John Cartwright has reflected on his side’s victory on the road at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Saturday, maintaining their unbeaten record away from home in 2025.
The Black & Whites charged out of the blocks to take a 26-4 lead into the break in Cheshire, before Warrington fought back in the second-half; the damage was done by the visitors though and Hull held firm as the Wolves battled their way back into the contest.
The 28-16 win ensured the Black & Whites head into the Easter weekend sat second in the Betfred Super League table after a strong start to the campaign.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Cartwright said: “I’ll take them all on the road at the moment. The boys enjoy coming away to play. The travelling supporters certainly help us and make it feel like home. It’s a tremendous place to play as well, coming away, and you know you’re going to get a good crowd. It’s a good surface, too, and a really good atmosphere. I think that’s something we all look forward to.
“The first half was probably as good a period as we’ve put together. Sometimes you put pieces together, and you don’t come up with the points. We got a bit of luck from a couple of kicks, but I don’t think we’ve had a lot of luck along the way, to be honest with you, so the forty minutes, I’m really happy with.
“The second forty was a different story – it was a game of two halves. We played them back into it, to a degree, and just went away from what worked for us in the first half. Sometimes errors happen; you don’t mean for them to happen, they’re innocuous, but the ones that are in your own hands, they’re the ones that drag everyone down. We’ve got to get them out of our game.”
Cartwright heaped praise on Cade Cust, who put in a stellar display on his return to action.
“He’s been great for us since the first round. He was one of the better players that day. He’s very dangerous with the ball, and having played a lot of hooker, he’s a very strong defender.
“He’s a naturally instinctive footballer, which is hard to come by. He’s a very important player for us in that six, seven, one, nine position.”
Rowe Freight Man of the Match Davy Litten also received praise, with Cartwright adding: “It’s the stuff you don’t see, I suppose, when you just look at a player on the field. What Davy brings every day, he just bounces into training. His energy just rubs off on everyone.
“We didn’t bank on him being available in Super League so early. It was out of necessity through injuries, but he got a chance, and he’s made the spot his own. That’s what you want to see as a coach: guys who, when they get an opportunity, just go out and do what they set out to do.
“Davy is a good guy to have around the group. He’s full of energy, and he brings out the best in everyone. The players love having him in the team, and they love playing with him.
“He’s got enormous potential, and he’s doing everything right at the moment. He’s a big, strong body, and he’s dangerous. He hasn’t looked back.”
On the injury front, Cartwright confirmed that Ed Chamberlain passed his head injury assessment.
“Ed is okay – he passed. Liam Knight limped off with his ankle, but he’s alright. I think we’ve come through okay. We’ve been fortunate; we’ve had a lot of seven-day-plus turnarounds, but this one is only a six-day one into next week. We’ve got a few bumps and bruises and a few limps, but hopefully everyone is okay.”
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