John Cartwright has expressed feeling "betrayed and disrespected" after Hull FC confirmed his departure without providing an explanation. The club announced on April 7 that the head coach would leave at the end of the Betfred Super League season, with a six-month termination clause to be exercised. The decision caught the 60-year-old Australian completely off guard.

Cartwright took over at the MKM Stadium at the start of the 2025 campaign and guided Hull FC to a seventh-placed finish, their highest league position since 2020. The team currently sits ninth in Super League with three wins from seven matches. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Cartwright maintains he'll continue fulfilling his responsibilities and emphasizes the unbreakable connection he's developed with the players throughout his tenure.

Hull FC have already begun searching for his replacement, with the new appointment targeting the 2027 season. Cartwright stated he hasn't received any indication about why the club decided to move in a different direction, noting that poor results would typically warrant a conversation beforehand. "If you lose six in a row, you might feel they'd be a tap on the shoulder, but there was none of that," he said.