I can't be the only one getting annoyed by the attitude of (what appears like) the majority of our supporters towards us reaching the Super 8s?

Pressure off? I'm not sure about you, but I don't think finishing 7th/8th is considered good enough and certainly don't think the pressure is off. They still haven't achieved yet.

We're 2 points (likely 4 after today's results) off 4th and having a shot at Old Trafford. Top four has been the goal for many years. We've got 8 games to try and get there. I certainly don't think the pressure is off, and if that's the attitude people take, it's gonna be a painful eight weeks.

I think everyone is just glad we made the 8, but you are right we need to kick on from here, Thursday is a massive game lose and our season is just about over, we need to win as many games as possible.

The pressure is off in that nobody expects us to trouble the top four and we will be widely expected to remain in 7th. We will be outsiders in pretty much every game.

Not sure what's so hard to understand about that?

So we shouldn't bother trying then? No pressure to move forward, let's just stick with 7th?

The pressure is still on. We need to enter every game with a must-win attitude, not a pressure-off attitude.

Why aren't we expected to trouble the top four anyway? We've beaten 5 of the seven sides in the top eight this year (only losing by 1 point against one of the other two with a game still to play against them). There are no excuses. We are more than capable of making the top four and the pressure is still on to make the season meaningful.

Hull FC (SL7)

Home vs.
Catalans Dragons (won 33-22)
Leeds Rhinos (lost... Enough said about that one!)
Huddersfield Giants (lost 24-4, won 19-0 away)

Away at
St Helens (won 28-20)
Wigan Warriors (lost 13-12)
Castleford Tigers (lost 20-14, won 21-18 at home)
Warrington Wolves (won 26-27)

Close in all games other than Leeds.

Since when has 'pressure off' equalled 'don't bother trying'? Other than in the heads of people trying to make something out of nothing?

I expect us to go out and try to win every game. The same as always. And I'm sure Pearson and Radford feel the same.

Nothing to see here. Move along...

You have kind of answered your own question haven't you? We are not expected to trouble the top 4 because we haven't done for donkeys years?

Pressure off in the sense nobody expects us to get any higher than we currently are. Nobody being other clubs and their fans, even some of our fans etc.

Pressure off doesn't/shouldn't equate to a lack of effort or aspiration to do better and I don't think it will with the players.

Personally with the loss of Ellis and Pryce I think it's a big ask to make top 4, doesn't stop me wanting it to happen.

The pressure is always off when your the underdog, the term is used loosely IMO and doesn't reflect what the players and team will be doing on the pitch.

For example the pressure is off KR in the Semi, nobody expects them to win, except their own club and fans, but you can guarantee every KR player will give 100% to try and win it.

How have I answered that? I don't see the relevance of past seasons. Cas hasn't troubled the top four for donkeys before last year.


There is less pressure being the underdog, but the pressure is certainly not off. We still have points to play for and a target to reach. People talking about resting players and just playing youngsters because we haven't got much to play for are completely giving up on finishing the season on a high.


The pressure certainly isn't off KR. There's less pressure, but to say the pressure is off a club in a semi final where they haven't anything else to achieve (other than avoiding relegation) and against a side they've beaten already this season is bloody rubbish. This is their only chance to change the season from that of failure to that of success. There's loads of pressure!

Pressure shouldn't be off. We are only 3/4 through the season with the chance now to make the top 4 and the GF.

If the players and coach don't believe that's possible and don't enter every game in the S8 with that aim then wtf is the point of anything?

But if the fans don't have that expectation either "because we've never challenged for top 4 for years" then what hope is there that the club will set the expectation that the GF should be the aim?

Jesus wept. If you expect mediocrity you're likely to get less than that. And we will, looking at the thoughts of some.

I would expect Radford to be setting out a whole new stall for this final crucial test. A clean slate with one goal. We know what we're starting with. The raw materials don't include Ellis and Pryce. Or Yeaman. So be it. The strategy for Top 4 is built around what we [ido[/i have. If Pearson expects anything less then we may as well not bother getting out of bed.

I think the whole pressure off thing has been blown out of proportion!

Making the 8 was the first step, any thoughts of scrapping for relegation have now gone. Added to the fact nobody (not even the most optimistic fan) expected a top 4 finish.

I think it just means the players can now go out and express themselves and actually it may work in Hull's favour.

