A feature with Hull FC’s Kemp twins and how they intend to kick on next year.
Hull FC brothers Callum & Lloyd Kemp at the end of the game after victory over Warrington.(Image: SW PIX)
There are few words that do justice to how Hull FC twin duo Lloyd and Callum Kemp felt after victory over Warrington Wolves earlier this month, but for both players, ‘surreal’ is a fair common ground.
That’s how it felt for the teenagers, still only 18 years old, after playing in the first team at the same time for their boyhood club.
After all, this is not just any club; for the Kemps, it’s the one, along with Mum and Dad and elder brother Harvey, that they have supported all of their life – and now they’re determined to create their own chapter as two of its brightest young talents.
“It was surreal,” Lloyd, speaking to Hull Live, recalled. “You can’t really think about it when you’re in the moment, but when the game is finished and you’re all sat as a family, you can look back at it, and being able to do that with your twin brother, who I’ve played with for all of my life, is just crazy. It was an unreal feeling.”
It’s a sentiment Callum shares right back. He said: “It was pretty surreal, to be honest, a childhood dream, and it’s something we’ve wanted to achieve all of our lives. To be able to do that, especially at home, it had that extra special touch.
“My brother, Harvey, has missed a couple of our other games, so to have the full family there was pretty special. We all used to sit in the south-east corner. We’ve supported this club all our life. It means so much to us.”
The Kemps achieved a rare feat against Hull KR, following on from the Atkinsons and the Drakes as just the third set of twins to play for Hull in the same game. But in the derby, when Lloyd left the field, Callum came on. The Wire fixture was the first time they shared the field, and they made it count.
Both twins hope it’s the first of many, but they know there is a long road ahead. They’re far from getting carried away, even after a strong year which saw Lloyd get the club’s Academy Player of the Year award, one year on after Callum.
“It’s a bit weird how it’s all linked and lined up for us both,” Lloyd smirked. “But credit goes to our Mum and Dad – they’ve put a lot of time in for us and sacrificed a lot for us both, taking us to training sessions when it’s been chucking it down and things like that, so it’s nice to see that those efforts are now starting to be repaid.
“It’s nice for them to be able to see us at this level now and to be recognised by your coaches, too; it’s a nice touch. Hopefully, it’s just the start of a successful career for us.”
And on what comes next, Lloyd, brave and tenacious from full-back, continued: “It’s been a crazy year, an unreal year, debuting back in February in the Challenge Cup and then playing Super League. I just want to keep learning and developing now, stay consistent with game time, and stay injury-free.
“That’s the main thing, but I also need to stay level-headed, keep pushing on, look to improve, and bide my time. I’ve been able to get a lot of game-time and I’m very grateful to the coaches and to everyone who has put effort and time into me. I got my opportunity this year, but this is just the start.”
The same feeling of satisfaction is present on Callum but there’s also a hunger to kick on. The half-back debuted in the final game of 2024, also adding three more appearances to his name this season after a year shadowing club captain Aidan Sezer.
“You’ve just got to take everything in your stride and not get flustered by it,” Callum said. “I got my debut at the back end of last year, and I was happy to get a few games at the back end of this year, competitive games. It wasn’t how we wanted to finish, not getting in the play-offs but there are some positives to take away from it and plenty to build on for next year.
“I think my game has come on so much. Credit has to go to all the coaches around me, and Seze too; he’s given a lot of time to me, and Prycey (Will Pryce) has been good with me since he’s come in.
“I’ve just tried to be a sponge and absorb everything from them. The amount of knowledge they’ve got blows your mind, really, so I just try to take what I can from them. It will only do me good in the future.”
Both players now enter what is anticipated to be a promising future. The club has recruited strongly again and is targeting the next step forward. But both twins know if they work hard, then they will keep getting their opportunities.
“It’s just about being patient,” Callum explained. “I want to come in for pre-season in November and get my head down, work hard, and bide my time. I can pair up with Jake Arthur or Seze or whoever it may be and take knowledge from them. There are a lot of new signings coming in and I want to try and absorb as much as I can from them, but again, patience is the key.”
And whatever happens, the twins will attack the new year the only way they know how. “We’ll just keep pushing on, keep learning, and keep looking to get better,” Lloyd added. “We know we need to keep working hard, and if we do that, then the only way is up.”