We have three fundamental issues at the Club, financial, recruitment, and coaching.
No one knows our true financial situation other than Adam. We know Adam isn’t as rich as other owners and we know we have a Covid loan. I suspect it is true we are the loan repayment has made a major dent into our finances. I also think the cushion of no relegation means Adam has taken the opportunity to reduce the cap spend to allow our cash flow to cover the loan repayments. This started last season when Kane Evans and Griff were not replaced during the season. This has contributed to a less than competitive squad. The challenge will come, when if Adam is true to his word and our final situation improves later this year, our cap and hopefully marquee spend increases. I think he needs to update us on our financial situation and be realistic on where we are and when we’ll be back at cap and if and when we’ll be in for any marquee signings.
Our recruitment has been poor for several years. Since 2017, I think the only good value signing were Ratu and Clifford. On limited viewing, I think that both Ese Ese and Pele could become good signings, but that is dependent upon them staying on the pitch. We knew last season that major squad change was needed, however although changes began, i don’t think we can say we are even a club in transition yet. Looking at our squad, if we want to compete for the Top 6 you’d want us to have a core of at least 12 players to go forward into next season, before our next batch of recruitment, to go with a batch of developing youngsters who supplement the squad. Out of our current squad, the only players I’d definitely keep next season are Ese Ese, Pele, Walker and Ligi. Everyone else is replaceable or their salary could be better spent.
The past seasons have led to us accepting mediocrity. For instance, I’ll use Cam Scott and Fash as examples. I’ll just say, I like them both and they have never let Hull down. Fash is and always will be a prop. However, at times we play him as a Loose Forward and some are accepting of that. Fash never takes a step backwards or shrugs a tackle, but he is not a LF. I can not recall Fash putting someone through a gap or show creative handling. Cam has been in or around the first team for 3 seasons. Sound in defence, however as a Centre he rarely makes an attacking break. Today I saw the rumour that he could be going to Wakefield and that some would think that to be a shame. I’d be only worried if a Top 4 side were coming in for our players. Other than a great offload to Swift in last years Derby and following up his own kick to score v Salford, I can’t recall Cam being a real attacking threat. To be at least a Top 6 side, we need our centre’s to be able to make a break, to run in tries from 30-40m out. I think of Schofield, Leuluai, Steve Evans, Richard Horne and Yeamo. That’s what I expect from our centres. Fitness too, including today’s first 5 minutes, Sutty and Carlos have played 11/34 games together in the past 2 seasons.
I work in logistics. All the top companies replace their vehicles every 4 years, 1/4 each year. Sports teams should follow a similar pattern. Some players will stay longer than 4 years, others for a shorter period. However, we seem to have hung on to too many players for too long and also have had them in one batch and this has led to an imbalance.
Finally coaching. The pressure on finances and bad injury situation has not helped us last season or the current campaign. However, whichever Hull team take the field, I think it is fair for the fans to expect structure, discipline, fitness, effort and a game plan and that comes down to the coaching team to instill that into the 17 players each week.
Discipline - We are currently lacking with most of these. In 4 out of 5 games this season, we have conceded a try within the first 6 minutes. We have received 3 red cards, 3 yellow cards, had 6 suspensions for a total of 9 games. Also 5 games in, we have yet to complete a full half with 13 players and we have not once had more players on the pitch than our opponent. Whatever we think of the referees and the RFL Disciplinary, most of this record has been self inflicted.
Fitness and technique. Our line speed is awful. Both Rovers and Leigh’s line speeds were excellent. It’s easy shouting they are all offside, but I noticed Rovers especially were drilled to come up quickly in a line and closed us down immediately throughout the game, as did Leigh today. Why can’t we do that? That’s the Coaches job and you go over it again and again on the training ground until it is second nature.
Game Plan - have we got one? There’s no game management. Our kicking game is awful. We do the same comfortable kick offs to our opponents catcher. Against Rovers in the 1st half we had Ashworth kicking on the last tackle, that’s was both unfair on the player and questions who is calling things on the pitch? Successful teams don’t do that. Without fail on the last tackle, Wigan used to give it to Andy Farrell; Leeds to Kevin Sinfield; and in 2016 & 2017 Hull gave it to Marc Sneyd. After 3 months pre season training we give it to a player who should never expect to be first receiver on the 5th tackle.
Effort - this could be better and more consistent. Tex Hoy’s effort today was great. He left everything on the pitch and he was hurting. Last week at Cats the effort was generally good. However, v London, Matty Russell showed more effort than we’d seen from the whole Hull team in the previous games. That’s a worry. That’s either a club attitude or we have the wrong players.
So our issues are significant across the board. Before we make a decision on Tony, we need to know what our financial situation is; we urgently need a proper Head of Recruitment with better contacts and a better squad replacement policy; once those are in place we can decide on the coach. We either stick with Tony or decide to go with someone else who can instill extra value into the squad. Shaun Wane or Steve McNamara or Paul Rowley may be the British coaching options; or we go to the Southern Hemisphere to find a Coach who can make a difference we need.
Finally, I stayed for the full 80 minutes today, I always have done for the past 49 seasons. I’m a season ticket holder and these days I live in Rugby and it’s a five hour round trip to come to a home game. The club is in my blood and always will be. However, I don’t blame anyone for leaving early today. Leigh were good, but they were not great. They were missing their 3 best players and cut us open with ease.
Our fans deserve better. A club of our size should be in the Top 6 every season and really be in the Top 4 competing for trophies. Currently we are a long way off on both counts.
