Simon Grix targets Hull FC improvements after side take big mental leap in victory

Simon Grix is determined to see his Hull FC side back up Saturday's 18-10 victory over Leeds Rhinos, even if they will be underdogs again against Warrington Wolves this weekend. The Black and Whites host the Wire this Saturday afternoon, having faced off twice already at the Halliwell Jones Stadium this year.

Keeping his side level-headed, Grix insists there is no overexcitements after a first victory in a dozen games, with Hull breaking their 11-match losing run after tries from Lewis Martin, Denive Balmforth, and Cam Scott. Instead, the side is focused on improving further to put in another strong performance, identifying some areas to fix up ahead of the round 14 clash.

For Grix, who believes Hull could have beaten Leeds by a greater margin, it's all about being 'cuter' and 'smarter' when in good territory, with the interim coach generally pleased with their defensive account against the Rhinos.

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"We need to approach it like the underdogs we are every week," Grix said. "We're not going to get carried away because we got two points. This season has been nowhere near where we wanted it to be, but we've just got to keep working hard and keep that commitment and togetherness that they displayed when they were tired.

"We asked the players at half-time, 'What would you do for a win? How far are you willing to go?' I thought they all left it out there, and they earned it. Some of that is our standards. The London game, we were way off compared to where we'd been in the weeks before it, but I think in the last couple of games, we've been showing some better signs again, and to get the points now, we just need to back it up now and keep those levels in defence to each other.

"I thought we could have put Leeds a little bit further out of reach too if we were a little bit cuter with the territory we had. We can be more clinical and smarter at times, and then we might give ourselves a chance in even more games this season."

While not getting carried away, Hull are naturally buoyed by their victory, with the side picking up some much-needed confidence ahead of the second half of the season. Grix is hoping that spurs a little bit of muscle memory, with his players remembering what it felt like to hold on to a lead and get the result they craved.

"I think the reward of the two points helps," Grix added. "It's an addictive feeling; winning. It's a nice thing to do. Now that they've got a little taste of it, maybe they'll remember what it feels like to close a game out as well.

"That's been a while, but they hung on there when they were tired, and they hung tight. They can take a lot out of it and move onto the next one with some confidence."

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