Catalans Dragons have appointed John Cartwright as their new head coach, with the Australian taking charge immediately after leaving Hull FC. He will be in the dugout when Catalans face York on Saturday, ending a turbulent spell that saw him still employed by Hull until Tuesday.

Hull said Cartwright had been released from the remainder of his contract to allow him to join the French club, while the coach said last month he felt betrayed and disrespected after being told he was no longer Hull coach. His move brings a swift end to a situation that had left both clubs waiting for clarity and gives Catalans a full-time replacement after Ryan Sheridan had been acting as interim head coach since Joel Tomkins stood down in April for personal reasons.

Cartwright said he was eager to get started with his new side and described the move as unexpected, which he said made the challenge even more exciting. He also thanked Bernard Guasch, the Catalans chief executive, for the opportunity. Cartwright will be supported by Sheridan, Micky McIlorum and Mitchell Pearce as he begins work with a squad that has already been under temporary management for months.

The coach arrives with a long résumé in Australia and a familiar reputation for turning around difficult situations. He began as an assistant with the Panthers before moving to the Sydney Roosters, became head coach of the Gold Coast Titans in 2007, and later assisted several NRL clubs, including the North Queensland Cowboys in their 2015 title-winning campaign. He switched to Super League by joining Hull in 2024, but his stay ended after a season in which the club finished seventh.

The abrupt change leaves Hull facing another reset after a stop-start period under Cartwright, while Catalans will hope the new appointment settles their own campaign quickly. With York next on Saturday, there is no easing-in period for the new head coach, and the size of the job will be clear almost as soon as he sits down in the technical area.