Fa’amanu Brown: Hull FC sign Newcastle Knights half-back on one-year deal

Hull FC have signed Newcastle Knights half-back Fa’amanu Brown for next season on a one-year deal.

The 28-year-old has represented both New Zealand and Samoa internationally and had a season with Championship side Featherstone Rovers in 2021.

“I’ve had a really good chat with [head coach] Tony Smith and we just clicked,” he told the club website.

“With the forward pack the club has in 2024, it’s going to be fun to play behind those guys.”

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Diakhate will add further competition and depth to Hull FC’s pack next year.

Damel Diakhate is looking to reach the ‘next level’ after signing a one-year deal with Hull FC. The 22-year-old becomes the club’s eighth new addition for the 2024 season, with the Black and Whites having the option to extend his contract by another year.

An athletic and powerful forward, Diakhate has four years of experience in the French Championship. He impressed the club on his trial in the summer months, playing for the Reserves and doing enough to earn a spot in Tony Smith’s 2024 squad.

Catching the eye of the Black and Whites, Diakhate played in the Reserves derby, having first appeared against St Helens as ‘Trialist A.’ He scored a try against the Saints and then helped defeat Rovers before suffering an unfortunate knee injury.

Now fully recovered, the Frenchman has impressed Hull’s coaching department with his attitude away from the training field and throughout his recovery process. He will add further depth to Hull’s pack next season, alongside fellow new recruits Herman Ese’ese, Jayden Okunbor, Franklin Pele, and Jack Ashworth. The club have also signed Jack Walker, Liam Tindall, and Morgan Smith.

Diakhate played 15 times for Albi in the 2022/23 season, one of two French clubs that Hull defeated on the way to winning the European Championship back in 1956/57 (the other was Carcassonne). He had previously played for Villeneuve.

Speaking on his deal at Hull FC, Diakhate said: “I am really grateful for the opportunity to continue learning and growing at Hull FC. I have worked really hard up until this point, but I want to continue working really hard and push myself to the next level.

“It was frustrating for me to get injured so soon after I arrived at the club during my trial, but everyone has been really supportive, and that has made me feel welcome. Now I just want to get my head down and show everybody what I can do. I am fortunate to have an experienced coaching team behind me to push me onto the next level I need to get to.”

Hull FC head coach, Tony Smith, added: “Damel is a good size. He’s enthusiastic, and he has a good work rate – he’s always a real handful for defenders when he carries the ball. He’s looking for a break, and we’re willing to give him that opportunity to try and break through.

“How long it takes for Damel to fully break through is something we’re still a little unsure on, but he’s keen to do it as soon as possible, which highlights his enthusiasm, and we’re willing to give him that chance to prove himself.”