It was a cold spring afternoon when Jamie Shaul's name first appeared on the Hull FC team sheet at Wakefield. It was way back in 2013 and the Black and Whites had just been beaten in the Derby on Good Friday, but there was no time to dwell on defeat as the club travelled to West Yorkshire for the Easter Monday clash.
In truth, Hull had under-whelmed for the first part of 2013, but they would soon go on a mid-season revival, and that coincided with Shaul making his debut. Lining up at fullback at just 20 years of age, the Hull-born star would go on to make an instant impression.
Given he was playing for Skirlaugh in amateur rugby league just a year before, it was a real rags to riches story. Shaul scored two tries that afternoon, and three or so years later, he'd be writing his name in the history books forever - the sort of immortality that was beyond this modest local lads wildest dreams.
"I think it happened like within a year or so," Shaul explained on his transition from the amateur to professional game. "I was just playing for Skirlaugh's first team and then next minute I'm playing for the then under-20s at Hull.
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"I played there for a year and then they offered me a first team deal, and all of a sudden I'm playing in Super League which I never thought I'd have done. It was under Peter Gentle at the time and when I was told I would be making my debut, I thought I'll be in for one game and then that'll be me done.
"I was thinking I'll just be the kid that made one appearance. Luckily it didn't work that way and I got a chance to play many more times."
Now nine years later, Shaul is knocking on the door of 200 appearances for his
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