Hull FC

Hull FC forwards dominate, big-name Dragons stars not stepping up and Catalans Dragons v Hull FC talking points

by
Sian Reed
May 31, 2025

Catalans Dragons v Hull FC talking points as Zak Hardaker applauds fans

Rounding off round 13 of Super League was Catalans Dragons v Hull FC as the Black and Whites grabbed their seventh away win of the season in Perpignan.

Both sides were forced into changes with injuries, but it was Hull FC who came out on top in a dazzling display with a 34-0 victory.

That win moves them back up to fifth, and as Catalans’ third nil-scoreline in a row, interim coach Joel Tomkins has his work cut out for him.

Here are the main talking points from the Super League game between Catalans Dragons v Hull FC on Saturday night.

Catalans Dragons v Hull FC talking points

Will Pryce could be the glue for FC’s attack

In only his eighth game for the Black and Whites, Will Pryce looks to be the piece of the puzzle that Hull FC’s attack has been missing. Whilst Aidan Sezer’s attacking kicks have been gamechangers this season, Pryce adds another dynamic to the attack with his pace. Whilst it was very much a team effort, he was a particular standout, especially going forward. Hull have been crying out for a support-play fullback for some time, and Pryce fits that mould.

Dragons big names not stepping up

There’s been plenty of criticism for the Dragons over recent weeks, with much of the talk about them missing key men, but they certainly have some big names in their current squad. Luke Keary was a player tipped to come over to Super League and be an absolute superstar. What he’s showing right now is far from it. He and Theo Fages in the halves don’t look to be combining all that well, which isn’t ideal for a halfback pairing. That defeat drops them to ninth place, and whilst they’re only two wins adrift of a play-off spot, it feels like a mountain to climb over in Perpignan.

Hull FC’s improved defending

Catalans did have a share of the attack, but Hull FC’s defence definitely stood up to the test. In recent weeks, it’s been a little patchy, but to keep the Dragons to a duck egg on the scoreboard shows significant improvement and will please their coach massively. The Black and White showed a real tenacity in their defence across the field to keep Catalans at bay and scrambled on their line when it was required. We know they can attack well when they have the ball, but seeing their work without it today was just as impressive.

A battle of the forward packs

Simply put, Hull FC’s forwards won the battle over Catalans pack. Whilst Elliott Whitehead pulled out of the squad during the warm-up due to back pain, they still had some big forwards in there. Hull’s pack, along with their interchanges, all put in solid performances, getting them valuable metres going forward and allowing the back to capitalise on that to score. Herman Ese’ese put in a usual strong performance, but Zak Hardaker and Ed Chamberlain are doing a lot of unseen work both in attack and defence.