An ultimate 13 of rugby league players born in Hull, featuring FC and KR stars aplenty
From left to right: Brad Fash, Jordan Abdull & Mikey Lewis all feature in our ultimate 13 of players from the city of Hull
Throughout the summer at Love Rugby League, we’re going to be taking a geographical tour of some of rugby league’s most famous towns and cities and compiling some dream line-ups comprising of active players.
Some places will unsurprisingly throw out star-studded sides with some of the best players in the world included. But some may surprise you about the quality of stars the area has produced.
So far in this feature series, we’ve taken a look at Halifax, Widnes, Warrington, Wigan, Huddersfield, Oldham, Bradford, St Helens & the county of Cumbria.
Next up? Hull, or Kingston upon Hull to give it its full name! The UK’s City of Culture in 2017 is home to two of Super League’s 12 sides in Hull FC & Hull KR.
FC have fielded the most academy products of any club in Super League so far this season, with 17 handed a chance to shine for the Airlie Birds.
KR meanwhile have fielded three homegrown stars so far this season in Super League, including one at the heart of this 13.
Here’s our ultimate 13 of currently active players born or raised in Hull…
1. Logan Moy (Hull FC)
The first of four FC players in this 13, local lad Moy came through the Airlie Birds’ youth ranks and was handed his senior debut back in April against Huddersfield Giants.
With his 19th birthday not until next month, he’s featured seven more times since then, scoring his only try to date against Huddersfield Giants in May, and consistently delivered impressive performances.
2. Elliot Wallis (Huddersfield Giants)
24-year-old Wallis, born in Hull with Nigerian heritage, played junior rugby league for community outfit Skirlaugh Bulls. Spending time in the now-defunct City of Hull Academy, the winger’s senior career began in the east of the city with KR, featuring five times for the Robins in the 2018 season.
After a brief spell in League 1 with Coventry Bears (now Midlands Hurricanes), Wallis joined Castleford Tigers on trial in 2022 and earned a contract for 2023. Four tries in 13 appearances followed, and he was snapped up by Huddersfield ahead of this season, penning a four-year deal at the John Smith’s Stadium. He has scored four tries in 12 Giants appearances to date.
3. Craig Hall (Doncaster)
The first man in this team to have donned a shirt for both FC & KR is 36-year-old Hall, still involved in the game having joined newly-promoted Championship outfit Doncaster ahead of this season. An incredibly versatile back, the 14 appearances he’s made so far for the Dons have taken him on to 374 in his career with an incredible 244 tries scored to this point.
Starting out with FC, who he made 75 appearances for and scored 47 tries, Hall had three separate stints at KR – two permanent and one as a loanee. Across those three stints, he racked up 118 appearances in Robins colours, scoring 69 tries. The veteran has also represented Widnes Vikings, Wakefield Trinity, Toronto Wolfpack, Leigh (then-Centurions) & Featherstone Rovers.
4. Louix Gorman (Hull KR)
At the opposite end of the age scale, KR youngster Gorman – 19 – takes our second centre spot having made his senior debut for the Robins in a heavy defeat at Wigan Warriors last August, the week prior to the Challenge Cup final.
The teenager – a versatile back – is yet to feature for Willie Peters’ side in 2024, though has spent much of the campaign to date playing on dual-registration for Championship outfit Featherstone, making six appearances for the Flatcappers to date and kicking 11 goals.
5. Lewis Martin (Hull FC)
Similarly, 19-year-old Martin was handed his senior debut towards the back end of last season by FC, marking the occasion with a try against St Helens. He’s gone on to make 14 appearances so far this term, scoring five tries for the Black & Whites, and when he’s not played, he’s been the unused 18th man.
The speedy winger – who previously played for community outfit West Hull – arrived at FC with a footballing background having joined their academy after eight years on the books of EFL Championship outfit Hull City.
6. Jordan Abdull (Catalans Dragons)
There aren’t many in this team that aren’t currently playing for FC or KR. Abdull – on loan at Catalans from the Robins until the end of this season – ticks that box, but has featured for both of his home city’s two Super League clubs before, and he’s already agreed a deal to return to FC come 2025.
