Hopefully the attitude that Balmforth has finished the season with will be emulated by others in the squad. Lost 9kg in 4 weeks and this will surely benefit him with his game time this year

Jordan Abdul will be the gauge, hope it goes well for him, I for one think a fit and slimmed down version of him will do the team a power of good in what promises to be e very interesting spine.
Edited because of bloody predictive text

He certainly looked trimmer when I saw him a couple weeks back

Good to hear about balmforth. I'm amazed really how a pro sportsman can be carrying too much flab. Makes you wonder how much physical activity there is in training week in, week out once pre season is over

Players always say that if they miss pre season, then it puts them back pretty much for the year, as fitness isn't really done during the season. Good to see Denive has stuck to a plan since the season finished, be good to see the shape of how some others turn up to Uni next week

Balmforth getting fitter means his game could go up a few levels next year. He’s still young as well and will still be finding his feet.

If Abdul gets himself near to good shape, we’ll have a real player on our hands.

I'll wait until I see them both I'm the first pre season game before I get excited, but is positive signs, both have potential to make our 17 much stronger if there are fitter.

Fair play to the lad, with no obvious ‘first choice’ at the minute the two dummy half positions for the starting 17 look wide open between Balmforth, Borough, Smith and possibly Cust you’d think the 2 who impress the most in pre season will get the nod.

Think the club will have to be really on the ball with Balmforth especially if he starts the season well. I’m sure in theory he can sign for someone else as early as this Friday. Personally I’d have tried to tie him down longer last year but it’s obvious he has the confidence to back himself could be a scramble for him. Not the worst situation for the club to be in though, it’s obvious he’s well motivated for the up coming season.

I'd like to see Balmforth share the 13 role when Asiata comes off for a breather.

We could run with 2 hookers on the pitch for 20/30minutes

I think it's an actual reflection of the lack of intensity under Smiths tenure not just in pre season training but training as a whole throughout the season. Balmforth went to Thailand and got in to good shape previously prior to pre season then somehow seemed to lose shape as the season progressed. Being honest the overall shape and fitness of the squad this year was poor. Think its a positive that Balmforth has taken onboard and done the graft to get back in to fitness prior to pre season as I believe he is a real gem and if well conditioned and coached properly will no doubt be a huge asset at 9.

Hopefully Abdul will be another that takes it on board as for him especially its a last chance saloon, again if he can stay in shape, fit and on the pitch he'll be an asset.

Is he another new signing?

I think i have seen that tactic before somewhere

jordan's thinner brother

Bloody predictive text

Saw him last week at Total Fitness putting a shift in.

Thing with Abdul is he might come back with an attitude to right a few wrongs? Hopefully he’s in a better headspace and he can prove the doubters wrong.

Will be an asset if he can get himself to something like full fitness.

I won't comment too much on Abdull's fitness until I see him next year.
Can fully understand why people are sceptical over the signing. His conditioning last season was terrible and way below par. However that doesn't mean he's going to be in the same condition next season when he runs out for us. Or if he is in that condition, im fairly confident he won't be running out for us.
If he can get his body right, I think he will do well for us. Possibly very well. But certainly an improvement over anything we had in the halves this season. Might be in the minority but I have faith he will put the work in and look the part next season.

Jon Clarke here for the first 2 weeks of pre season before flying back to Australia.
There is another new S@C coach also who will be working alongside Tom Bennett.

Have we had any confirmation yet of what Gaz Ellis' role is now? Could it be he's moving into strength and conditioning?

Thats great news, as Tom Bennett is still unqualified....
Pearson's decision last November, to only employ one fitness trainer (who isnt qualified) meant the squad could not physically compete in SL. , this created more injuries, unfortunately , we only had trainee physiotherapists from Hull university ....

What did I say about Balmforth and his weight 2-3 months ago ? !

He’s 10kg heavier than Harry Grant and I implored Denive to reduce his weight and increase his fitness so he can make tackle 52 rather than 22

I’m pleased for any player that loses 9kg and now I can’t wait to see how he will
Benefit on the pitch

Jordan next

So by my reckoning we have gone from a backroom staff of
Smith, Gene, Grix
Unqualified S&C and trainee Physios

to

Cartwright, Grix, Last and Ellis
Highly experienced Physio and another one advertised
New S&C coach and Jon Clarke as a consultant.

Definitely a huge improvement and shows the money saved the last couple of year under Pearson.

Got to be either Covid loans paid off or investment coming in

Did we even save any money though? Pearson already said medical scans alone cost 100K extra, then there’s the cost of making all the short term loan signings directly related to our lack of fitness and injury problems, that’s without factoring in the lost revenue etc by the drop in crowds as most of the season was dead rubber.

Thought it was interesting a couple of months ago then Saints posted big losses but Eamon McManus said that cutting costs would be worse long term for the club, maybe he saw Hull as an example of how not to deal with the challenges of Covid loans and lower TV revenue.

I agree that we haven't likely saved much money, if any. I think it's clear that Pearson tried to cut costs and it backfired on him big time. McManus's comments at the time certainly read to me like a veiled criticism of us without naming us directly. Was a lot more respectful than a certain other club owner has been all season.

Maybe McManus is in a better financial position to underpin those losses. I don't think he's the type to criticise other clubs, be it veiled or otherwise. Hopefully we are now in a better financial position and we can finally start moving forward again.