JOHN Cartwright called on his Hull FC players to embrace the challenge of trying to make the Betfred Super League play-offs after they stunned champions Wigan Warriors.
The Black and Whites had already stunned Wigan at home in the Betfred Challenge Cup back in March and returned to The Brick Community Stadium just over four months later to claim a 32-12 triumph in the league.
It marked their biggest win over the Warriors at the ground in the Super League era and moved them back into the top six, with head coach Cartwright encouraging his players to enjoy what lays ahead in the final eight rounds of the regular season.
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A stellar showing from @hullfcofficial 👏#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/OXt7V6Lv3G
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) July 19, 2025
“I’m not trying to focus on [the table] or look at it at all,” Cartwright told BBC Radio Humberside after his side leapfrogged Friday night winners Wakefield Trinity. “I just know good performances, we’re in the mix.
“We play a lot of sides in front of us, it’s going to be a really tough eight weeks to the end of the season, but we’ve got to enjoy the challenge, that’s the key to it.
“You can’t be scared of it, you can’t worry about it, you can’t hide from it, it’s a matter of playing those sides in front of us and enjoying the challenge that lays ahead.”
Clashes with fellow play-off contenders Leigh Leopards (home), St Helens (away) and Leeds Rhinos (home) plus an away derby against leaders Hull KR are among Hull FC’s final matches of the regular season.
Whoever they play, though, Cartwright knows they need to match the 90-plus percent completion rate they managed against Wigan after not managing higher than 81 percent in their previous three matches.
And the Australian believes the best way to do that is not to mention the completion rate to his team at all.
“We had a rough few weeks trying to hold onto the ball, which has hurt us, and everything came together for us,” Cartwright said.
“I really can’t [explain why] and I’ve spoken to some of the best coaches in the land.
“It’s obviously mental, how you approach it with the group, and you get different answers from them so we just stopped talking about it.
“Hopefully that’s the key.”