JOHN Cartwright is not getting hung up on result following Hull FC’s recent dip in form after a strong start to the 2025 Betfred Super League season.
The Black and Whites were one of the early suprises of the campaign after finishing 11th in 2024, winning four and drawing one of their first six matches in Super League this year along with shocking holders Wigan Warriors in the Betfred Challenge Cup following a stunning comeback win.
However, the Round 11 defeat to Leeds Rhinos, which saw the hosts snatch an 18-16 victory in the dying seconds thanks to Ryan Hall’s try, marked their fifth defeat in six games in all competitions and their fourth im a row. Yet head coach Cartwright is still encouraged by what he has seen from his side.
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“I’ve been doing it a fair while…and if you get concerned with where you are in the table and winning and losing, it drains too much energy and players see through you,” Cartwright told BBC Radio Humberside.
“The Leeds game was somewhere near back where we need to be, so we don’t want to have a season where we’re up and down with our consistency.
“There are areas we work hard on and games we were losing in the last month we were well down on those key areas.
“We probably had statistically our best game of the year against Leeds and we didn’t get a result, but it’s about being consistent.”
According to Super League data, Hull FC shaded the possession against Leeds 52-48 percent, gained more post-contact metres (540-505) and had significantly more play-the-balls in the opposition 20 metres with 27 to 14.
The defeat saw Cartwright’s side slip out of the top six and they now travel to Leigh Leopards, who they battled out an enthralling 22-22 draw with in Round 4 back in March, on Thursday.
The Leopards are currently third in the table and the trip to Leigh Sports Village comes amid a run of Super League fixtures which has also seen Hull FC face reigning champions Wigan and cross-city rivals and leaders Hull KR.
“We’ve had, what I consider, a pretty tough run,” Cartwright said. “We’ve played some of the better sides over the last six weeks, but that’s good because it lets you see whether you’re far away or not too far away.”
“When you’re playing against quality opposition, you can be somewhere near your best and not get the result.
“That’s why you can’t dig too deep into results, you can dig about how you’re playing and whether you’re anywhere near in the areas of the game you feel you need to be good in.”
