No need or priority? I'd say our back row was weaker than our front row.

If there's a problem with the back row it is that the players there are too much of the same type - work horses in defence and carting the ball up but not offering as much offensively and not linking with the backs well enough (Ablett aside, and maybe Achurch when he's played there).

Make or break for Achurch this season. 3rd season with the club if if can't be a regular starter this season time to cut him loose. Looks great as a wide runner.

I think our second row should offer more than just carting the ball up. They should have good footwork, run good lines and be able to pass to their outside.

If Westerman were to be available he would offer a similar style of play to ablett, a good mixture of effort and ability.

Delaney to prop is a no brainer really. He never uses his hands, he doesn't run excellent lines but he is willing to cart the ball up all day long, and is solid defending. Moving Delaney to prop would not aletr his game one bit, and in fact he'd probably get spelled more. He could then be replaced by someone with a bit more threat out wide.

I don't mind Achurch offers something different to our other back rowers. Seems to be a confidence player and needs a run of games, injuries have disrupted him. Also think our coach hasn't helped him, in his first year he was played prop which isn't his position

If his year 1 to year 2 development continues into year 3, he will be a handy squad player.

I just question his innate quality. His best games last year came against the poorest quality in Super League, so until he pulls some punches in the big games he can only then be a contender for regular 1st team action.

Not only him though, Stevie Ward is another.

Agree big season for the two you mentioned. Stevie ward needs to show something this season, not lived up to the mega hype he received in his younger days. Both him and sutcliffe I think are good players but don't for me seem to have a particular position. The club clearly see sutcliffe as our half back but I remain unconvinced. Seems to have the build to bulk up a bit and might be a bit of the ball playing loose forward

Oh dear, sorry to dissapoint you but westerman isnt the disruptive guy you say he is, he has got married to his longtime partner and recently had another child, not saying he wont go out for a drink but which player doesnt?

Got better and better last season being allowed to play his natural game unlike mcnamara and gentle who used him as an extra forward

I agree, also getting away from chase was a big help too. I hear another year at hull then warrington his likely destination.
would love him at leeds mind

He doesn't "owe out a shedload of cash," but he has been hit in the pocket due to the money he has had to shell out plus our falling attendances.

Everyone has a price, but Pearson can't afford to alienate the fans any further, and even if you were to offer say £250,000, I don't think he would consider it to be a risk worth taking.

I don't remember us ever selling a player during the last 10 years or so. We've had plenty leave who we would have liked to keep, but only once their contracts had expired. Despite our lack of on field success we are still a big club in all other areas, and a big transfer fee wouldn't really do anything for us when you look at the big picture. Therefore the only reason he would leave is if he said he didn't want to play for Hull any more, and afaik he enjoys being here.


As for Westerman the player. Well I think it is fair to say that for his first few years at Hull be probably didn't progress in the way we wanted him to. But he has been excellent over the last season and a half. Without him and Ellis we could easily have been relegated last year.

Since Radford came in he has almost played a James Graham type role for us. Getting his hands on the ball a lot and playing close the line. His hands are good enough to play the pivot role but he's also big and strong enough to bust tackles if he decides he's going to carry it.

His defence was questioned when he was picked for England, and I posted some stats on the VT. Not only does he make miles more tackles than any other back rower but he misses less than most too. I think getting rid of the shoulder charge has helped him, he often used to go looking for the big hit too often, but he's reigned that in a lot.

As for his well documented off field "problems" again I've not heard anything negative on this front for years now. It's easy to forget he's only 24. He probably just needed to grow up a bit.

Westerman is one of those players who you would have to pay a premium for, whoever signs him will probably need to pay a top some for a player who isn't and wont be at that level.

There is a good player in Westerman, probably a very good player, don't think he will ever be at the very top though, but someone will pay that for him

Perhaps. If they do, I'd hope that it'll be a side with less immediate problems in the halves than ourselves.

That's doesn't appear to ring true - he may have a young family but that doesn't seem to have changed his behaviour outside of work?

He is like a lot of players they burst onto the scene and look great until the second season syndrome and the really good ones - Sinfield, Hall etc continue to improve, some like Westerman improve but not at such a rapid rate. Maybe in a better side and a better environment he may have progressed quicker, he just appears to have stalled or reached his peak which isn't as high as it was originally predicted.

At 24 he still has plenty of time to reach an even higher level just look at the likes of Westwood and Ferres who were always good players but didn't resch their full potential until moving to their current clubs and both were mid to late 20's when blossoming.

I would be happy if we pulled off this signing but only under the assumption plans are already in motion to address our soon to be problem areas of prop and half back.

:1d96ikmh
So he does owe out money then.


:1d96ikmh

Pearson is a business man first and foremost. The club needs to balance the books somewhat, ergo if he has the chance to do that while wringing the full amount of cash from a potential buyer he will do. The tried and tested "He wants to leave, we couldnt keep him.. LOYALTY" menagerie of excuses can be cooked up later.


:1d96ikmh

I think your club is a massive sleeping giant, I really do. The murmurings we saw 2005/6 we all thought you were on the way up. The fan base is obviously there, the appetite is there, stadium etc. But I dont think you will do anything until you get a coach in who can reign in the culture over there.




Amen

No, he has paid out money that was owed to players, but he's taken the hit himself. We don't have people knocking on his door for money.

He is a business man, and I completely agree that, whilst he may well love the club and the sport, his priority is still making money. However, a successful Hull FC, run properly, can be very profitable. Pearson has already spoken at length about the falling attendances and what that means for the club. If he wants to make money out of Hull long term, he simply can't afford to drive away supporters, many of whom are already disillusioned, by selling our best player to a team that, let's face it, we aren't the best of friends with.

I'm sure he would be glad of a six figure sum coming in for a change, but unless we are really desperate for the cash to balance the books (we are not) it's just not worth it imo.

what proof do you have of his behaviour outside of work? you accuse westerman of being disruptive and a bad influence at hull, yet provide no evidence

what is it they say? put up or shut up!

He was also said like most natives of his town that he hated Leeds , although if like has been said that he has now matured this unprofessional attitude may also have gone too

I am obviously too old to be out and about in the flesh pots of Cas but my boys are not and I have no reason to doubt what they say they see.

What proof have you got that he's good boy all the time? as you said put up or !!

His Twitter page is a tad childish to be honest. But then he's hardly alone on that front.

That's pretty tame TBH.

The kid was a right knob. Got a bit clever with a pal of mine back in the old days of the Mansion in Cas and was very close to getting brayed before his bodyguard, the self proclaimed 'king of Cas' stood in front of him and the door lads came and split it up. Probably a good thing as it was well known that Ryan McGoldrick could carry on a bit. Don't know what he's like now mind.

I'm not the one making false accusations you can't back up! had no trouble at fc whilst playing here far as I know

Why don't you worry about your own idiots at your own club before making wild accusations at others

Nobody is worried about Westerman at Leeds, just stating that he was a to$$er when he used to knock about in Cas. I'm intrigued to know who the idiots are at Leeds though.

In other words because I haven't read anything in the press all must be OK - grow up