KR ARE GIVING IT EVERYTHING
NO LACK OF EFFORT IN WAKEFIELD LOSS, SAYS HODGSON
DAVID Hodgson insists Hull KR’S 48-18 defeat to Wakefield Trinity was not down to a lack of effort.
Rovers went into the game at Belle Vue level with their hosts in the Super League table but there was a huge gulf between the sides.
Trinity were 26-0 up at half-time and for the sixth time in seven matches KR had lost a game before the break.
The Robins rallied early in the second half but Wakefield finished how they started to pull themselves off the bottom and leave Tony Smith’s team on the brink of a first Super League wooden spoon.
Hodgson was in charge again with Smith self-isolating and he defended the effort from the players after another dismal display.
“When you are losing you can see why fans are frustrated,” said the KR assistant. “It’s disappointing for everyone.
“It’s not through a lack of effort, I can tell you that. The players are going in and putting all their effort in.
“We as a club are all pu t t ing effort in to try get the results to go our way.”
Since taking St Helens to golden point at the start of last month, Rovers have given their opponents a head start, the exception last week’s win over an unrecognisable Salford Red Devils.
Rather than a mentality issue, Hodgson believes KR are finding different ways to lose matches before half-time. “It’s something we’ve been chatting about and I don’t know if it’s a mentality thing or just different things happening in certain games,” he said.
“I thought execution skill it was as a group, inviting Wakefield into the game that way and not putting pressure on them.
“They did well and took opportunities when they came.
“We showed some things in patches, that’s all it was – in patches. We need to get better at starting games.
“We gave away too much ball and they exploited us. If you give any team in Super League that much possession they’ll hurt you.”
The Robins have little time to lick their wounds, with a derby against Hull FC coming up on Thursday night.
“Every game we try to win,” Hodgson added. “Obviously the game is a lot bigger next week.
“We try to win every week. We make the changes we do because we feel that’s the best possible team to go out there and do a job.” their