Agree with that. As long as we don't have a confident general type scrum half the we have to have Heremaia on the field longer. He is our ONLY organiser and in the two games has posed the only threat. Houghton , apart from his effort which is unquestionable , is poor and just runs us in to trouble. His slow acting half play , poor passing and lack of vision mean that our average playmakers are getting the ball and man at the same time and look worse than they are. When Heremaia came on our tempo increased and for a short spell we got on the front foot.
Having said that , once again our forwards were bullied and we desperately missed our get out of jail play , ie , no Manu to get us out of our 40.

Ive being saying for a while, there is going to be a lot of disapointed hull fans this season, who where expecting great things.
But as last night proved we are so lacking in creativity and flair. We where so poor with ball in hand, slow and lacking any sort of ideas or leadership. You just canot see where the points are going to come from this season. last season everthing good came down our left with manu, yeaman, brisco, we aint got that now. you couldnt fault the teams effort for 50-60 mins but we looked so ordinary, it was very very disapointing.
If i was AP i would be very worried to be honest.

TBH i thought we did well getting out of our own half. A fair few times we were on our line and then got to a kick for a scrum on Leeds 10. I agree about Manu but in the oppositions line. We missed Moa and Manu our 2 impact players that lift the team and the crowd although the way some were talking around me 5 balls on the lotto they woud have complained they didnt win the jackpot.

Did we lose?

There has been far too much rubbish talked on here in the off season about us being challengers for the top 4. We lack speed and creativity in the halfs, our full back seems afraid of the ball and our right wing/centre combination is miles off those of the top teams.

Most important of all is our lack of size and aggression in the forwards. We were completely dominated in the forwards last night and were struggling to make yards with ball in hand whereas we seemed incapable of restriction leeds when they had the ball. We haven't replaced moa's size and aggression or manu's explosiveness and creativity.

We consistently get dominated in the ruck both with ball in hand and in defence and our game plan seems to be to try and outlast the opposition's bigger packs in a war of attrition. Unfortunately this only works when you're fitter than they are and last night we weren't by a long way.

We may get better as the side gets more used to each other but we really don't have the quality of player to challenge leeds, wire, saints and wigan when it really matters.

Another season of mediocrity

You have nailed it Jake!!!!

Not like you to be so upbeat.

I'm not sure you can judge a team on one game.

First of all, I though Leeds where excellent, there speed in attack and defence was first class, I don't think they will be far off winning SL again.

For l I thought we where poor, effort was good and defence good in parts,

Negatives

Let Leeds play the ball too fast
Too many offloads for Leeds.
Kicking, we must be worst kicking team in SL, at times it was embarrassing.
Our halfbacks looked like they had never played together, gentle must take some of the blame for it.
Forwards got bullied last night, which is a massive disappointment, the fact that Pitts and green where our best forwards speaks for itself.
Don't like picking players out but arundel must improve his defence, he was part at fault for 3 try's last night, sinfields, moons and halls.
Worst game I have seen Houghton play last night, looked much better with heremia on.

I wouldn't change much next week, maybe start heremia, but there's not else we can do with 3 main forwards out.

Not the end of the world, but work to be done, still expect us to finish 5th- 6th in the table.

Dear me, it was the first game,away at the champions who played very well, you were a match for them for 60 mins then they turned the screw. Surely you cant judge a team with 6new players on the first game? Im sure hull will be fine this season,it was only the first game after all,too early to judge how a season will go.apart from against us,good luck for the season.

No, you can, its what Hull fans do best.

I think u can. Jake is spot on, if people cant see that then they are really deluding themselves.

what team will we see against bradford?gentle says the players can`t take for granted they will be an automatic first choice,they have to fight for the right to be first choice.

We look at our best from a attacking perspective when we offload the ball but our forwards were not interested in that last night which I found disappointing.

I said when Gentle came in it would take two years to sort the mess and then start thinking of challenging. Anyone expecting us to compete for trophies this season are deluding themselves. Top 6 minimum and top four at a push.

RLFans - the home of hyperbole.

Lets see how Hudds fans react if they get dicked by Saints tonight

Sums it up for me.Manu and Moa not replaced. No class No 7 . Galea, McDonnell, Arundel and Crookes average at best.

Heremaia back in the halfs maybe?

Did you really expect to go to the champions on the first game of the year with a newish team and no expect to be well beaten?

Get a grip.

Out fought out played you get used to it

And I for one will still be going next Friday for more of the same or a win God I love being a Hull fan

God is the season over already?

First of all lets look at the positives.

McDonnell looks a handful, I reckon he will go well when the pitches firm up.
Crookes impressed me, I have called for Lineham to be picked but I thought Crookes was probably our best player last night.
Pitts and Green (and to a lesser extent Johnson) put in real good shows, and I believe they will only get better in better conditions. Green in particular could be a real star.
Leeds had all the possession and field position, but in 60 minutes all they had to show for it was one gift under the posts. Ultimately our errors and decision making cost us and all that pressure told. Leeds were also much better than I expected this early in the season, on that evidence not many will go there and get anything.
Watts and Tickle should soon be available and will really bolster a pack that is just too lightweight. Especially in heavy conditions.

On the downside.

Seymour and Holdsworth just never got anything going at all. Ok they have played very little together but I expected to see a bit of promise at least.
Arundel missed some very poor one on one's, his attempt on Hall in the build up to their first try was pathetic. However he hasn't played in a long time and I am willing to give benefit of the doubt.
Galea was worse than useless, unfit, lots of errors, too slow and you could write down his positive contributions on a stamp with a paint roller. Sure he's a good pro and he is a good influence on the kids but he looks finished on the field. If Tickle isn't available next week I would be going with Whiting and Westerman in the second row, Pitts at loose and Bowden on the bench.

well said mr zuccini,agree with all of that, to many on here are quick to slag of the players at the first hurdle,i honestly dont know why sum follow fc

I'm judging the team on the players in it, not how we played last night. We don't have the players to comepete with the top 4 teams

Well said.

Thought you were leaving?