Hull Suffers Defeat to St Helens as Coach Cartwright Opens Up About His Emotional State

Outgoing Hull FC coach John Cartwright expressed his desire to stay on until the end of the season, despite being left emotionally shaken by the club's decision not to renew his contract. The announcement was made last week, and Cartwright admitted to feeling 'betrayed and disrespected' amid reports that Hull FC is planning to replace him with former England and Catalans Dragons head coach Steve McNamara. Prior to the team's 24-14 loss to St Helens, Cartwright stated that he still hadn't received a clear reason for his dismissal. Despite this, he emphasized his love for the team and his belief in their potential for a great year. The coach was visibly emotional when discussing his future, saying he had been a 'blubbering mess' after sharing the news with his players. Cartwright oversaw a significant improvement in the team's performance, with 13 wins in 2025, up from just three the previous year. The team's recent loss to St Helens was marked by a strong start, with Hull FC leading 6 points at the interval, but ultimately fell away in the second half. The visitors secured their win with late tries from Kyle Feldt and Harry Robertson.