Men
Aidan Sezer to join Hull FC
12 Sep 2024
Experienced Australian half-back, Aidan Sezer, has signed a two-year deal with Hull FC, keeping him at the MKM Stadium until at least the end of the 2026 campaign.
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The 33-year old has over 240 senior appearances to his name across the NRL and Super League, having previously represented Gold Coast Titans and Canberra Raiders in Australia, and Huddersfield Giants and Leeds Rhinos in the UK.
The New South Wales native, who has both Turkish and Indigenous Australian heritage, began his senior career in the game back in 2012, having joined the Titans from Canterbury Bulldogs youth system, with whom he featured in the U20s competition.
Sezer spent four seasons with Gold Coast, making 71 appearances for the club, and playing under incoming head coach John Cartwright for three years – in that time, as a mainstay in the side he became the side’s first-choice goal kicker, scoring over 360 points for the club. He also represented the Indigenous All-Stars team for the first time in 2013, and would do so again in 2017.
Making the move to the Raiders ahead of the 2016 campaign, he aided the side to a second-placed finish in his first season and to within eighty minutes of a Grand Final appearance, having formed a formidable half-back partnership with Blake Austin, as well as playing alongside fellow new recruit Jordan Rapana.
Three years later, Sezer finally got his chance to feature in the Grand Final with the Raiders, but agonisingly went down Sydney Roosters at the ANZ Stadium in his final game for the club.
Having headed to the Northern Hemisphere for the Covid-19 disrupted 2020 campaign, Sezer enjoyed a stellar campaign with the Giants, finishing second to Paul McShane in the Steve Prescott Man of Steel voting.
He made the short hop across West Yorkshire ahead of the 2022 campaign where he played a key role in helping the Rhinos reach the Grand Final, but injury in the semi-final against Wigan would see him miss out on the showpiece event at Old Trafford.
After returning to the NRL for 2024 with the Tigers, he led a young Wests team around the park, making 17 appearances, with 8 try assists and 7 line-break assists, as well as recording a conversion rate of 83%.
Sezer will return to the UK in 2025 to take up the opportunity with John Cartwright’s side.
Speaking to hullfc.com, Sezer said: “It feels great to sign for the club. Hull FC is a great club and when I played over in England before, I always remember the FC fans were out in big numbers and making lots of noise, so it’s going to be awesome to play in front of them next year,” he said.
“I spoke to Carty [John Cartwright], and that was pretty much enough to get me to sign.
“It was only a brief conversation over the phone. As soon as I found out he was going to be involved at Hull FC, I was all ears.
“I’ve got the utmost respect for Carty. He coached me at the Titans and I always really enjoyed working under him, so I’m excited to link up with him again.”
He added: “I actually know a few of the blokes who have already signed for 2025. It’s going to be exciting to get together with those guys and build up our combinations on the field.”
Hull FC’s Director of Rugby Richie Myler, said: “Aidan is a seasoned professional who has shown his capabilities in both the NRL and Super League – with over a decade playing at the top level, we’re delighted to add someone of his calibre to our ranks for 2025.
"John is fully aware of the talent Aidan possesses having coached him earlier in his career, while I had the pleasure of playing alongside him for two years at Leeds. He is a leadership figure, and he’s going to bring that quality to us next season – he’ll be another excellent role model for some of our younger talents to look up to.
"With the return of Jordan Abdull, plus the bright young talent of Jack Charles, our pivot options are something that excites us for next season as we add another piece of the puzzle into place.”