JACK ASHWORTH expects Hull FC to be a bigger and better force after their recent pack recruits.
In recent weeks Hull have signed props Liam Knight and Liam Watts on deals for the rest of the season.
Knight has moved to Super League from Canterbury Bulldogs after playing 83 times in the NRL, mostly for South Sydney Rabbitohs. He played a significant role in Hull’s 26-22 Challenge Cup victory over Wigan on Saturday.
Watts, who made 152 appearances in his first stint with the Black and Whites between 2012 and 2018, rejoined the club after falling out of favour at Castleford Tigers.
Knight made his debut in Hull’s most recent Super League game against Leigh, a draw which earned them a fifth point from the opening four matches.
That’s just one shy of their tally for the whole of 2024, when they mustered only three wins, evidence of their improvement under new coach John Cartwright.
And fellow front-rower Ashworth is pleased to see the club strengthen further as they look to build on that promising start.
He said: “We’ve added some really good size. They all offer something, they’re good players.
“Now that we’ve got quite a big middle pack and good numbers, it gives us that healthy competition.
“Everyone should be stepping up and bringing their A-game. Hopefully everyone does their part for the team and does their job.”
Ashworth admits that every Hull forward is looking up to Kiwi powerhouse Herman Ese’ese.
St Helens pair Alex Walmsley and George Delaney are the only props to have made more metres than Ese’ese (who has 451) in the opening four rounds while his eleven offloads are the joint-most from any player in Super League.
“Herman is leading with his best foot forward and it’s important that the rest of us middles back it up and work hard with him,” said Ashworth.
“He’s been a good leader in that pack. He’s someone to look up to and you want to help him out, you want to do the job for him if he’s doing it for all of us.”