WIZEB wrote:They spawned a try with 6 seconds to go as opposed to us throwing it away.

Jake the Peg wrote:We had it in the bag then took it out of the bag and threw it away

Mrs Barista wrote:I never expected much from this season for the simple reason that I didn't think our pack was good enough to match it with the likes of Saints, Wire, Catalans and Wakefield. Without wishing to dwell on the past, the decision to get rid of Watts and not replace him still baffles me. And as others have said we've never really replaced Ellis or Pritchard like for like (the former being irreplaceable full stop, the latter having been subsidised). Layer on the long term absences of our contracted first pick props Bowden and Green (here we are almost in May, 2 bench appearances from a possible 26) and the questionable form of Paea last season - just felt like the right platform couldn't be laid by Taylor on his own as he had tried to do in that glorious run of 11 defeats at the end of 2018. We have excellent halves IMO - the best trio in SL quite possibly, two very good centres in Carlos and Griff, OK wingers and a very handy full back, but without the right foundations that's just vanity.

So given our injuries and suspensions I'm very pleasantly surprised with our league position at Round 13. Our lack of grit in the "middles" has been exposed against the top 2 but there are some positives in the forwards. Paea has been much better this year, Mini looks to have renewed energy, and the resurrection of Ellis has been critical. Encouraging to add Savelio (although short lived) and Green had some real grunt in his carries today which was good to see. Just a couple of weeks off Bowden's return too. I'd also say that Houghton is having his best season in 3, loads of zip round the ruck.

What I do like as well is that we can score points and are more exciting to watch. Having spent years watching 9s, projects and crocks try and get us round the pitch in the halves, it's great to have Sneyd with the ability to pull the strings line up with Kelly and Connor (2 of the biggest talents I've seen in Hull shirts) - what we try doesn't always come off like that almost try in the first 5 minutes today - but they back themselves and have a go. This season I don't think we'll trouble the trophy cabinet unless we can get our best pack on the pitch consistently, but we are offering more with ball in hand and I'm enjoying watching Carlos' footwork, Griffin's punch, Westerman's lines. At the same time we're integrating Masi and Lane and giving chances to the likes of Wynne (looks a right player). We're 3rd in points scored, that has to be pleasing. We're clearly behind the top 2 as our blow out scores indicate, but like you say, maybe in the event we can hang on to a play off place, they may have 14 out and we might be somewhere near full strength.

Sebasteeno wrote:Only 10254 attending today says that im not the only one who isnt convinced

Lets be realisteic - if this team was consistently playing well, not getting battered and really properly challenging consistently then that attendance would have 4-5000 more on it

But whilst people keep thinking average is good that is never gonna happen

Mrs Barista wrote:I never expected much from this season for the simple reason that I didn't think our pack was good enough to match it with the likes of Saints, Wire, Catalans and Wakefield. Without wishing to dwell on the past, the decision to get rid of Watts and not replace him still baffles me. And as others have said we've never really replaced Ellis or Pritchard like for like (the former being irreplaceable full stop, the latter having been subsidised). Layer on the long term absences of our contracted first pick props Bowden and Green (here we are almost in May, 2 bench appearances from a possible 26) and the questionable form of Paea last season - just felt like the right platform couldn't be laid by Taylor on his own as he had tried to do in that glorious run of 11 defeats at the end of 2018. We have excellent halves IMO - the best trio in SL quite possibly, two very good centres in Carlos and Griff, OK wingers and a very handy full back, but without the right foundations that's just vanity.

So given our injuries and suspensions I'm very pleasantly surprised with our league position at Round 13. Our lack of grit in the "middles" has been exposed against the top 2 but there are some positives in the forwards. Paea has been much better this year, Mini looks to have renewed energy, and the resurrection of Ellis has been critical. Encouraging to add Savelio (although short lived) and Green had some real grunt in his carries today which was good to see. Just a couple of weeks off Bowden's return too. I'd also say that Houghton is having his best season in 3, loads of zip round the ruck.

What I do like as well is that we can score points and are more exciting to watch. Having spent years watching 9s, projects and crocks try and get us round the pitch in the halves, it's great to have Sneyd with the ability to pull the strings line up with Kelly and Connor (2 of the biggest talents I've seen in Hull shirts) - what we try doesn't always come off like that almost try in the first 5 minutes today - but they back themselves and have a go. This season I don't think we'll trouble the trophy cabinet unless we can get our best pack on the pitch consistently, but we are offering more with ball in hand and I'm enjoying watching Carlos' footwork, Griffin's punch, Westerman's lines. At the same time we're integrating Masi and Lane and giving chances to the likes of Wynne (looks a right player). We're 3rd in points scored, that has to be pleasing. We're clearly behind the top 2 as our blow out scores indicate, but like you say, maybe in the event we can hang on to a play off place, they may have 14 out and we might be somewhere near full strength.

Sebasteeno wrote:And now for some common sense - we're third in a dogpoo super league and about a million miles away from being a Super League winning side. Only Saints are quality, Wire are reasonable, the rest are dross - SL this year is really poor on the whole as it has been for many years - a decent coach can make their team run away with it ala Saints

Third place flatters us massively - against Saints we lost 62-16, against Wire we lost 63-12 - both utter drubbings - we're miles away! But if people want to stroke themselves to sleep with grins like cheshire cats because were third but still miles off then good for you

Wizard crane wrote:What happens end of season is what matters how we get there i don't really care ,yes want to see entertaining rugby and in some games we have ,today was always going to be a grind it out scenario and it was and that was for most sides this weekend.Make no mistake the side did us proud today under some real pressure not helped by injuries ect .

Tarquin Fuego wrote:Were 3rd with a negative points difference and a million miles away from the Top 2