At no point did using the term pressure off suggest the players now kick back for some R & R and sod it if we lose the next 7!!

The overall pressure to constantly strive to do better should always be there - the pressure valve of not being in a relegation scrap has though undoubtedly been released, you saw that in the fans and players reaction at full time on Friday.

I started the "let's kick on" thread right after the conclusion of Fridays game because we gave a great performance without Ellis & Pryce so I know we can compete in the Super 8s without them.

All I expect is we replicate that level of enthusiasm. We can't allow ourselves to sink into the mindset that we're missing two key players so we can use that as an excuse for dropping our intensity.

If we try hard, who knows what will happen. Just hope we don't get any Huddersfield type results.

I find it hard to believe that a couple of posters apparently don't understand the meaning of 'pressure off' in a sporting context. Have you folks been living in caves for the last 20 years or so?

Are you joking, have you not read other threads, people think seasons done because we've made top 8. Play the young kids, prepare for next season! I agree with op, its annoying, with games left to play, hows the pressure off, if we get hammered every game, people will moan like duck, including yourself. I know youll come back with you dont understand the context of "pressure off" blah blah blah. But people are just happy to finish in the 8 and see out the season, thats whats annoying

Has anyone for the club said the pressure is off? Think that's the main thing. I'm mentioned playing the kids, but if we get in the position of not been able to finish in the top 4 and it would only be the odd player for the odd game.

In professional sport the pressure's never off until the end of the season. Some games are more 'must win' than others, true, but usually down to a situation whereby the team has created the extra stress because of careless losses previously.

Can anyone imagine Wane or McDermott saying "Pressure's off for this one, lads", never mind at the beginning of the business end of the season?

I want to see us continue to put in the great effort we have shown most weeks this season, but develop our style of play (we still don't finish off as many chances as we should) and develop the players we expect to have first team places next season. For example Logan should be playing instead of Yeaman and Sa, and when fit we need to test Lancaster out again.

I'd also like to see us address our home form issues, as it will be the home form and style of performances that has a big impact on pass sales.

All I meant by pressure off is we are safe in the 8, definitely not happy with 7th and expect Hull to kick on now that they're secure in SL for another year. The pressure was to qualify for the playoffs which we have.

It's not really the players the fans are suggesting kick back, it's more the club. Bang some youngsters in, try some new things, etc. People are suggesting treating these games as friendlies. Really?

We've not strived for the top eight to avoid relegation. We want to try to win the bloody competition, and whilst we still can, the pressure most certainly is not "off"!

Not quite sure who you're referring to here?

You have momentum now. Beat Wigan and the confidence should be sky high and tell team won't notice Ellis and Pryce missing. Radford should tell Abdul the super 8's are yours go do your stuff,

Yes but Wane and McDermott are coaching sides that are expected to win a trophy.

Radders has had to coach a side expected to do better most of the season and at times they have played well but in my opinion the first priority was to secure a top 8 for the club seconded by a good cup run.

If those were the expectations of the club then Radders and his players most certainly can accept the pressure is no longer on them to perform and perhaps play with less shackles now. It doesn't mean put the cue on the rack.

They have done reasonably well against most of the top sides this season. Silly losses like the one at Wakey have probably meant they are not top 4 and expected to challenge.

I certainly hope these were not the expectations of the club. If so, why get rid of Gentle?

However I think you're right in that the huge sigh of relief you can almost hear coming from the club is a precursor to taking the foot off the pedal just at the time we should be pressing it down harder. After all, how many times have we seen it before? The touch and go and stress before we finally secure the place in the play-offs followed by capitulation and lacklustre performances once we get there.

So you've never, ever, heard the term used in any professional sport ever before? Pardon me if I find that hard to believe.

And yes, I have actually heard the phrase used by coaches of the more successful SL sides before. It's all about context.

But that wouldn't make such a good excuse to have another pop at Radford, would it?

Work it out.

I guess the situation is that when you are worrying about dropping down into the middle eight and all the issues there are with that, the style you play and the hesitation to play expansive rugby in case you conceded stops you trying a bit of off the cuff stuff. When your safe from potential relegation you can expand things a bit test your arm and try a few youngsters. That doesn't mean you don't care about winning quite the contrary and I hope that we play every game with the intensity we have of late, but with no inhibitions now! It must at least 'free us up a bit' which should be good to watch don't you think!