The shock Super League coach that almost got the Hull FC job in front of Brett Hodgson and why it never happened

Ahead of the 2021 Super League season, Brett Hodgson was announced as the new head coach of Hull FC.

It was a surprise choice by many considering the fact that the former Warrington Wolves and Huddersfield Giants fullback had yet to experience a top flight coaching role.

Instead, Hodgson had been assistant at the Wests Tigers as well as coach of the feeder team, Western Suburbs Magpies.

However, the Australian was given a chance at the MKM Stadium, with the Hull hierarchy keen to turn the culture and drop of results around following the exit of Lee Radford earlier in 2020.

Of course, Andy Last galvanised the Black and Whites towards the end of that Covid-19 ridden year, but he was overlooked as a potential candidate to keep the job permanently.

Now, with Brett Hodgson leaving his role at the MKM Stadium on Monday, the time for recruiting a head coach is once more imperative for the Black and Whites.

One of those names that has been mentioned has been current England boss Shaun Wane, who will be coaching the national side at the World Cup in October.

Wane hasn’t taken a club head coaching role in rugby league since the Wigan Warriors, but leading rugby league agent, Craig Harrison of Show Me The Money UK, has revealed that he almost got the job the last time that Hull were looking for a head coach only for his salary demands to stop it from happening.

“Would Shaun Wane come out? He got the interview before Brett did, did you know that?” Harrison said on The Full Eighty Minutes podcast.

“Do you know what stopped it? His salary. Shaun dropped the hammer and they nearly fell off the cliff.

“Would they go back for Waney and say to him the World Cup is on now you are finished in six weeks time.

“There are about six or eight scenarios.”

It would be an incredible move if it came off, but Tony Smith is widely expected to take the reins at the MKM Stadium.