BLOODY HULL
Grix: It’s been chaotic but I’ll get us back on track
SIMON GRIX wants to put a “chaotic” week behind him and start getting crisis-torn Hull back on track.
The assistant coach is in temporary charge after Tony Smith’s sacking last Thursday.
He only arrived at the club himself in the offseason after leaving his role as Halifax chief to link up with his former Warrington boss.
But Smith’s exit, after starting the campaign with just one win from eight games, means yet more changes for an ailing club perennially in transition.
Asked how he’d reflect on the last week, Grix, 38, said: “Chaotic. Surprising. A bit uncomfortable.
“One man obviously loses his job in these scenarios but we’re all part of it, so I’m feeling a bit guilty, as everyone should. But we can’t look back for too long. We have to get on with things.”
Hull, who head to St Helens on Friday, have also made the surprise appointment of ex-Leeds, Warrington and England scrum-half Richie Myler in a new position of director of rugby. He has been tasked with finding Smith’s replacement as well as bolstering their struggling squad. But Myler (inset), 33, is new to that sort of position – he was still playing for York until announcing his retirement on Tuesday. Grix said: “Everyone has to give him a chance and he can be judged further down the track. He’ll have fresh ideas. He’s pretty well-connected, played at a few clubs and internationally. “I don’t really see how it can be a bad thing for us at the minute.” Grix played alongside Myler for six years at Warrington when the club won at Wembley, finished top and reached two Grand Finals.
He added: “Rich was a very good player. Half-backs are not normally renowned for being tough, not in the scrapping sense and throwing punches. But he’d played busted. His anticipation was very good and he’s been a good player for a long time.
“Those attributes will serve him well. The perception is players are just big idiots who like to run into each other.
“But all the qualities you learn throughout that career can really transfer.”
Kiwi hooker Nu Brown, released by Hull last week for personal reasons, has signed for St George Illawarra, while Hull KR winger Louis Senior has joined Castleford on an initial two-week loan deal.
■ CASTLEFORD’S Sylvester Namo was last night found guilty of a Grade E dangerous contact in Sunday’s Challenge Cup tie against Wigan and suspended for five matches.
However, Catalans’ Bayley Sironen, who faced a five-game ban for a head contact, saw his case dropped.