Jed Cartwright makes early Hull FC admission as forward prepares for first run out

Jed Cartwright will run out for the first time in Hull FC colours this Sunday afternoon. The Australian back rower was smartly left out of the Super League game against Warrington Wolves last week, having only landed in the country from Australia six days before.

He is now set to debut in the first-team against Salford Red Devils next week, so long as he comes through his first challenge unscathed. Lining up for the reserves against Leigh Leopards, Sunday’s clash is his first outing for the club, with the back rower keen to show what he can do.

Speaking on his arrival at Hull FC, Cartwright said: "It's been good. All of the boys have been really welcoming, and all of the staff are friendly.

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"It's been a bit of a whirlwind saying bye to everyone back home. It was an emotional week, I guess, but I was just keen to come over here and get stuck into footy as quickly as I could. I've done some recovery, gym work, and I've met all the boys. I did a little bit of video just to get me prepared.

"The team all seem like pretty good boys. They've all said how special the club is and how passionate the fans are, so I'm excited to be a part of that. You see on TV how loud they are and how much they get behind it. I'm really looking forward to running out and experiencing that."

Hoping to add to Hull’s growing performances in recent weeks, the 27-year-old, who is the son of incoming head coach for 2025, John Cartwright, is keen to make his mark as an older head in the side. Impressed with Hull’s defence in recent weeks, it’s the scramble and desperation to defend and stop tries that had caught his eye.

He continued: "It's what you look for: people wanting to get desperate and stop tries. Being a part of a team like that, is really good. It helps you with your efforts, and I can't wait to be a part of that.

"It's a very young squad here, and I'm an older head, so to share the experiences I've had throughout my career, whether on or off the field, or how to prepare and recover for games and get yourself right, I'm hoping I can teach some things like that."

Making an early admission of his younger teammates, of which the likes of Logan Moy, Lewis Martin, Will Gardiner, and Denive Balmforth have starred in recent weeks, Cartwright added: “They're very skilful, and very fast and energetic. It’s good to see.

“It's the youngest squad I've probably been a part of since I came through at Penrith (Panthers). I was one of the young players back then, so it's good to see it from the flipside.”

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