John Cartwright emerges as Hull FC coaching candidate as work continues

John Cartwright is a name on the lips of Hull FC supporters, with speculation increasing that he is set to be named as the new head coach of the club. The 58-year-old's name has circled the city for over a week and now, there are growing suggestions that he will be the man to take the club forward from the beginning of the 2025 season.

Since Tony Smith's departure, a plethora of names have been linked with the job, though Paul Rowley and Adrian Lam are thought to have been the only coaches strongly considered for the position, alongside the current interim coach, Simon Grix. However, Cartwright's name has emerged since Rowley turned down an offer to take on the role.

On May 8th, Rugby League Live reached out to the club regarding reported interest in Cartwright after suggestions they had discussed the position with him. However, that was firmly denied on two different occasions. But since then, speculation has never been too far away.

Of course, Cartwright does not fit the description of what the Black and Whites have indicated they are looking for in a candidate. It has been stressed to this masthead that the next coach would be British-based and someone with Super League know-how. Cartwright is an Australian whose only experience of the competition came in 1997, when he played for Salford Red Devils at the end of his career.

During his coaching career, he is best known for an eight-season spell with Gold Coast Titans. He was appointed as the inaugural coach following their entry into the NRL. In that time, his best season came in 2010, when the Titans finished third in the competition. They also made the finals a year later.

Cartwright left that role in 2014, meaning he has not been a top-flight head coach for a decade. Since then, he has acted as an assistant coach at North Queensland Cowboys, Manly Sea Eagles and, most recently, Brisbane Broncos, where he works alongside Lee Briers. He was part of the Cowboys coaching staff that enjoyed Grand Final success, while the Broncos were runners-up last year. It appears that if Cartwright is the man, he would not arrive until the start of the 2025 season.

Whether it's Cartwright or someone else, the next permanent coach will be tasked with guiding the club up the Super League ladder after a string of poor seasons. Hull FC are currently eleventh in Super League, level on points with bottom side, London Broncos.

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