According to the HDM, Neil has stated he wants the team to challenge for a top 5/6th position next season, albeit a qualified statement.

Based on the evidence of investing in higher quality players and new backroom facilities, then from Neil's perspective he will want to see a return on the Board's investment.

My concern is that by making this target public he is doing a Pearson, and exerting unnecessary pressure which the media and the fan base will constantly refer back to.

Having said that I agree with Neil that this is arguably the best squad Rovers have had in SL, and I too share his enthusiasm for next season, but feel he will need to ride out the storm of the opening fixtures and allow the team to settle.

As for finishing in 5/6th, there is genuine depth in the squad and even scope for CS to rotate the forwards, so once the squad settles and finds a level of consistency I reckon we will see Rovers making a concerted move up the ladder in the run up to the play offs. On paper it is achievable,

He included a couple of caveats with luck and injuries.

Tbf, he's not said we're going to do the double - just that we're aiming for the top part of mid-table. 5/6th might not even get a team in the play-offs from 2015, depending on what is finally agreed.
Whereas the last couple of 'transitional' seasons I thought about a dozen weekly round wins would be par, I think we should now be aiming to win more than we lose and have a good shot at winning at least one play-off game. With so many changes, I wouldn't take anything for granted though.

I actually think statements like this are a good idea. If people cannot handle pressure and expectation they are the wrong people. If as it is lead to be believed, that this is your best squad, 5th / 6th should be a realistic aim, and I think it is fair to raise that challenge, whilst also giving the supporters a bit of hope.

personally I hope you don'y make the 8, but I think you will

All the pressure will be on Kris Keating. We all know that how he goes will ultimately dictate how we go.

The trouble with sport is that you can't just improve yourselves based on year-on-year. There are 13 other clubs all trying to do the same.

its better than saying well probably finish in the bottom two I guess

Doing a Pearson.



He can do what he wants, if it wasn't for him you wouldn't have a club.

Very realistic is the NH target, certainly nothing like Pearsons prediction for last season. 6th spot is open to us along with a few other clubs, breaking into the 5 is a different matter.

If it wasn't for you we would all be happier.

You wouldn't, you'd still be a miserable with banter.

I don't see aiming for 5/6 as that much more ambitious than aiming for a play off place, which pretty much every club will state they are aiming for, or higher. It's certainly not crazy talk.

Yes, I would. You overestimate yourself.

Had we bothered to turn up for our last two games we would have finished 6th in 2013, so it's not an unrealistic target.

We might as well forget about the challenge cup next year.
Hull FC will be returning has winners according to their chairman

[urlhttp://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Adam-Pearson-Hull-FC-year-winners/story-19709080-detail/story.html[/url

DD proving how thick he is.

Can't see anywhere in that article he says we will win the CC next year.

He does say we would like to return and win it this time, but surley most clubs would like that.

there's deffo more of a buzz around the club at the minute compared to this time last year. tough to call the top 6 this year, other teams have recruited well and will fancy their chances along with us.

As the leader of the club, Hudge has had to deal with some incredibly difficult times of the last couple of years and now with the added investment and new board members, he's maybe thought it's time to stop being conservative with his pre-season hopes.

First things first, despite Pearson's promises over the last couple of years such as signing 2 of SL's top-four half-backs, 6 internationals, finishing top-four, the 2011 play-off defeat will never happen again blah blah, all of these promises have not been met yet apart from some ridicule, those false promises have enabled the mugs to part with their cash for his benefit.

I think this statement of hoping we finish 5th or 6th is strategic for a few reasons:-

1) It shows he expects to improve on last season so we are moving forward as a club again.

2) The timing is perhaps targeted at those still undecided as today's price freeze deadline has been approaching.

3) The statement sends out a message to the local media that their attention should be perhaps focused the other side of the river.

4) The fact he's even dared to mention we could finish 5th is a small but subtle indication that he feels the squad is capable of breaking into that perceived impenetrable group.

Of the clubs fighting for the bottom play-off places, something has to give because one of Salford, Rovers, FC and Catalan will not make the eight.

I personally think that Salford will miss out simply because they don't have a lot of depth but it could easily be FC with their dodgy recruitment policy and poor salary cap management.

Happy days!!!

Go post it on the Hull board. Oh, hang on a minute..........

They are a sensitive bunch on the Hull board.

Or proving how easily people will bite at his posts perhaps.

Gavin your back, here to stay?

Does my post sound like a bite, I like DD, he is easy to make fun of.

Merry Christmas Rovers people.

I doubt DD is doing no more then a whole lot of you lot did when Morgan was asked what his 'aims' were one season and he said 'win every game', which was then taken as 'Morgan say's Hull KR will go unbeaten'.

I would guess that every coach has an aim to win every game and every competition, probably without having a point scored against them.

We should be thankful we don't have to endure him anymore on our forum then.

Really?

I wish the Hull moderators would stop banning these dolts, they never post on here until they get banned over at your end of the street.

It's probably an "old" poster, what can be more embarrassing than been banned from an internet forum for acting like a knob?

Been banned more than once.

I would imagine there are countless things more embarrassing than being banned from something where no one knows who you are.