Magic Preview: No Ordinary Joe

Cator emerges from injury nightmare hungrier than ever

Joe Cator will never underestimate the feeling of winning a Betfred Super League match again.

The industrious Hull FC back rower missed almost 18 months of action after back-to-back ruptured achilles injuries. 

He suffered the second injury just minutes into his return from the first in a game at Leeds last March.

Now back to full fitness, the 24-year-old former Hull KR and Leigh player has relished the post-match high of a hard-fought win, something he experienced for the first time after that lengthy spell out when the Black and Whites beat Leeds in February.

"It was really tough when I look back," reflects Cator. 

"It makes you really appreciate the wins more, and being able to celebrate with the team feels an extra bit special now. 

"The Huddersfield and Wigan wins recently were really special for me to be part of, and it's those kind of things that you strive for when you're in rehab. 

"You strive to get back to those days with the boys, and helping them to get those narrow wins brought all the feelings back for me. 

"Those nights make it all worthwhile and make you hungrier for more."

It's been far from plane sailing for Cator and the Black and Whites in 2023 however, as they suffered seven straight defeats between that Rhinos victory and toppling the Giants almost two months later.

"It was tough in camp coming off defeat after defeat - the fans aren't happy, you're not happy and there's a correlation between them all," Cator says. 

"Putting that all together it was hard, but we stayed positive in camp because we knew what we're capable of. On paper we've got a very good team, it was about going out and delivering. 

"We had a lot of new players so getting everyone clicking straight away was never going to happen overnight. 

"It would have been stupid to think we could hit the ground running with how many new players we had, the new systems and coaches. 

"It took us a while to get to this point and we've still got a long way to go."

Magic Weekend sees the Black and Whites face a Warrington side that has been much more consistent to date.

"If you look at Warrington now," Cator adds, "they have threats all across the park. 

"They have some big middles that are skilful - Josh McGuire can play a bit and there's some strike with James Harrison and Paul Vaughan. 

"Their half-backs aren't bad either - George Williams has been running the show and Josh Drinkwater is very experienced. 

"It's a tough game for us and where they are in the league speaks volumes about how they've been going. 

"But we back ourselves against anyone if we can put our best foot forward."

PLAYER IN FORM - BRAD FASH

Even when Hull FC were right up against it in the early stages of the season - and there were plenty of examples of that - forward Fash took the battle to opponents up front.

The combative 27-year-old is now in his ninth season at the club having made his debut in 2015, and has firmly established himself as a favourite with the FC faithful.

His form this year has been rewarded with a new three-year contract and he looks certain to be a cornerstone of the Black and White's pack for years to come.

ONE TO WATCH - JAKE TRUEMAN

Few 2023 debuts in Betfred Super League were as eagerly anticipated as that of Jake Trueman at Hull FC.

It wasn't just that he is seen as one of the competition's best playmakers on his day - which he certainly is - but the fact that he had to wait so long.

Trueman had to recover from a serious knee injury sustained at Castleford last year before making his FC bow, but now back to full fitness, he will be looking to make a big impact in the second half of the season.

This article is taken from the Magic Weekend programme, copies of which can be ordered online via Curtis Sports. 

Tickets for Magic Weekend at St James' Park are available to purchase online via superleague.co.uk until Friday 2 June and on match day from the Stadium ticket office.