Hull FC facing tricky Luke Gale decision as captain’s contract approaches final few months

Hull FC will be thinking long and hard about recruitment and retention over the coming weeks. have already tied down Jordan Lane and Connor Wynne to new deals this year and they’re making moves in the market with Jake Trueman thought to be one signing all but secured.

However, there’s still plenty of work to be done and with nine players approaching the end of their current deals, decisions must be made. The pursuit of Trueman seems to suggest that Josh Reynolds could be set to leave at the end of the year, while there has been interest in Josh Bowden lately.

Joe Lovodua looks to have secured his future given his name was missing from the RFL’s off-contract list revealed by Rugby league Live and Cam Scott was purposefully coy when asked about his future last week. Elsewhere, it seems a call will be made on Danny Houghton’s future later in the year.

How FC will approach Luke Gale’s future, though, remains a mystery as the 33-year-old approaches the final few months of the one-year deal he penned at the start of November. The England international made an instant impact at the club’s County Road base after arriving from Leeds Rhinos, establishing himself as a leader and having a galvanising effect on the group in training with his personality and professionalism.

As such, it came as no surprise to see Gale given the captaincy on the eve of the new season. He hit the ground running, too, scoring a try on the opening day in a gritty and hard fought win over Wakefield Trinity at Belle Vue.

However, he has struggled for traction and form since with two suspensions seeing him sit out seven games in total this season and despite being available he was left out by Hodgson when FC travelled to St Helens earlier this month. At the