This is by no means just a dig at us, as the same can be said for alot of the teams in SL.
Last night the Wigan Warriors team arrived at the 'Village' on Priory Park in preparation for their game tonight, and it got me thinking about how their club ethos changed under Maguire, which has led to them winning the SL after struggling for so long. Theyve also obviously got a strict club behaviour policy and Gleeson showed that they arent scared to follow through with it.

We've all probaly seen and in some cases overtook the Hull FC Team Coach on regular occasions going to away games, and seen them after the game tucking into a KFC at a service station, add to this signing Gleeson (Great player yes, but carries far too much baggage) and we start to look in comparison, more like a Saturday pub team.

So is it time we took a leaf out of Wigans, and most decent League Football sides books?
As half the time preparation and looking the part can be half the battle.

Hull arrived in France yesterday, after wanting to gain a few days to settle and prepare for their game tomorrow. Using the few days as a small 'camp' is a good idea from the coaching staff IMO, it can be hard to travel distances and compete in a short turn around.

We have also got a strict policy, getting rid of our 'bad eggs' when we felt the need to do so. Not scared to at all IMO.

Whatever McGuire has brought to Wigan I don't suppose their professionalism was in doubt before he arrived. I don't imagine Nobby would be the sort to stand any nonsense.

I tend to think arriving in France at the time they did was more to do with the logistics of getting there.
Catalans is a different kettle of fish, but im thinking more of the times we play over in Lancashire etc.
After MM was a prime example of a time the team where seen tucking into a service station banquet after the game, even the Dobbins stayed in a hotel for a meal and a cool down session in a swimming pool.

When Rovers have a game in Lancashire we travel the day before the match and hire a training facility to have a team run through on the morning of the match and have a swim after the match. We dont often win though.

Quite. I know under Noble Wigan stayed at the Ramada the night before playing Hull so its nothing new to them.

Whatever works for each team I suppose there is an argument that players may prefer the night before a game relaxing at home with family in familiar surroundings. As a coach you need to know how your players react to both scenarios and when to crank the pressure up and vice versa.

It's cultural. Until the club culture changes we won't achieve anything. Does anyone think alex ferguson takes his players to KFC for an after match meal?

no they go to McDonald's drive-thru on their own in their mclarens

No, and I wouldn't imagine he allows cigarette breaks during training, or players to pick and chose when/if they train.

Bollox, the F1 is too wide for the drive through

Mick Crane won't be getting picked then

He's about 60 so I doubt it

Like I have said many times, different sport, different era.

From Kear giving people lifts, to Crooks forgetting to take the balls to training to Agar apparently letting players smoke at training, professionalism has been lacking on the playing side at the club.

Is that actually still going on? I thought that had been knocked on the head a couple of years ago.

Sounds like a bizarre code of conduct. Is Gleeson a smoker? Could help to clear things up.

I guess it depends who you believe, as I've said, I can't get to see them train so I honestly don't know. My brain tells me that even Agar wouldn't be that unprofessional,surely?

Maybe agar's started smoking since he came under more pressure

The same Agar that claimed we've had top 8 form? The one regularly known for bringing players on 2 minutes away from half time?
Although I do feel abit sorry for Agar, he's not the best coach - but I think upstairs at the club are more to blame.

Whilst a number of people on here don't rate him as a coach, I don't hink I've ever read any accusations of Agar being unprofessional.

I remember the talk about it back in 2008/2009 and I think it was 'confirmed' that it used to go on but that Agar had put a stop to it. I could be wrong though.

TBH I find it hard to understand why any professional sportsman would smoke regardless of the policy at training sessions.

Neither of those are examples of being unprofessional.

If you read that article it says "We can see our performances taking the right shape," Agar told the Mail. "The guys are positive and we don't think we are playing like a team who are out of the play-offs at the moment." The reporter cheekily enhanced it to wind you all up.

I think the last few games have been top eight form. We need it to be top four though.

Lets be honest, you have to be a few sandwiches short of a picnic to become a pro RL player, so them abusing their bodies with smoking, alcohol and other things isn't really hard to understand.

The same reason why they obviously don't think stopping off for a KFC on the way back from a match might not be the best of ideas.

smoking, drinking and KFC are bad things?

Haven't seen any player smoking when I've been down there.