FC’S reasons to be cheerful this season
It’s fair to say Hull FC have had a satisfactory first half of the season. It’s not the time to get carried away, but they currently sit fifth in Super League, they have sorted out their home form, and are sticking to their own processes and systems.
It’s been a significant improvement on the second half of last year, a run that saw the club lose nine of their last ten matches.
It’s also an improvement beyond what many within the sport saw coming. Hull are exceeding expectations, yet there’s plenty more to come as well.
It’s easy to see why many within the club are so optimistic.
Winning eight of their opening 13 league fixtures, Hull under Brett Hodgson are turning a few heads.
They have found their middle ground, and whilst they can play with both guile and flair, they can also roll their sleeves up when required.
In victory this season there has been an identity about them, and whether blowing teams away or sticking within the grind, there’s been a foundation to their recent performances.
The fight in Hull is back, with resilience, spirit, and hunger words you can associate with the side again. It’s no surprise either with juggernauts like Ligi Sao and Manu Ma’u, two forwards who have hit their best patch of form with the club in recent weeks.
Then there’s the maverick Jake Connor, and of course, the young talents who have risen from within.
The likes of Connor Wynne, Jack Brown and Brad Fash have all made an impression on Super League this year, and it’s that direction that Hull hope will lead them into the future.
There is a plan here. The club are making plenty of noises about their academy set-ups right now, and with good reason.
They appointed Michael Shenton at the end of last year, lured Pete Riding away from Warrington, and signed two of the Wire’s most promising young players in Nick Staveley and Denive Balmforth.
It’s the latter in Balmfoth who came on against Toulouse a few weeks ago and scored a try within 90 seconds of entering the field.
It’s that direction that Hull hope will take them forward, with youth the common denominator amongst every success story of the summer era.
Not that Hull are playing a waiting game. The future is exciting, but the present is equally so. Whilst not the finished article, there are plenty of reasons why confidence is high in the Hull camp.
The statistics don’t lie, and Hull currently have the most creative player in the competition.
With 22 try assists to his name, Connor is hitting career-best form, and with a monstrous pack of forwards in front of him, he is virtually unplayable at his best.
However, there is still improvement in him, areas he knows he can fix up, although that goes for the full side who can’t afford to rest on their laurels.
Similar things were said about Hull in the first half of last year, who started well but who came unstuck after contracting Covid and weren’t the same again. The challenge for them is to remain consistent and to not fall by the wayside as the season goes on.
If recent results are anything to go by then Hull are ticking along, but there are still improvements to be made - things like nous, game management and discipline.
How they manage the half-back positions will also be crucial.
There has been a lot of disruption with Josh Reynolds coming under fire recently and Luke Gale struggling to get going, so much so that half a dozen combinations have already been used.
There is something to go on though and given their high standards Hull’s creative outlets will look to build on the Wigan victory.
Hull were outstanding that afternoon with Danny Houghton also putting in a season best performance on his milestone outing.
That must be the level going forward and managing the introduction of Joe Lovodua off the bench is just as important. Get that right and Hull won’t go far wrong.
Though after a mini blip Hull are back on track again and with Connor, the energy of youth, and a pack of forwards that have been nothing short of sublime, they should be confident of ruffling a few feathers as they approach the business end of the year.
Nothing was expected of them this season and they have got nothing to lose.