John Cartwright has dialled up the intensity at Hull FC over the last couple of weeks as the Super League season edges closer. That’s according to Jordan Rapana, who has opened up on his first month or so with the club after making the move over from Canberra Raiders.
Rapana has penned a two-year deal with the Black and Whites, which takes him through to the age of 37, and he’s expected to play a leading role in what is a young side under Cartwright. Of course, the full-back has worked under Cartwright previously, with the pair crossing paths at Gold Coast Titans back in 2008.
And, while Rapana says the head coach hasn’t changed too much as he pushes his side in preparation for the road ahead, he admits he has softened a little over the years.
“He’s just as I remember him,” Rapana told the official Hull FC YouTube channel. “He might have been a bit harder back in the day but like any older person, they start to soften up.
“He’s been unreal and getting to play alongside his son Jed, too, when I was getting coached by Carty back in the day Jed will have only been 10 or 11 so it’s awesome to see his development and looking forward to playing alongside of him.
“I think me and John Asiata were probably the last two to come into the squad but yeah, especially the last two weeks going into this Christmas break, John’s turned it up a notch and things are getting revved up and the boys are raring to go.”
Rapana will be used to being put through his paces at this time of year, but it’s fair to say he has found Hull’s artificial training pitch at the University of Hull a little tougher to handle. The Black and Whites have spent the winter training on a 4G surface and coming from the NRL, that’s not something the former New Zealand international has encountered before.
“Like any pre-season it’s been tough,” he added. “I guess for me my challenge has probably been dealing with the 4G pitch.
“In Australia I’ve never really trained on that so I’m trying to get the kilometres in my legs and get the body right so that I’m right for the season. It takes a toll on you the 4G pitch and that’s probably been my challenge. All the training I have been doing is very tough, I’m loving it and I’m really loving the challenge.
“You don’t feel it while you’re training but it’s probably the effects after when you get home, so doing all your recovery and making sure you’re getting treatment after and icing. I know for myself it’s more the joints, the ankles and knees that ache a little bit, and I probably speak on behalf of most of the boys that they probably find the same thing as well.”
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