Easy to deal with a bad attitude, send them to the reserves or out on loan to Doncaster

He’ll play for the reserves quite happily on his contract payments but you still haven’t answered my question.

From the Westwood images, still a few players not there - Evans, Savelio, Trueman, Clifford obviously, Sao and Satae. Wonder why big Chris wasn't there as he has done all of pre season so far

I don’t think Shaul can be accused of a bad attitude just for deciding to play out the last year of his contract in his testimonial year and then retire. There’s a decent chance you got a discount on his contract because he was due that testimonial.

He’ll get his full contract payment plus his testimonial, that’s how it works. Same with Tagg, whose also on a testimonial year.

Yes, but I meant an effective discount when that contract was negotiated. Like, ‘we’ll give you the security of a 3-year deal, which takes you through to your testimonial year’ is a sensible and, from what I’ve read, not untypical position. I think we know where conversations about the extent to which clubs can offer a de facto guarantee of a testimonial will lead, but it is fair to say Shaul could rely on his more than Taylor could, so it is likely less relevant for Taylor. Also, I expect it’d be a fairly marginal difference, as I don’t think modern testimonials are hugely lucrative, relative to SL wages. Speculation aside, he’s not asking for or doing anything unreasonable. Certainly less so than expecting him to go to Wakefield to free up space for a new signing in his 10-year testimonial season, imo.

To be honest I'm not sure what anyone expects Shaul to do in terms of seeing out his contract which still has year left and why shouldn't he? Its the same with the ridiculous option that Houghton had in his favour to extend rather than it being a decision solely in the clubs hands. In fairness to Shaul in the article he seems to intimate that he probably didn't have the right attitude last season but he certainly wasn't alone on that one. As Tony Smith has stated all players have been given a clean slate and it would seem that poor attitudes will not be tolerated and he expects certain standards from the players.
In an ideal world the club would have moved a few players on after the end of last season but the reality is we are stuck with a number of players that have massively under performed for whatever reason so we have to make the best of it until their deals run out, which I am sure is not lost on either the club or the players.

For me whilst many of the same kind of articles come out every pre season I can honestly say this year certainly seems to have a different feel and there are subtle differences in the things being said than in previous years. Whether that is wishful thinking or hope who knows but there does seem to have been a big change in the whole ethos within the club and amongst the players so far.

Wishful thinking and hope Chris.
We are still too small and lightweight in the forwards,no strike at centre and no real pace on the wing to make inroads into the top 6.
At least under Tony Smith we should see a more exciting style of play
With a major clearout in 2024 and lessons learnt in procurement and contracts we should see Hull FC back at the top where we should be

Don't get me wrong I think we are still a few players short to be a genuine candidate to challenge for silverware next year hence my comment re in an ideal world. As you say with the opportunity for a major overhaul of the squad in 2024 due to contracts ending etc it is more important to get the recruitment right and plan accordingly for 2024 onwards. Hopefully the club has learnt from its mistakes in terms of the deals given out so we are not left in the same scenario again.

I still feel the changes made already with the new coaching set up, the improvements in replacements for Reynolds & Gale and the pace that Hoy brings as a FB instead of Jake will see us improve on previous seasons performances. With the changes in regards to accountability and levels of performance expected by Smith and new attitude within the group then it can only be a positive moving forward and again lay foundations for 2024 onwards and play a more entertaining and attractive style.

I think the club has done well to make the playing roster changes it has this off season considering the constraints in terms of cap space and players existing contracts.

The optimist in me thinks that, baring been unable to replace Mau, the squad on the whole has improved. We've brought in:

A young exciting Full Back with plenty of pace
A very consistent Centre with plenty of utility value
A half back who is arguably one of England's best talents
An NRL standard half, who is 'too good for SL'
And a exciting impact hooker, who for me, is one of the most under rated signings by any club this off season.

Not to mention the likes of Cator, Carlos, Savelio who will all feel like new signings after their dreadful luck last year.

We have shown promise for the past few years, its keeping players fit and not fading off in the 2nd half of the year which will determine our year.

Maybe i'm buying into the annual pre season hype, but I think with what we have, there is good reason to believe we must be challenging for a top 6 spot.

All aboard the hype train



To be honest, I'd be happy with a play off finish. feel we're in a big group of clubs that could finish anywhere between 5th or 10th.

Genuinely feels like the club has 'rebooted'. A change in recruitment policy, new backroom staff and training facilities.

Can't wait till SKY start calling us the entertainers

Trueman isn't close to England's best talents

If he was he would of played for England by now

I'm encouraged by hoy and Clifford and players in great form in super league in dwyer and Sutcliffe

Your obsession with judging players based on International recognition is getting beyond a joke now. Mikey Lewis is an outstanding talent along with Harry Smith, Pryce and Dodd, none of these have played for the full England team, but it doesn't make them some of the most talented SL players, same with Trueman, You constantly criticized Connor, who not only has been capped by his country performed very well too, you can't have it both ways.

Difference is Trueman has played at cas for years and has more SL appearances than Dodd, pryce and lewis put together

The others you mention have just started their careers

Trueman is decent enough but to label him one of the best english talents is just ridiculous he's done nothing of real note yet

Typical hull fc hyping up players the second they sign for us

The margins in sport at this level are very small and it often doesn't take a huge amount to turn a team from mediocre to decent. Look at Huddersfield and Wigan, really disappointing in 2021. Wigan got a new coach but didn't change the team a huge amount, Huddersfield also made only minor adjustments, and just like that they were both up at the top end of the table. Look at Leeds. A complete lost cause under Agar (tbf the Kangaroos would look like a list cause under Agar), a new coach with some different ideas comes in and they nearly go and win the big one.

We were poor last year but we aren't a total basket case, we just needed to change a few things. Our spine looks miles better. We will miss Connors creativity but we will have more of it at 6 and 7 and we will definitely have a lot more pace and a better kicking game. Dwyer will inject some speed around the ruck. Bonaire said we lack strike at centre which may be true, but in Carlos and Sutcliffe we have two very accomplished and experienced players. Carlos, Savelio and Cator returning is a big boost. That's all without mentioning Smith. For the first time in ages we have a proven experienced coach who knows what it takes to do well in this league and who will set up his team to play in a positive exciting way.

I aren't buying into any hype, this is just my own views. Making a final is probably a pipe dream this early in Smith's tenure, but I fully expect playoffs and an improved season.

Improved season isn't much tho

Given how bad we were last season

we was only our toulouse wins from been in a relegation scrap

He has also missed alot if rugby through injury which has set back his career a bit.

Also he made the Great Britan squad in 2019, that's a pretty good achievement.

Wonder when the squad numbers will be getting announced for the coming season?

I wonder what Hoy and Clifford are making of the weather.

Bet they think it's cold

bit of luck, this cold spell will be the coldest this winter, may as well get aclimatised now

February and March might have something to say about COLD. Nowt compared to 1947, 1964 and 2011. My daughter’s birthday is mid April and we’ve had snowball fights to celebrate it. A cricket match in Derbyshire was snowed off in 1976, The summer of all summers

worst winter of all was 1962/63.continuous snow on the ground from boxing day till mid march.decimated rugby league fixtures for 3 months,games were still being rearranged for late may.

last winter was quite mild compared to the beginning of this winter, not just for rugbys' sake but for everyone struggling to heat their homes, lets hope we have a similar one

But coldest December since 2010!