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John Cartwright clarifies Hull FC interest in Salford Red Devils players

- 07/01/2025 - Rugby League - Betfred Super League - Hull FC Media Day - The MKM Stadium, Hull, England - John Cartwright.

Hull FC head coach John Cartwright has clarified the club’s position on signing players from the financially troubled Salford Red Devils.

Salford are in the midst of a difficult off-season that has seen them recently ordered by the RFL to cut spending by £800,000, however, the Red Devils are still hopeful of a takeover.

Making the situation more pressing at the moment is that the club must pay their squad on Friday to avoid likely further action that could involve rival clubs signing players in a bid to help the Red Devils cut their own spending.

Hull FC are one of the clubs who have been linked with Salford players, specifically Marc Sneyd and Deon Cross which is something that the club’s Director of Rugby Richie Myler commented upon at the club’s media day.

Head coach John Cartwright has given his interpretation to BBC Radio Humberside with the Australian moving to clarify the Black and Whites position.

“It’s not a case of us trying to sign players, it’s more players and managers worried about the situation they’re in I suppose,” he explained, adding that the Airlie Birds are one of a few teams with cap space and therefore have had plenty of approaches.

He said: “We’re a club who do have space available on our salary cap so we’ve had names of players thrown at us from a lot of different clubs.”

Hull FC boss awaiting Salford clarification with recruitment update given

Like Myler, Cartwright explained that clarification over Salford’s situation has to be had before any rival teams, including Hull FC, make any major moves.

He argued: “I think what has got to happen is that the Salford situation has got to be clear, whether they can keep all the players they have on their books or if they can’t.

“That’s something we’ll know in due course and then there’s going to be players available but up until that happens, it’s just lots of conjecture.”

Having confirmed that the club do have cap space, the Australian was quizzed on recruitment plans to which he pointed out the limited availability of players and the fact the squad have settled in over the pre-season.

He said: “There’s not a lot available at this time of year and we’ve spent the full pre-season with the squad that we’ve got so this Salford situation which has been thrown upon everyone isn’t something we’ve gone and pursued.

“Unfortunately they’re going through a period where they’re sorting themselves out and for the good of the game I hope they can.”

Should that situation not be resolved then Hull FC would likely be one of the teams to look at players given their reported interest in Cross and Sneyd and their available cap space.

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