2026 is a big year for Hull FC and for rugby league.
13:52, 18 Nov 2025Updated 13:59, 18 Nov 2025
Jed Cartwright and Lewis Martin celebrate a Hull FC win.
Jed Cartwright is expecting a firm response from English Super League players next season – with England’s Ashes pain serving as motivation.
England were humbled 3-0 by Australia in the three-match Test series over the autumn and with the Rugby League World Cup taking place in less than 12 months, the Hull FC back rower is anticipating things to ramp up.
Super League has also expanded to 14 teams for 2026, with Bradford Bulls, Toulouse Olympique, and York Knights joining the pack. And for Cartwright, it all adds to what is hoped to be a big year for the sport.
Speaking to Hull Live, he said: “The English players won’t be happy with how the Ashes series went. I’m expecting them to go back to their clubs and work really hard on their games to be ready for what is a big year with a big World Cup at the end of it.
“I expect players to be playing better and teams to be playing better. That means we have to be better too. This all adds to Super League. It should be a good year.”
Giving his view on the competition’s expansion, Cartwright continued: “The bigger the game gets, hopefully the more it can grow. I’m a firm believer that rugby league is the best sport in the world, so the more teams and the more places to play and the more people that see the sport, the better. It’s all exciting for Super League.”
Meanwhile, Hull will be looking to go one better than last season’s seventh-place finish and ensure they are a play-off outfit, with the likes of Lewis Martin and Will Pryce aiming for future international selection.
“We’ve got a relatively new team again,” Cartwright said. “There are a lot of people who have come in and we’re excited to do some sessions with them and build on the year we had last season.
“You look at our team on paper and we’ve got a really good team. We’ve got players who want to play for England and players looking to get to that next level, and I think if we nail this pre-season, then we can have a really good go at it at the back end of next year.”
Outlining one key squad element, the back rower added: “We’ve got loads of competition, but competition is good. You want to be out there playing and playing well, and to play well, you need to stay fit and in form. You don’t want to give up your spot for someone else to come in and make it their own.
“That’s a really healthy thing. It keeps us all on our toes and makes sure that we do everything we can to be part of that team, playing well, and staying fit. We’re hoping for a big year.”