Statistics suggest Hull have improved
THE improvement in Brett Hodgson’s Hull FC is clear for all to see this season.
After suffering nine losses in their final 10 games last year, the Black and Whites have turned their fortunes around and look capable of kicking on to claim a spot in the Super League’s top four.
They sit fifth at present, but having won three of their last four, they’ll be entering the second half of the season with the wind in their sails and bags of confidence. The statistics tell a similar tale.
Following the penultimate game of the season last year, the Mail took a look at the club’s Super League stats and they made for sorry reading in some key areas.
One of the most worrying stats was the errors made, with FC proving to be their own worst enemy at times.
Only Wakefield (12.35) had made more errors per game than Hull’s 11.95, with the Black and Whites coughing up possession cheaply. This time around, though, FC are cutting out the mistakes and enjoying a lot more quality time on the ball.
In 13 games Hull have made 116 errors and that produces an average of 8.92 per game - a record bettered only by Huddersfield Giants, who have made 114 mistakes.
Hodgson’s side have also improved when it comes to attacking from deep, something they struggled with last year. The club had the worst record in the competition for tackle busts, averaging 24.5 per game, and the same could be said for clean breaks with just 2.9 per match.
This season both have been boosted, with the Black and Whites averaging 29.3 tackle busts and 4.69 clean breaks, as they find more joy with the ball in hand.
Combined those figures have Hull third when it comes to metres made in the competition, behind just the Giants and St Helens.
Of course, there’s always improvements to be made and a stat Hodgson won’t be pleased with is the amount of tackles Hull have missed this year. No side has missed more than FC’S 389, the same amount as leaders St Helens.
FC rank ninth when it comes to attacking kicks in general play, while they are one of seven clubs not to have kicked a 40/20 in the league so far this year. With Marc Sneyd leaving over the off-season to join Salford, Hull have used a number of goal-kickers this year, but with a success rate of 71 per cent the head coach will be relatively content.