will have plenty to choose from in terms of his starter with two of the club’s nine signings being hookers and young Denive Balmforth gaining plenty of experience in the most recent season whilst Houghton was unavailable.

Both Cade Cust and Amir Bourouh arrive at the club and whilst Bourouh is the more natural hooker and Cust more of a utility, it is Cust who has the bigger star power so the battle for the starting spot could go beyond who is handed the number nine shirt.

The Salford pair have both spoken on the club website this past week with Cust explaining how he has been prepping himself for pre-season Down Under and Bourouh confirming that some of the old squad have confirmed that the intensity has taken a step up under Cartwright.

He’d confirm that and explain: “It’s been a really tough, but enjoyable start to pre-season – it’s been great to get around my new teammates and coaching staff and start to build a bond with them.”

Hull FC man prepared to fight for starting role

Along with nine new signings, there are also three new members of the coaching staff with some newer than others. Cartwright takes on the head coaching role meaning interim boss Simon Grix returns to his job as assistant, alongside the returning Andy Last. Another key appointment was S&C guru Jon Clarke who will run the club’s fitness programme from Australia as he sees out his role at Manly Sea Eagles.

That will have helped shape the intense pre-season so far and Bourouh has praised the coaching staff who he’s claimed will help him develop heading into the season, particularly given that he only made 13 appearances in Super League last year.

The Hull FC recruit explained: “Regular game time will be important for me to develop as a player, I’ll be fighting to earn my place in pre-season, and then hopefully to keep my spot when the games come around.

“I just want to build week on week and I think the coaching staff we have in place here are perfect to help me do that.”

On competition, he said: “I certainly feel like I’m going to be kept on my toes with some good competition for the number nine position, and that’s perfect for all of us; me, Cade (Cust) and Denive (Balmforth).

“There is no time to slack off or let standards slip when there’s that sort of depth and another person hungry to step in and prove what they’re about. We’ll all be striving to make each other better players.”