St Helens boss Paul Wellens admits the woeful home record Hull FC currently hold was part of his pre-match message ahead of Saturday’s contest. The Saints beat Hull 13-6, with two Kyle Feldt tries and a Jonny Lomax drop goal making the difference at the MKM Stadium to give the club their fourth straight win.
For Hull, though, the result extended what is now a 12-month winless record on home soil. The Black and Whites’ last win in East Yorkshire came on July 20, 2024, as they beat Wigan Warriors 24-22 on home soil.
Since then Hull have played 12 games at the MKM Stadium and lost 11, with the draw against Leigh Leopards in March being the one anomaly. Of the 12, seven have come this season, including the Challenge Cup loss to Hull KR, with all of their 10 wins coming on the road.
It’s a record that is becoming a real issue for the Black and Whites and with seven of their last 10 games being played at the MKM, it’s one John Cartwright’s side need to nip in the bud quickly, with Thursday’s clash with Wakefield Trinity providing their next opportunity.
Wellens is confident that the Black and Whites will snap that losing streak at some point in the coming weeks as they continue to build as a club and he reserved praise for Hull as a team after Saturday’s contest.
But, the Saints boss admits that he challenged his side not to be the team the Black and Whites buck their run against.
Paul Wellens on Hull FC home form
“I wasn’t aware of that until 48 hours before the game and was thinking why have you told me that,” Wellens said on Hull’s run, per the St Helens Star.
“There is a tendency for that to bite you on the backside but we did actually communicate that to the players that at some point – given the quality of team Hull has – they are going to beat somebody here and let’s make sure it is not us.
“The Hull supporters will go away disappointed today because they have lost but you cannot fault for one second the commitment of the players and the team. They are building something in comparison to what they were doing 12 months ago.”
Thursday’s clash with Wakefield is a big one for both sides in the battle for a spot in the top six, but it’s fair to say Hull FC won’t stand a chance of claiming a play-off spot this season if they fail to turn their home fortunes around.
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