Hull ready to claim entertainers tag as they hit new groove
MCINTOSH ON HODGSON’S APPROACH TO GAMES
After a run of three defeats, Hull FC turned a corner on Easter Monday and have now won four of their last five games - the latest a season-best victory over Wigan. With an eye now on the top four, Brett Hodgson’s side have cut down their error counts, ground out wins, and blown teams away.
They’ve discovered an identity, with Hull winger Darnell Mcintosh full of praise for the way his head coach sets his side up.
“Brett expresses in us to play how we want to play - he definitely encourages that,” Mcintosh told the Mail.
“Sometimes things can be really structured but whatever your strengths are within the team he wants you to play to those strengths. We’ve got a lot of talented people in this team and we want to get the best out of them.
“When we’re on it’s very good rugby to watch. We want to chance our arm but within reason. Not every play can be off-the-cuff and the message Brett always gets across is that it’s team first.
“We’ve got to respect the ball and we don’t want balls not coming off that make us work even harder. Brett never bags us for trying though, which is good.
“We want each other to play well, it’s a good environment for me, and I’m really enjoying playing.”
Hull produced some of their best attack of the season in their last outing against Wigan. They were outstanding and they showed both sides to their game.
There is a team here who can score points, but there is also one that is prepared for the fight too - one who won’t back down when the going gets tough.
Finding a balance has been the challenge for Hull at times this season, but if the month of May was anything to by, the side are certainly finding some middle ground right now.
“The Wigan game was the standards we’ve wanted to set all year and in some games this year we have met them,” Mcintosh continued. “That was a real statement for us going forward and we need to carry it on no matter who the opposition is.
“We want to be putting out performances like that every week.
“We don’t want to be a team that gets rattled early and goes into their shells. I think we’ve got the mentality now where if a play doesn’t come off then we’re willing to defend it. That’s a big one for us. I think our try line defence for most of the season has been really good.
“We could see where we needed to improve, and I didn’t think we were ever too far off.
“We had a few lessons that we learned early on which was a good thing really as we have now overcome them, and we know where we want to get to and what we need to do to get to that place.
“We’ve just got to respect the way we play, going out there and completing our sets and looking after each other. We can’t afford to turn up and just rely on talent. We need to be smarter with the ball and work harder. I think that’s what we’re doing now.”
For Mcintosh personally, this season is also going to plan.
Settling into the side, the winger has put both Achilles and hamstring injuries behind him, looking the part on Hull’s right edge.
In just 11 matches in both competitions this year, he has nine tries, but it’s his overall game that has been just as impressive.
“The big thing for me coming over to Hull was to get back on that field as quick as I could and luckily, I got out there for round one,” Mcintosh added.
“I knew I wouldn’t be firing straight away but I feel now that I’m starting to hit a bit more of a stride. It helps that the team is in good form at the minute, but I feel like I’m also playing pretty well. I’m enjoying it and I’m doing what I need to do for the team, but I still feel like I’ve got loads left in me too.”