Brian Smith turned a hapless team into
a flookin amazing team in 1-2 seasons

No big signings - just Gary Nolan winning the GF with a reach out try !

Crusher Cleal was quite a big signing I suppose

JC could easily do the same with this
Mob

Great to see the Cash from Thirkill being put to good use on breakfasts and the like.
It all counts

But strong leadership with accountability is priceless

Seems like the first week has been harder than the whole of last pre season as whole.
Fantastic to hear the positive comments so far.
They are certainly putting in the hours. In at 7 and finishing around 3.

Ah Brian Smith

Some would say it's harder to do in the modern game but is it? I'm not sure it is. Brian Smith was a charismatic figurehead who not only did wonders with a poor team but also spearheaded the installation of new floodlights the demolition and replacement of the Threepenny Stand and the revamping of the in ground bar facilities to try to mirror the Leagues Clubs in Australia. However, he arrived with the team having eclipsed the great escape fro relegation the previous season by the skin of our teeth and did it by beating Rovers at caravan park with 6 missing. Under the temporary coaching of Tony Dean and Keith Hepworth who had taken over from Casey with us in a real rut, they over saw an improvement but we had a really poor team that regularly under performed under Casey ands had massive attitude issues under him too. recognise anything?

Enter Brian Smith who just signed four Aussies Colman Moon Boyle and Henry and after he instigated an open trial which attracted 70 players from across Yorkshire we got Ian Marlow signed up from Local RU. That's all we saw coming in of any substance whilst he immediately dropped Pearce (Pearce was over weight and under performing.... recognise anything here too?) Proctor and Tomlinson into the A team and we proceeded to lose our first 4 games. However we ended up as beaten finalists at Old Trafford at the end of the season after some historic performances, (who can forget the 35-20 victory at Wigan that some Wigan fans I know still insist instigated the Wigan walk) along the way. Brian Smith was a real Miracle worker and so miracles do happen. Or they did. Sadly for us not that often these days though!!!

Brian Smith was truly the Messiah

He turned average into good
Good into Great and
Great into Excellent

The finest man manager ever IMO as he had no cash and worked from a shocking low base

Could JC be the new BS or is it just that ? Bs

Loved Gray Pearce - he's fat, he's round, he's worth a million pound, Gary Pearce!!!!

I remember when Pearce had just joined Hull from RU. Real early on in his Hull career, think it was at Featherstone he was about to take a conversion practically under the posts, the ball fell over as he had just stated his run up. Not knowing in RL he could simply stand it back up, he attempted to flick the ball over as it was on its side on the floor! Everyone was wtf!?? Apparently in RU if it fell over that was the rule and that’s why players used to lay down and hold the ball to stop it blowing over in windy conditions before the kicker kicked it. Still, can’t remember the last time I saw a teammate holding the ball at goal kick/oenalty.

We used to do it in the playground at West Dock Infants!

There has certainly been a seismic shift in the club with arrival of Cartwright as HC.

I feel the decisions by Rowley & Lam not to take on the role have been a blessing in disguise.

So far from what seems to be transpiring in pre season is a club that is being lead both on & off the field in terms of the playing aspect.

Myler has been heavily involved in rebalancing the cap spend with in a squad that had been totally mismanaged for far too long.

Cartwright already seems to be a man that places a lot of value on leadership both in his playing staff but also in his coaching staff.
I can’t remember the last time players took part in full day sessions so that is another big change.
It was known but now seems very apparent in his short time here already that he is a man that has exacting standards that he expects to be met as a minimum requirement for pro players.

I don’t know how far up the table we’ll finish but to have a guy with the experience of Cartwright and to have come here fresh from the NRL and Origin can not be understated as a huge plus.

I hope it will be seen as a three season project when he will have had time to sign some of his first choice Aussies with a full year to run at recruitment for 2026 and 2027 but everything is at least on a professional footing again.

Great recollection. I remember in a press conference after we had won a game at the Boulevard and Pearce had just got back in the team after Smith dropped him to the A team. He'd scored the first try and Smith christened him when he said "We moved the ball left and Porky rolled over near the corner flag" everyone laughed and a legend was born . great player!