Will anything actually change next season?

Ok we have signed Long to give us direction around the park and a bit of attacking flair, but unless Agar totally changes the way he prepares the side and expects them to play will anything actually change?

Long looked like the dogs nads last night and gave us a glimpse of what we might expect, but unfortunately I can see his impact been minimal, unless we change in attack.

We only run in ones, very rarely have dummy runners and 99 times out of a 100 we only run straight. The only time we ran at an angle resulted in Tickles try. Any half back is only as good as there runners, and we simply don’t have any. Long was on top form last night, but saints constantly ran in numbers, ran the angles, backed up and even threw in a run around now and then. This resulted in Long been spoilt for choice and allowed him to pick us to pieces.

We currently create nothing in attack and are looking for a player to bust a tackle for us to score. Saints on the other hand create gap after gap and overlap after overlap. I hope Mr Agar understands that this is not solely down to the undoubted skill of Sean Long, but the fact that he has numerous runners to choose who he gives the ball to time after time.

It’s all well and good signing Long, but Agar has to give him the tools to work with, if not the signing will be yet another false dawn for us FC fans.

spot on

So is it solely down to the coach , or to thick players ??

If the players arent playing to his gameplan they should be dropped. The players dont choose to not pass the ball, or do 5 drives and a kick, or use poor interchanges, or look like they dont even know each other. It comes from hard work on the training pitch.

Id disagree on that

The coach is responsible. He is trying to implement the dullest type of rugby I have ever seen. If he isn't and really wants the side to be more expansive, then he is not doing a very good job with them on the training field.

At the end of the day I have seen under 12's throw the ball about better than we do and both the coaching staff and players should be embarrassed at how we are performing with the ball in hand.

Agree Chico. unless they're brilliantly disguised i suspect we have virtually no set plays. We run up and down the line like headless chickens. You'd think for a side light on a bit of quality, set plays would form the bedrock of alot of our play. God knows what they do at training all week. Do you remember Agar saying "You'll see a different Hull FC both on and off the pitch this season"............Really?

Is it not the coach that sets that gameplan? And if the players do it against his gameplan why doesnt he get the message out to do something different?

I would bet if you go down training you would see them practising moves, putting the ball through hands etc etc

The same as they do in warm up pre match.

When Head and Dykes were both here we did this, mmm I wonder what is different this year

At least he has backed that quote up. Last year we were pathetic, this year were fecking pathetic.

maybe its easier banging your head against the goalposts than doing that

Spot on. next season will be same as with agar in charge. Anyone who understands the game knows it isn't primarilly the quality of players that is the problem. I've seen amateur teams with more structure and a better game plan than we have. It's all down to the coaching and it won't be any different next season. Sure, we may grind out the odd win which we're losing now, but we won't be anywhere near challenging for honours

He shouldnt be a coach then if he cant get the message through to his players.

and if Wayne Bennet came in and we still resorted to type, what would your next move be ?

Question Wayne Bennetts abilty as a coach too.

I agree that the players are responsible for their actions on the pitch which is why we have signed a couple of leaders who will give us the obvious direction we are missing.

One thing I just cant fathom out is Agars under use of his bench. I would love to know what Dowes thinks to been made to play for anything between 65-80 minutes while Moa and Maloney get a token 15 minutes.

Game after game, we are devoid of any ideas and are clueless in attack, that is Agars problem to sort out, and so far he has failed miserably.

If he expects that simply signing Long will turn us into a potent attacking force then he is delusional. We don’t just need a clear out and signing a few player here and there, we need a total overall of our ethos on how to play the game. I hope Agar is capable of doing in this, but I have severe doubts.

Just incase Rich does read this forum I’ll make my message simpler. Us attacking game is bab and thee need ta sort it.

They are responsible for their actions on the pitch but who has responsibility for getting them into the right mindset and tactical structure during the week prior to the game? I find it hard to believe that we train all week on set moves and throwing the ball about and then revert to 5 drives and a kick on a Friday night, and if thats the case Agar really needs to have a word.

Right or wrong I see it this way.
Salary cap is an attempt to even out the comp. If so why were Saints superior in every phase of the game as they can only spend the same amount of money?
It may be down to the coach but, the players must be overpaid if they cannot match teams like Saints and Leeds in ANY phase.
Long is too old and a short term fix. Fitzgibbon could be as good for us as Menzies is at the Bulls. Tansey? Lets wait and see, but its back to the coach to bring this lad through, but is the coach up to it.
The board must start to have ambitions - PLEASE.

Clubs dont stick to salary caps and are allows to do it.

The boards lack of common business sense is evident when they pay Leeds 30 grand for Tansey and accept 50 for Carvell. Thats why we are in the state we are in and if the salary cap is being abused, and there is always a hole somewhere, then why isn't it dealt with by the RFL.
I am getting truly p***ed with all this.

Hows it evident from that?

I'd have thought the fact that we are in a minority of clubs operating in the black that would show their common business sense?

The £30k for tansey is less than 1/4 of what they've saved by not having crocker here this season. Interesting that they announced the amount of the fee, which is very unusual. Obviously aimed at appeasing the fans

Yup, im pleased with getting 50k for Carvell who is injury prone and wanted to go, and then payin 30k for Tansey who Sydney wanted to keep is pretty smart for me.

30k for a 22 year old who should only improve is positive IMO. However, Carvell is just about the best prop in the competition and we miss him immensely. He's been simply brilliant for Wire this year and their fans love him.