Hull FC culture issue will stand out if club legends are disrespected in final bow
Simon Grix has challenged his Hull FC players to put in a performance that shows both 'respect' and 'value' to Danny Houghton and Carlos Tuimavave. The long-serving Black and Whites duo are set for their final appearances for the club against Catalans Dragons this Saturday afternoon, with Grix looking for a strong effort-based display from his side.
Playing their final game of the season, the club will pay tribute to Houghton and Tuimavave, who both won two Challenge Cups at Wembley back in 2016 and 2017. True greats of the modern era, Houghton, a boyhood Black and White, has featured 450 times for Hull, captained the club, and won the Super League Man of Steel, while Tuimavave is one of the club's best overseas signings of the last 30 years.
And Grix wants to see those achievements replicated in Hull's performance, with effort and attitude taking centre stage as they look to avoid a first wooden spoon in sixty years. The interim coach has identified the things he wants to see, with Hull's departing duo aiming to bow out with a display they can be proud of despite the tough nature of the season gone by.
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"The drive for me this week is around our effort for the people who are leaving," Grix said pre-match. "We might not have a heap to play for in terms of league position, and we haven't had that for a while, but I think we can show Danny Houghton and Carlos Tuimavave, blokes that have been here a long time, how much respect we have for them and how we value what they've done for us in our performance.
"That's not in our skill, but in our effort, and that's the aim this week. It's been a short week. We've got a couple of training sessions under our belt, and now we'll go out there and give it all we've got with what we have."
Grix continued: "The situation isn't ideal; not many people in this game, or in sport in general, I don't think, go out on their own terms too often with everything being all rosy. Unfortunately, those lads aren't going out in the best manner that they could have, but we are where we are, and it is what it is.
"They're probably at peace with it, more so than anyone else, but hopefully we can go give a performance and get our effort to the right areas. Like our kick chase, if Mint means something to us, then we'll see that in our efforts on kick chase, kick pressure, and all of those little bits that don't take talent and quality. We can't be found wanting on effort."
Placing a big focus on talentless traits, Hull go up against Catalans, with the club forced into changes again after injuries to Brad Fash, Davy Litten, and Ed Chamberlain last week. Tom Briscoe is also out with illness, while Jake Trueman, another departing player, won't get the final Hull appearance that he desired.
Grix added: "A lot has happened this year, with injuries, changes, and the like. It's like rinse and repeat every week. The challenge to the boys is to get the right level and the right commitment to one another in their defence, which wasn't there last week and wasn't there the week before. There's a lot of reasons for that, and it's difficult, but we have to get on with it, roll our sleeves up, and keep going."
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