Hull FC appoint 'huge coup' to performance staff as importance of role explained

Jon Clarke has joined Hull FC as High Performance Consultant for the 2025 season and beyond. The former Warrington Wolves hooker is one of the most respected Strength & Conditioning coaches within the sport and will now work closely with incoming Head Coach John Cartwright and Head of Conditioning Tom Bennett.

Signing a three-year deal, Clarke has had roles in the performance departments of both Widnes Vikings and Warrington since retiring in 2014. He has also worked in rugby union with the England team and was part of their 2019 World Cup staff before making the jump to the British & Irish Lions team for their tour to South Africa in 2021.

Since then, Clarke has been working in the NRL at Manly Sea Eagles, where he has built a stern reputation. As a player, he also featured for Wigan Warriors, London Broncos, and Widnes Vikings, whilst also representing Great Britain. However, a change to the S&C scene has paid dividends over the last 11 years, with Hull now set to benefit from that experience, with Clarke already identifying areas for improvement.

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"It’s going to be great to be able to work with a club like Hull FC for the next three years," Clarke said on his new role. "I’m really grateful to Richie and Carty for the opportunity.

"There’s a lot of work ahead of us with the squad, especially in terms of strength and speed development. There’s also certainly work to be done to help keep our best players on the pitch, and that is hopefully where I can help Tom Bennett and the rest of the high performance team deliver.

"I’ve been involved with Rugby League for 35 years, and I’ve been a head of performance internationally in both codes of rugby for the last ten years. Now I feel it is my opportunity to give something back to the game in a different way with this new role with Hull FC—one I am very much looking forward to."

Hull Live understands that Clarke has already been active with the Black and Whites in recent weeks, helping Cartwright, Bennett, and co put a plan in place for pre-season training. The 45-year-old will be at the club for pre-season and beyond to make sure that the programme is running as planned.

Knowing Clarke from his time at Warrington, Myler believes the appointment is a huge coup for the club. He added: "I’m really pleased to have brought Jon into the club. I can’t emphasise enough how much of a huge coup I think it is for the club.

"We’ve worked really hard to try and bring Jon in because we believe he will be able to have a strong impact on the playing group, but also help develop our own internal staff. Having played with Jon during my time at Warrington, I know him personally, and I am confident that he will be a great addition at the club, working closely with John Cartwright and our performance staff."

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