McRae rated Horne very highly when he was here last. I wonder what he thinks of him now.

When does Horne have his operation? He's been playing through an injury all year hasn't he?

The best full back never to play full back McRae use to describe Horne.

Not true. He didn't play all his games there, but it was about half. He had 2 spells hooking IIRC, when Swain broke his arm, and then again when he was 'injured' prior to Kear going.

He has been playing through various health problems for several years now.....

McRae did rate Horney highly and tbh most of us did at that time of his career.

Brough was named at 7 plenty of times at Hull on the official teamsheet but hardly played as one. Most things went through Cooke or Horne (mainly Cooke) and Brough was given a spot for his excellent kicking game and solid defence.

Ironically he wasnt as quick as he is now but that must have come down to general fitness and fair play to Brough for sorting himself out after leaving Hull and dropping down a division.

I'm talking about him playing in the halves, not being named there. In the 10 games he was on the team sheet as Scrum Half he pretty much touched the ball only when asked to kick it - and that wasn't even every set. All our play went through Cooke and Horne. He didn't have the craft, handling, or fitness to be our go-to player at the time. There were the occasional glimpses of the player he would become but nothing more.

You've got to remember that he has only just gone to full time, so his fitness was always going to take time.
He didn't exactly drop a division through choice though, did he? When he went to Cas in 2006, they got relegated and stuck with them.

The role that Brough played in the team he played very well. We had a system that worked well, and Brough played his part well. I don't see what he apparently didn't do well that some people choose to say didn't make him that good?

I'd agree that's more true of 2005, but I think he was allowed to be more involved in 2006. I do partly agree with your general point, he wasn't as good/influential for us as some seem to remember other than his kicking, but what was unfortunate was that he was just getting to that stage when it all went wrong.

That is my main point Brough did drop down a division partly because no super league club wanted him and I reckon this acted as a wake up call to which he responded very well by getting his act together and improving his overall game quite significantly. Fair play to him for doing that!

What cant be ignored though is that he appeared to be on a slippery slope at Hull attitude wise.

That was more or less the point I was making. Full marks to him for turning it around after he left us - I think the trip down to the Championship gave him the kick up the backside he needed.

His fitness was, by his own admission, down to his smoking and other bad habits.

If another SL club had wanted him he wouldn't have 'stuck' with Cas.

He was getting plenty of fags and Carling down his crop whilst he was sat with me in the Butterfly window in Withernsea a week before the 2005 Challenge Cup semi-final.



If memory serves don't think he played in the semi.
Think he was injured or suspended.

@garethwalker13
Gareth Walker
Championship Young Player of the Year - Jamie Ellis #rugbyleague

Well done to him.



Didn't Rich Whiting win an award once ?

He's got the big one too!

@rlworld Rugby League World
Co-op Championship player of the year is Jamie Ellis of Leigh Centurions #rugbyleague

Great achievement.

Well done Jamie. Looking forward to seeing him in the irregular hoops.

Fookin brilliant!

34 tries in a season. Pretty handy for a half back.

Dont no much about him,only started watching him more closer on sky games since weve signed him...looking at him he looks a bit of a porker...wasnt too excited about him to be honest..getting awards like that makes me abit more optimistic about this signing....cant be to bad!

Well done Jamie... can't wait to see him at Hull next year

[url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5imrI759VeadD0FfZjLXS2rZAUdlA?docId=N0627731317159254689AArticle[/url

Excellent reward for the lad for a top season. Looking forward to having him at Hull.

yes super league young player of the year

Imo i wouldn't be disappointed to see Ellis and seymour begin the season as half backs, long term we need to replace horne who will be 30 soon and giving these two a try early doors can't be a bad thing.

It might seem harsh but Horne hasn't developed over the years to improve the team, with a fresh start at board and management level it would be sensible to have a fresh change in an area we have really struggled in over the years.

an overweight imobile half back with poor defense at that! (or so some would have you believe)

All he can do is score and create tries.



he must have done something to win player and young player of the year