Hull FC’s slim chance of sneaking into the playoffs were ended with a 22-26 defeat at the hands of Catalans Dragons tonight.
After Harvey Barron opened the scoring two minutes in, the Dragons quickly responded as Tommy Makinson crossed for his 200th Super League try before the former Saints man pulled off an audacious pass to put Reimis Smith over.
Catalans extended their lead to 14 points in the second half, and two Lewis Martin tries weren’t enough to give FC a comeback win, despite their best efforts.
Speaking after the game, head coach John Cartwright was left puzzled by his side’s first half performance, and admitted the opening try probably led to their effort levels dropping, something that came back to haunt them.
He said: “Probably the worst thing we could have done was score a try that early. I was just a little bit worried about the atmosphere here tonight, and we did have stuff to play for, you don’t know what going to happen tomorrow. But, we’re probably hitting and hoping there and we scored that first try, then I don’t know, it just seemed our intensity for that first half and early in the second half just wasn’t what it has been.
Despite the result tonight, it has been a hugely improved year compared to 2024, where the Black and Whites finished second bottom in the table.
The Aussie coach said: “I’m trying not to be disappointed. I’m disappointed about the result, and for all the people in the ground here tonight, and for all the people in the ground here tonight, but I’m very proud of the group right throughout the year. Probably got done by a bigger side tonight. They had some big boys out there and all our big boys are on the bench.
“The last four weeks, when they happen, you get down in the dumps about it, but the last four weeks, we’ve played some of the best sides and we’ve really competed with them. Just lacking a little bit of polish and probably a little bit of size too, to be honest with you.
“That’s just what sort of sours me a little bit tonight I’ll get off here and give my head a punch in the face and we’ll talk about the positives out of the year.
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Cartwright admitted that how much he has enjoyed his maiden Super League season, and already can’t wait for preparations for next season to begin.
He said: “I’ve loved every minute of it, the ups, the downs. As a coach and as a player and as a supporter, you don’t win every week. You’ve got to enjoy the downs as much as the upside, and we’ve had lots of upsides this year. I think we’ve learnt from the downsides. I think the players, the young boys who got experience this year, are going to be better for it.
“I think the boys we’re bringing in, we’re bringing in some really exciting players so a lot of hard work to get through. Everyone starts square at the start of next year and everyone’s improved so it’s a battle. But, on the whole, I really enjoy the football, the fans and the people I’ve met.”
With the gap to the top six potentially finalising at just one point, Cartwright was asked if there was a moment or match that he thought was one that could have changed their fortune.
He replied: “I think, as soon as it happened, the Magic Round at Huddersfield. We weren’t playing well, but we had an advantage of an extra man. They had a guy sin binned, and then we had a send off [and] sin bin in the next set of six. We fought hard but I think they got us by a point or two in the end, but that was a game at the time that was a game that we should have won. We played dumb. Didn’t get the two points there and that might be the difference between playing playoffs and not.”
That game saw Huddersfield earn their first win of the season, as Liam Knight saw red and Sam Eseh was sent to the sin bin in a 12-10 defeat.
