Hull FC have recruited heavily after a poor 2024 and one of those signings has made it clear that is he’s not winning then he won’t be happy.
“If I’m not winning then I’m not going to be that happy to be honest,” Zak Hardaker explained when speaking on the Hull FC YouTube channel as he assessed the pre-season so far as well as the aims for 2025.
Having won just three games in 2024 and recording their lowest-ever winning percentage, the Black and Whites went heavy on their recruitment with a total of ten players arriving at the MKM Stadium – making them one of just three Super League clubs to record double-digit signings.
Plenty of those signings were senior players with a host of the recruits over the age of 30, namely Hardaker, John Asiata, Aidan Sezer, Jordan Rapana and Oliver Holmes.
Asked if there is ‘free rein’ in 2025 and the ability to go under the radar in terms of expectations, Hardaker affirmed that the club had brought in winners and that winning was exactly what he intended to do.
Hull FC signing ‘here to win’
Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com – 10/05/2024 – Rugby League – Betfred Super League – Leigh Leopards v Salford Red Devils – Leigh Sports Village, Leigh , England – Zak Hardaker of Leigh celebrates his teams victory over Salford Red Devils
On the potential lack of expectations, Hardaker said: “I can see that and that is probably everybody’s perception of it but like I’ve said from day one – I’m here to win.
“Like I’ve said, the boys that we’ve brought in are all competitors – we want to win. Wherever we’ve been, we’ve succeeded in some way, whether that’s a trophy, League Leaders or we’ve got to the play-offs and the semi-finals.
“Whatever that may be, everyone who has been brought in has been there and done it and I can say from my experience we won’t be happy unless we get to some kind of play-off, and in the Challenge Cup anything can happen.”
The former Leigh Leopards man would temper expectations somewhat, prefacing: “I’m not going to sit here and say that we’re going to win the league and the Challenge Cup but I’d be daft to say that’s not something that’s the goal.
“As a club, I’m not sure what they’re going to say. We’ll probably speak to John and the coaching staff about any real targets that we want to achieve but as a player, I can honestly say that I’ll go out there every week wanting to win and if we don’t then I won’t be happy.”
Having referenced the Challenge Cup, the 33-year-old was asked how he felt about the new format which sees Super League clubs enter in Round Three, rather than at the Round of 16 as has been the case recently.
“I think it’s brilliant,” he argued.
“I think on the flip side you probably want to just have one game and get to the final but for the amateur game, I think it’s fantastic.
“If I could think of myself as an amateur player and a team like Hull FC or any Super League team came then it’s magnificent. I think it’s a great format, we’ll have to see who we get.”
