Disappointing year means FC need a strong pre-season

THE pre-season for Brett Hodgson, his staff and his Hull FC players is vital.

An eighth placed finish leaves everyone disappointed, but the players should feel most disappointed.

The performances simply weren’t good enough and an honest critique of their own personal performances on and off the field should open their own eyes to the necessity to be far better in 2021.

The coach and staff reviews would have been an ideas meeting as well as a review of the season just passed.

The one to one reviews would have, I’m sure, been extremely difficult for more than a few players who’s discipline and performances on and off the field would have been put firmly under the microscope.

Whatever the review as a whole brought for the club it’s clear to see the performances, consistency and overall results need to be clearly changed in 2022.

Recruitment will help Hodgson reshape his squad with a more balanced group of players that he believes can suit his style of play much better than the 2021 teams. The retaining of the right players will also help with this, of course.

However, the releasing of players, in my opinion, will send out the sternest warning to all players who are in the black and whites squad in 2022.

Often the biggest kick up the backside a player can receive is one that says if that player can be shown the door then I really must step it up.

Let’s hope for a better Hull FC in 2022, build on solid foundations, a group of players all on the same page, working hard to improve the performances and at the very least make the play-offs in 2022.