With a relatively unchanged squad and some added PROVEN Super league halfs id like to think we can finish top six but realistically getting into the eight would be acceptable. Not in the eight would be a disgrace and would signal an even bigger decline in fan numbers and support for the club.

Still not sure on the make up of the squad though tbh. We seem to have to many average to good players for me with more average to good back ups when I thought we was supposed to be going down the quality with youngsters with promise for back up. If we don't get many injuries theres gonna be too much quality/cap spend sat in the stands week in week out

I'm surprised that most people think if we get into the 8 then the team is realising its potential. Given we are spending the full salary cap, like most of the other teams, why should the fans be settling for 7th / 8th? Our recruitment according to people at the club is spot on and squad balance is good too, complemented by a host of emerging youngsters then I will be disappointed if we scrape into 7th / 8th. I hope the team are aiming higher than the fans expectations.

That Bradford team who you say everyone beat were actually on a good run beating Wigan at home and Leeds at Headingley around the same time but don't let s the facts get in the way.

Fair point.

But don't let the facts get in the way of what?

I don't think people are settling for 7th/8th as such, just that 8th is the absolute bare minimum the team has to achieve next season. 7th/8th would be a decent improvement on our position last year too, I'm not saying I'd be happy with 7th/8th, but satisfied I think, providing the rugby was decent, and there were signs that the team can improve further still the following season.

Spot on.

Effort and commitment at times was seriously lacking and led to some poor performances.

They showed what they can achieve towards the end of the season when showing the commitment to keep Rovers scoreless and beat Saints and Leeds.

7th or 8th in 2015 would represent a considerable improvement on 2014. What matters is that we build on it and improve further in 2016.

The fact that you have used a defeat against Bradford automatically =lack of effort and commitment.

If you accept that Hull were a better, stronger, more skilful team than Bradford, doesn't the fact that Bradford won suggest they played with more effort and commitment than Hull?

So every time Hull beat a team considered by you better than us,ie. leeds,its because the opposition haven't put any effort in.
On paper we had no chance in the semi v Warrington but in your view we won because we put more effort in,a very simple view of sport IMO.

I think there's tendency, especially for fans of middling teams (as ours have been in recent years), to see good results as demonstrating true potential and poor results as just due to lack of effort. Really they're both just outliers.

I also think there's sometimes a suggestion that commitment is just a switch in players heads they can flick on, if they could only be d. Extra effort, I suspect, drains the batteries. An extreme example being how teams often struggle after playing in the Cup final or other big game.

I hope the coaching staff , and players have a bit more ambition than most on here, otherwise we are in for an other awful season! Must be hard been motivated or motivating someone when your aiming to scrape in to 7th or 8th! If!!!!! Radford, which is a big if, can motivate this team week in , week out , and have them playing at that intensity that's plain to see from the stands (you'll know what I mean I think ha) then we should be match for anyone! Do that every week , and who knows, and an injury free season ha, if possible

For Hull (or Rovers) to break the top 6, would represent a great and surprising leap forward. Spending the full cap is not the same as extracting full value (or necessarily stretching it to the maximum).
I think that the argument that a lot of Hull's defeats in 2014 were by narrow margins is valid. If Sneyd and Pryce go well that'll make a big difference too. But still, to get ahead of more than say 2 of saints, wigan, leeds, wire, Hudds and (perhaps to a lesser degree) catalans would be a big turnaround in one season. That'd mean 5th. But other clubs could best case too. Powell might not be a one season wonder at Cas, and they could go well again. Koucash's investment might start to pay off at Salford. Widnes have been building in an understated way and made the play-offs. If our team gels and we make another signing or two, we've a shot at top 8.
As a best case 7/8th is maybe a tad pessimistic, as a par score it looks about right.

If both teams play to their full potential the "better" team should always beat the "lesser" team but often doesn't. The explanation for this is often that the better team is playing below its potential and the lesser team is playing above itself.

I think we did beat Warrington because we played like we wanted it more than they did. Why do you think we won?

What is your explanation for the defeat to Bradford?

We just need a good start and then who knows were we might finish momentum is great when its in full swing let's live in hope eh

Hull to finish 5th.
Leeds not to make the top 8!

Book mark this it's going to happen!

Hope your right but can't see it.

Pint of what your drinking please.

OK Lee I'll hold you to that