Jake Arthur is following in his dad’s footsteps from Australia to England, but while Brad charts a course for success at Leeds, Jake will be hoping to do likewise at Hull FC.

WHAT could be more fun than going to work with your old man every day?

That’s the situation for John and Jed Cartwright, the former fresh from an encouraging first season as Hull FC head coach and the latter now an established member of the club’s forward pack, having arrived from Australia five months before his father.

Apart from the odd faux pas – “sometimes in the sheds I don’t know whether to call him dad or coach, and sometimes dad pops out,” the younger Cartwright admitted in an interview during last season – it seems to have gone well for that pair.

But to one of Hull’s newest recruits, the downsides of a familial relationship to the boss caused no end of trouble.

For every Ivan and Nathan Cleary, the duo who masterminded four successive NRL titles for Penrith Panthers, there is a Brad and Jake Arthur (both on the losing side, as it happens, to the Clearys in the 2022 Grand Final) at Parramatta Eels.

While the bond between father and son is a formidable one, this sport can be a cruel one. In Australia most of all, pressure is intense from supporters and the media. Everything is questioned and, when times are tough, scapegoats must be found.

So it was that the dream of working together turned into something of a nightmare in Western Sydney.

“At the start it wasn’t too bad – I was just a young fella coming into the team,” says Jake, who made his top-level debut aged 18 in the summer of 2021.

“When I started making the push for the NRL, then it got a bit weird with the media and the fans, pushing agendas.

“If you lose a game, you’re the easy person to blame. It was hard for my dad too – he picked the best team, but then if we lose that (Jake) is the reason, they say.

“It’s hard in the NRL, unless you’re Nathan Cleary and Ivan, for anyone else. If you’re on the fringe it’s a bit harder. 

“I enjoyed my time there and played with some of my best mates that I’d grown up with.

“But it just made it a bit awkward. That’s ultimately why I went to Manly. It made it easier for him and for me.”

Since leaving Parramatta, with 20 appearances under his belt, midway through the 2023 season, Arthur has been stuck as a reserve halfback at both the Sea Eagles and, in the second half of last season, Newcastle Knights.

He played only seven games with Manly, then five in his short time at wooden-spoon ‘winners’ Newcastle. While he could be forgiven for being glad to see the back of the NRL, he’s appreciative of what it has given him as well as what it hasn’t.

“I’ve been lucky enough to learn from Mitch (Moses) and Dylan Brown (at Parramatta), then to go to Manly and learn off Daly (Cherry-Evans) and Luke Brooks,” Arthur explained.

“I’ve been extremely lucky to learn off some of the best halves in the game. I’ve tried to pick up pieces from them where I can and try to implement them.”

At the Knights, he also had the chance to tick off another very special family milestone by playing alongside his brother, 20-year-old Matt Arthur (who also began at the Eels, making his NRL debut a month after Brad’s 10-year spell in charge came to an end).

“It was a bonus to play some footy with him for the first time,” enthused Jake.

“We played two New South Wales Cup games together, and one NRL game. He’s a hooker so we did a lot of work together.”

His next destination, however, was already set – England. In doing so, he’s back close to his father, who has been leading the resurgence of Leeds Rhinos over the past 18 months.

Brad admitted the decision to extend his stay in Yorkshire for at least another year was made easier by Jake’s imminent arrival, even if they will be rivals at two grand clubs keen to restore former glories.

Understandably, it wasn’t Jake’s main reason to make the move – revitalising his career is the goal.

“I’d been playing a lot of New South Wales Cup and I was only going to get opportunities to play in the NRL if there was an injury,” he explained.

“I thought I’d rather come over here and play a bit more regularly. This is a higher level than New South Wales Cup so I can improve my game, playing in front of some pretty big crowds, playing a lot more consistent footy. 

“I only had (NRL) offers to be the same sort of position, back-up, so I wanted to come over here and test myself, take the risk.”

Hull hope it’s a risk that pays off, with Arthur set to be handed a significant amount of responsibility – wearing the number-six shirt, he is expected to help captain Aidan Sezer steer the side.

He is also excited to link up with fullback Will Pryce and loose-forward John Asiata, who both endured disrupted first campaigns at the club but could complete a high-quality spine if they are all fit and firing.

“I want to link up with Aidan, John and Prycey, and try to play a really good brand of footy,” said Arthur.

“I think with my strengths I can help the players around me and create space for them. The more I can do that, and bring out their natural talent, the better.

“Aidan was the main ball player and he got a lot of pressure. I watched some of the games last year and they (chasers) were coming from everywhere on the last tackle to go after him, so I think I can help take a bit of pressure off there. 

“I’m keen to play with him, and to unlock Prycey’s speed – together we can create a lot of space for him, which is exciting.”

Exciting also for fans, who haven’t held so much hope going into a season for a fair while. Seventh last season, the play-offs ought to be within reach should Arthur find a new home by the Humber.

First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 516 (January 2026)