It was only round two of the 2025 Super League, but both Hull FC and the Wigan Warriors already had plenty to play for, Wigan to get their first win of the season while Hull had one eye on the top of the table, and the pride of lifting themselves above the red and white half of the city.
Wigan were the favourites to overcome their opening day loss to the Leigh Leopards and they were handicapped by twelve points on the coupon, the bookies predicting another close Super League game in what promises to be a close Super League season.
Wigan had Adam Miski back in their line-up, the only change to last weekend, Hull coach John Cartwright made several changes to their line-up, the most notable being the loss of Zak Hardaker who was replaced by Ed Chamberlain after suffering a groin injury.
The home crowd were silenced with seven minutes on the clock, Jai Field collecting a Liam Marshall kick over the top one-handed and stooping to the ground to score. Adam Keighran added the conversion, Wigan with their first six points of the season and an early lead.
Wigan were over for the second on twenty-two, Abbas Miski taking a Bevan French bullet pass to the wing and going outside his marker for a simple walk-in try. Keighran was wide of the near post with the conversion attempt.
On twenty-five there was a long delay while Ligi Sao was stretchered from the field, adding to Hull’s ever lengthening injury list.
It was one way traffic on thirty-two, Patrick Mago burrowing under the Hull defence to score under the sticks. Keighran was back on the mark for 16-0 as the game headed towards the interval, the game already looking beyond the Black & Whites.
Wigan weren’t done with their first half scoring and went in again with three minutes remaining, Bevan French with a deflected chip over the top into the hands of Field to cross for his second of the night. Keighran hit the mark again, the lead up to twenty-two unanswered points.
A great break from Harvey Barron looked as though it would open the scoring for the home side, and after getting a second set for a Wigan infringement, Lewis Martin took a looping pass to the left wing to dive over in the corner. Aidan Sezer couldn’t add the touchline conversion, Hull eighteen points adrift.
An awful mistake from a short drop-out gifted Wigan a fifth try, Tom Forber picking up a tap back and running ten metres to ground. Keighran smashed the conversion between the uprights, normal service had been resumed.
Wigan were ripping the FC defence to tatters. Field went through a gap for a twenty-metre break before finding Marshall who selflessly put Jake Wardle free for a walk-in try under the sticks to give Keighran a gift of a fifth conversion of the night.
From the back of the scrum, Wigan executed a planned move to give Field his hat-trick try, passing from the back of the scrum he took an inside pass to go through an enormous gap and score under the posts. Keighran hit the target again to bring up the forty.
French got in on the scoring action on seventy-three after great work from Sam Walters before Miski put Keighran down the wing for thirty metres before the inside ball to his half-back. Keighran hit another one, this one more difficult than most.
Wigan banished all memories of last weeks golden point loss to Leigh with a comprehensive win on the road in Hull. There was little resistance from the home side whose performance was more reminiscent of some of last years horrors, than their great performance last week in the south of France. The Champions back up and running.
Hull FC: Rapana, Barrow, Chamberlain, Briscoe, Martin (T), Cust, Sezer (G 0/1), Ese’ese, Balmforth, Aydin, Fash, Lane, Asiata. Subs: Sao, Gardiner, Salabio, Hutchinson. 18th Man: Kirby.
Wigan Warriors: Field (3T), Miski (T), Keighran (G 7/8), Wardle (T), Marshall, French (T), Smith, Byrne, Leeming, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis. Subs: Mago (T), Dupree, Walters, Forber (T). 18th Man: Eckersley.
Half-Time: 0-22.
Full-Time: 4-46.
Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 0-10, 0-14, 0-16, 0-20, 0-22 : HT: 4-22, 4-26, 4-28, 4-32, 4-34, 4-38, 4-40, 4-44, 4-46 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Wigan.
Referee: Liam Rush.
