I strongly disagree.

Yes the have a superior coach, but Huddersfield are reaping the benefits of years of savvy recruitment - they don't mistake FC do in investing heavily in 'name' players who are winding down or taking chances on players who have had knee reconstructions etc.

The Brough, Brown, Robinson axis represents a high-quality combination of players in their prime, which is far above anything FC can offer, and this is supplemented by a devastating set of fit, strong forwards who play long minutes and don't miss tackles.

The likes of Mason, Griffin, Crabtree, Faiumu, Fa'alogo, Lunt and O'Donnell would walk into the Hull side.

In the backs, Cudjoe, McGillvray and Lawrence are supremely athletic and lose little, if anything, in comparison to Yeaman and Briscoe, while the whole operation is underpinned by more depth with seasoned-campaigners like Hodgson, Gilmour, Raleigh and Grix providing outstanding value for money on the cap.

Huddersfield are easily the best club in Yorkshire at the moment and, in my book, serious Grand Final contenders - something which Hull FC are a mile off at present (and will be next season).

Where's your consistency man?

jmr = zod

I have no problem with what JMR is saying, but it is obvious he doesn't like Hull and loves Rovers, but he won't admit it.

JMR= Hull Neutral

We're consistently inconsistent.



Thing is we have a pretty good squad, so every now and again everything 'clicks' and we turn in a good performance. Unfortunately we have a coach who can't get the mental side of training right and so we lack the discipline and mental toughness to turn in those performances week in and week out.

He's giving a biased assessment. If you compare our squad to Hudds they have a clear advantage in the pivots, maybe a slight advantage in the pack (although not much IMO), but the outside backs are pretty even. The difference in squad quality does not explain the large difference in performances IMO.

I simply call it as I see it - and don't love Rovers.

There is no way Hull's squad (or Rovers') is as good as Huddersfield's - it's not even close!

And, the way the recruitment is shaping up for next year, that won't change.

Sorry.

Summed up perfectly for me we simply are not ruthless enough in both attack and defence. Until we get rid of that soft underbelly disappointing results will be the norm and not the exception.

Think you're spot on with that, too many people think Hudds are overperforming just because they used to be rubbish.

I listened to a few calls into RH after the game yasterday and the general concensus was the coach was rubbish and any other coach would be pushing the team for honors. I'm not sure where this idea that on paper Fc have a championship contending side comes from. Bottom line is FC have probably the worst half back pairing(s) in SL and by the looks of it are planning on the same next year. Long, great player but too injury prone, no other 7 at the club. Horne's best years are behind him. Obst is a cracking little 9 but not a half and yet you've signed another 9 from oz.
IF Agar is in charge of recruitment then he's rubbish, if not then I fail to see how its his fault.

Answered your own question there.

I don't think Hudds are over-performing at all. They have a very good squad and a very good coach, so good performances are to be expected. I just don't agree that our squad is far enough behind theirs to account for the difference in performances on it's own.

Nope. The difference in the two squads, even taking into account the advantage in the pivots, does not fully explain the differences in performances IMO. Particularly the difference in consistency of performance.

Going on your theory Agar must be a better coach than Morgan as he's had better results with poorer pivots.

Going on this seasons performances then how could I disagree

, I just think the pivots are so vital in the game and you're lack of a kicking game is what is costing you more games then any other aspect.
The way Brough sets the plays with such a dominant kicking game is what has kicked hudds up to another level.

Our lack of a kicking game is undoubtedly our biggest single technical failing, but we have proved able to produce results regardless. What we can't do is produce the required level of performance on a regular basis. That's down to coaching IMO.

I think we kind of agree, a better coach would make you better but he would need to recruit well to really make you challenge. Listening to RH last night a lot seemed to think a new coach alone would put you into contention, which I think is fairly wide of the mark.

I think a new coach would put us in contention for the top 6 rather than struggling to make the 8. Maybe the top 4 at a push. We'll not be challenging for silverware until we recruit a scrum half and beef up next season's likely pack.

The flip side is that without a change of coach I don't think it will matter how well we recruit - we won't be challenging.

A new coach would have us competing for the top four but, not the top of the table. I think could he could easily get another 20% out of the side and make us more consistent. We are not good enough to be challenging for the top positions just yet, some fans get carried away with out playing rosta.

Sorry guys, didn't see it, apologies.

Bring in Brian Noble for Agar it really is that simple.

We suffer massively because we haven't brought through enough quality players in the last 10 years. To be a top side then IMO you need a core of 6 or 7 players who are good quality (with 1 or 2 stars) who have come through the ranks and by definition will cost you a bit less than if you had to attract them from elsewhere. That then gives you more to spend on better quality players to complement the home grown ones.

saints, leeds and wigan have done it successfully in recent years and now hudds and wire are following suit.

The lack of progress from academy to 1st team is probably the biggest failing at the club since mcrae left

Spot on. Although I suppose that we would have had Niklas this season if not for an unfortunate injury. Still not enough for a club that supposedly has a great youth system mind.

If you gave Agar Huddersfield's squad and Brown Hull FC's, there is no doubt that the Giants would still finish higher, albeit by a slightly reduced margin.

You can only work with what you have got.

The Huddersfield squad is very settled and arguably the best balanced in the whole league, with size in the right areas (front row), depth in the right areas (back row), in-their-prime playmakers in the right areas (pivots) and speed to burn in the backs, all supplemented by superb conditioning and professionalism.

Like it or not, Hull FC's squad is an unbalanced, unsettled mix of injury-prone pivots, past-their-prime thirtysomethings, inconsistent outside backs, short-minute forwards and no real depth, all underpinned by a climate of 'short-termism' and questionable professionalism (though that apsect is slowly improving).

Hull FC maybe have four of five outstanding Super League players, Huddersfield would have at least twice that!

Of course, I am not absolving Agar of blame here at all because he is responsible for recruitment (or so we are told), and that is where he has failed badly. In that respect, Brown leaves him standing as a coach!

But, too many fans on this board suffer from 'delusions of granduer' regarding the ability of the actual squad - it's ordinary.

And judging by the recruitment of McKinnon, Ellis and Heremaia, it will remain so next year!

Give agar brown's squad and they'd be bottom 4 within 3 years. Most of their best players would have left to be replaced by ageing aussies and crocks from other SL clubs.

Having said that, ken davy is an RL man and isn't stupid enough to give his head coach role to someone who is ill equipped to do it

I kind of agree with you Jake. Although we also have failed to make the most of the players that have come to the club. With greater foresight we'd be in a hugely better position. Hey though that's the past, all we can hope is that the clubs current decision makers won't be here for much longer ( probably wishful thinking).