Hull FC change of guard bearing fruit but side must now pass crucial execution test

Daniel Tomlinson
·3-min read
Hull FC look dejected after defeat to Warrington Wolves.
-Credit: (Image: SW Pix)


It's been over two months since Hull FC's change of guard. On the face of it, the club still sits in eleventh place on the Super League table with one win in under eight under Simon Grix, but dive a little deeper, and the small steps forward are there to see.

Hull have stemmed the flow. They have gone from a side that looked, to put it frank, completely and utterly hopeless as they got hammered in regular fashion to one now competitive at the least, with several changes, led by new Director of Rugby, Richie Myler, made for the better of the club.

From an outfit on course for a club-record losing run, there have been recent examples of progress, with the last two performances in particular bringing a whole different mood and atmosphere. In one of those performances, Hull got the win they so desperately craved, ending said losing run to defeat Leeds Rhinos 18-10, and the other, albeit a 24-18 reverse to Warrington Wolves, was still a valiant show with plenty of encouragement.

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In fact, one blip at London Broncos aside, the cohesion of the side, the energy levels, and the commitment to each other have been night and day from the first seven games of the year. Hull, while far from perfect, are now playing with desperation and fight again. They look more like a team. That just wasn't the case earlier in the season, when they lacked soul, pride, and any sort of defensive steel.

Of course, there is still a lot of improvement to be made, with the side still to fully earn back the trust of their supporters. They still have a long, long way to go to get where they desire to be, but it was always going to be a mountain climb. It was never a short-term fix.

However, Hull, who admittedly are a work in progress, have started that ascent again, with their youth continuing to shine and offering the most hope for the future. The club have invested so much time into that development, and it's now starting to bear fruit, with a quartet all having their moments against Warrington. Logan Moy, Lewis Martin, Denive Balmforth, and Will Gardiner continued their rises, with Moy and Gardiner singled out for 'best ever' Super League performances.

That is evolution. The challenge is to keep nurturing it not only through their own natural development but also through who they retain and bring in. So far, that's a balance the new regime looks to be getting right.

Sure, they can still be better, and they are far from the finished products. They know that more than anyone, but there's a hunger to improve and impress. They're determined to make their mark.

Others are also finding some form, and it's no surprise to see after some welcome continuity on the side. It goes a long way. There's also competition, with Jed Cartwright the latest permanent addition after Yusuf Aydin and Tom Briscoe, with several new faces coming in next season.

And while now Hull have their effort and commitment base again, the test is to keep on getting better. Execution is the word right now. Hull, who came through a fair amount of adversity during the game, had chances to beat Warrington. They didn't take them. They also could have beaten Leeds by a bigger margin and could, and arguably should, have won recent games at Castleford and Huddersfield.

They're certainly in games now, but they've got to take advantage of their opportunities. That will be their next progress mark, and they have to start attacking games as they practice in training and stop an unwanted trait from forming.

Still, it's all one step at a time. There's been gradual improvement in performance over the last block of games, and so long as that improvement continues with growing combinations resulting in the taking of chances, then so will the current trajectory. Onwards and upwards.

Read more: 'Best yet' Hull FC duo lauded for strong displays as youth development evolution continues

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