The 28-year-old, who spent time with local clubs Norland Sharks A.R.L.F.C. & Skirlaugh Bulls ARLFC in his youth, has made 182 senior career appearances. That tally includes one for England, 78 for KR & 54 for FC. He’s also donned a shirt for London Broncos, Featherstone & Doncaster as well as the already-mentioned Catalans, with three tries for the Dragons so far this season.
7. Mikey Lewis (Hull KR)
Abdull reunites with former half-back partner Lewis in this 13, with the pair previously playing together at KR from 2020 until 2023. At 23, Lewis has now surpassed a century of senior career appearances having made his first-team debut for the Robins in August 2019 against Wigan.
The playmaker spent time on loan with both Newcastle Thunder & York as he was cutting his teeth, and his most recent try was his 50th at club level, having also got his name on the scoresheet on his England debut against Tonga last October.
8. Jack Brown (Hull KR)
Our first prop is a man who has played for both FC & KR this season! Brown – who has 73 appearances and six tries for the Black & Whites on his CV – crossed the city back in May as he joined the Robins on a deal until the end of the 2026 season.
In doing so, the 24-year-old forward linked up with his boyhood club having played at junior level for East Hull, and Brown has made two appearances for KR since his move. Having made appearances as a loanee for both Doncaster & Bradford Bulls during his time with FC, and on dual-registration for Featherstone after joining KR, he is now sat on 87 senior appearances in total.
9. Jez Litten (Hull KR)
England international Litten knows exactly what it’s like to represent both sides of the city in one season having done so back in 2019, spending the last few months of that year at KR on loan from FC before making the switch a permanent one ahead of the 2020 campaign.
The experienced hooker, 26, made 18 senior appearances for the Airlie Birds in total, featuring 20 times on loan for Doncaster during his time contracted to FC. 110 games in a KR shirt – including the handful as a loanee – have followed, with Litten now just two off the milestone of 150 club career appearances.
10. George Lawler (Castleford Tigers)
Utility Lawler – a West Hull junior – came through at the City of Hull Academy before linking up with KR, making a senior debut for the Robins in August 2015 against Widnes and marking the occasion with a try. Almost nine years on from that day, he’s now made 155 senior appearances.
103 of those – and 12 tries – came in KR colours, featuring on loan for both York & Newcastle Thunder during his time contracted at Craven Park. 28-year-old Lawler only departed East Hull at the end of the 2021 season, joining fellow Super League outfit Castleford. He made his 50th appearance for the Tigers earlier this month as they picked up a memorable win at St Helens.
11. Dean Hadley (Hull KR)
Hadley is another who has donned a shirt in both sides of his home city, coming through the ranks at FC and making a senior debut in April 2013 having already featured on dual-registration for York that season. Skip forward 11 years, and he’s now with KR, surpassing the milestone of 200 club career appearances earlier this season.
The 31-year-old – who picked up a Challenge Cup winners’ medal during his time with the Airlie Birds – made the switch across the city in July 2019, and has remained at Craven Park ever since. He appeared in the Robins’ Challenge Cup final defeat last August and has now made more appearances for them (91) than he managed for FC (87).
12. Jordan Lane (Hull FC)
Versatile forward Lane, 26, came through the FC academy and made his breakthrough into the Black & Whites’ first-team in 2018 having appeared on loan for Doncaster the season prior. Come 2019, he’d been crowned Hull’s Young Player of the Year with his seventh and – to date – final appearance on loan at Doncaster also coming that same season.
Lane now has 139 senior appearances for the Airlie Birds on his CV, scoring 18 tries in the process including one last weekend in defeat at Salford Red Devils. With one appearance for England Knights to his name, which came in 2022, he’s now just three of the milestone of 150 career appearances.
13. Brad Fash (Hull FC)
Rounding things off at loose is another man with one England Knights appearance on his CV, made in 2018 against Papua New Guinea in Lae.
Fash‘s senior debut for FC came in July 2015, with loan appearances made thereafter for Doncaster, Leigh (then-Centurions) & Canadian outfit Toronto. Nine years on from his debut for the club, the 28-year-old has now made 164 appearances for FC, scoring six tries in the process.
