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How Hull FC could still finish bottom with torrid season possibly set to get worse - Serious About Rugby League

Serious About Rugby League · Sam Cook · 2026-09-05T10:31:30+00:00 · nguồn gốc

Hull FC are one of several Super League teams to have had an awful season but in relation to expectations, few have underperformed quite as much as the Black and Whites, and yet their season could still get worse as a 14th-placed finish is entirely plausible. John Cartwright oversaw a resurgence in 2025 as Hull FC place seventh, narrowly missing the play-offs just 12 months after a 2024 season that saw them win just three games. With expectations high for 2026 and the hope being that the club would make the play-offs for the first time since 2020, the reality is that Hull FC could instead actually finish bottom of the pile. After Friday night’s 44-30 loss to Toulouse Olympique, the Black and Whites sit eleventh in Super League, level on points with the teams in 12th, 13th and 14th. Set to travel to Headingley next week, it seems near certain that Hull FC won’t improve on their points total but all of York, Huddersfield and Bradford could do so – a scenario that would leave Andy Last’s side with an embarrassing wooden spoon. RIP Sir Billy, under-the-radar challengers, Hull KR’s controversial call and more – Click here to watch this week’s episode of the Serious About Rugby League Show How Hull FC can still finish bottom It’s worth noting that all four of the following results must happen for Hull FC to finish bottom so in a sense, it’s unlikely, but none of the four results seem that unrealistic. York beat Catalans today The first thing that must happen is that York Knights have to beat Catalans Dragons this evening in the south of France, with this arguably being the most unlikely of the four required results. York have lost their last four, though all of those came against top six sides, but they will take hope from the fact that Catalans lost four on the bounce before last week’s win over Castleford. The Dragons have been incredibly hit and miss this year but they are favourites for today’s game, however, if York can upset the odds then Hull FC are still in with a shot at landing the unwanted wooden spoon. Bradford beat York on Thursday For FC to finish at the foot of the table, York must win their round 26 game but they then must lose their round 27 game at home to Bradford – the side who currently prop up the table. The Bulls beat the Knights earlier in the year and they have just knocked off Castleford, plus the Knights will be on a shorter turnaround after returning back from France so maybe, just maybe, this one could happen. Leeds beat Hull FC on Friday The most likely of all of these results and one that would ensure that Hull FC finish on the lowest points of any team in Super League, even if it’s only tied with another team. Ironically, Hull FC actually won the reverse fixture but it doesn’t seem likely that they knock off the Rhinos at Headingly. Huddersfield beat Castleford on Saturday Another that you’d note down as likely is the Giants beating the Tigers in the final game of the season next Saturday, particularly given how abject Castleford looked this week against Bradford. If all three of the other results happen, it would come down to Huddersfield needing a win to avoid the wooden spoon themselves, which will be a massive motivator as well. Should Hull FC finish at the foot of the table, it will arguably be a bigger embarrassment than their 2024 campaign when they finished tied with London on just six points, simply because the expectation this year was so much greater. Regardless of whether they do finish in 14th or not, the job that Steve McNamara has on his hands is quite simply massive.