: Sun Jan 04, 2009 6:37 pm  

Kosh wrote:

Really? What makes me laugh is folk who can't seem to accept that not every player in our squad is a world class star. Or that some of them may well be very average indeed.

Some people are just being positive will a new season around the corner nobody has predicted a league and cup double!

I read hardly any mention of the returning Rich Horne, anything positive about our new Oz international or how Tom Briscoe is one of the most exciting youngsters the club has produced for a while. There are a number of things which I am genuinely looking forward to seeing from Hull next year (I also know we have failings before I get accused of rose tinted glasses. )

Hell, I remember looking forward to our 1996 season with a backline of Kitching, TV, Darren Carter, Terry Manning and Leigh Deakin - imagine the negativity on the boards back then if the Internet was around

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 6:40 pm  

knocker norton wrote:

Some people are just being positive will a new season around the corner nobody has predicted a league and cup double!

I read hardly any mention of the returning Rich Horne, anything positive about our new Oz international or how Tom Briscoe is one of the most exciting youngsters the club has produced for a while. There are a number of things which I am genuinely looking forward to seeing from Hull next year (I also know we have failings before I get accused of rose tinted glasses. )

Hell, I remember looking forward to our 1996 season with a backline of Kitching, TV, Darren Carter, Terry Manning and Leigh Deakin - imagine the negativity on the boards back then if the Internet was around

couldn't have been put better, half of thses on here will have still been in nappies though

used to go to Workington expecting to get beat, thats bad

we will suprise a few next season

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 6:56 pm  

The Brother wrote:

couldn't have been put better, half of thses on here will have still been in nappies though

used to go to Workington expecting to get beat, thats bad

we will suprise a few next season

I too think we will be the dark(and white) horses. People forget that it was injuries that put paid to last season - not the quality of the squad. At the beginning of last season pundits all had us in the top 3 based on last year's squad on paper. Apart from the loss of Carvell, we've improved the squad since then.

So I for one am tentatively optimistic... and even if I wasn't I'd still be looking forward to the season

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:05 pm  

WormInHand wrote:

I too think we will be the dark(and white) horses. People forget that it was injuries that put paid to last season - not the quality of the squad. At the beginning of last season pundits all had us in the top 3 based on last year's squad on paper. Apart from the loss of Carvell, we've improved the squad since then.

So I for one am tentatively optimistic... and even if I wasn't I'd still be looking forward to the season

I agree, the second row is stronger, without the injuries we'll be top 4 imo. I think Dykes' was an awesome player, shame the gamble didn't pay off. Thormans no where near as good imo but hopefully he'll be a consistent starter and that in itself is better then someone playing 1 missing 2.

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:07 pm  

WormInHand wrote:

I too think we will be the dark(and white) horses. People forget that it was injuries that put paid to last season - not the quality of the squad. At the beginning of last season pundits all had us in the top 3 based on last year's squad on paper. Apart from the loss of Carvell, we've improved the squad since then.

So I for one am tentatively optimistic... and even if I wasn't I'd still be looking forward to the season

People also seem to forget that piss poor decision making and piss poor performances from the team in general lost us quite a few games too. This mindset tends to be exclusive to Hull FC fans.

[Kosh]

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:08 pm  

knocker norton wrote:

Some people are just being positive will a new season around the corner nobody has predicted a league and cup double!

Those are not the folk who the comment was aimed at. There's nowt wrong with a bit of healthy optimism (or even mad optimism), but some seem to feel that the slightest criticism is somehow out of order.

knocker norton wrote:

I read hardly any mention of the returning Rich Horne, anything positive about our new Oz international or how Tom Briscoe is one of the most exciting youngsters the club has produced for a while. There are a number of things which I am genuinely looking forward to seeing from Hull next year

Me too.

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:09 pm  

kim-or-lee wrote:

People also seem to forget that piss poor decision making and piss poor performances from the team in general lost us quite a few games too. This mindset tends to be exclusive to Hull FC fans.

I think you may find the 2 are actually related.

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:11 pm  

Matty_HullFC wrote:

I agree, the second row is stronger, without the injuries we'll be top 4 imo. I think Dykes' was an awesome player, shame the gamble didn't pay off. Thormans no where near as good imo but hopefully he'll be a consistent starter and that in itself is better then someone playing 1 missing 2.

Well Thorman has only done rehab so far this off season, so will go into the season without a FULL pre season programme behind him and Raynor faces the possibility of a lengthy spell on the side lines with his toe problem. Washy has a knee injury so will have only had a trunkated pre season and Croker missed the world cup with broken ribs.

That is four key players that have not had ideal preparations for the new season. I think some Hull fans are right not to be too over optimistic for next season.

Just my opinion mind

[Kosh]

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:12 pm  

WormInHand wrote:

People forget that it was injuries that put paid to last season - not the quality of the squad.

It was both IMO.

WormInHand wrote:

At the beginning of last season pundits all had us in the top 3 based on last year's squad on paper. Apart from the loss of Carvell, we've improved the squad since then.

Extremely debatable. Carvell is a huge loss (even given the amount of time he spent injured), we're worse off at SH, and we haven't improved our backline noticeably.

We've had some problems with the squad for a few season, and they have yet to be addressed IMO.

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:13 pm  

Gordon Gekko wrote:

Well Thorman has only done rehab so far this off season, so will go into the season without a FULL pre season programme behind him and Raynor faces the possibility of a lengthy spell on the side lines with his toe problem. Washy has a knee injury so will have only had a trunkated pre season and Croker missed the world cup with broken ribs.

That is four key players that have not had ideal preparations for the new season. I think some Hull fans are right not to be too over optimistic for next season.

Just my opinion mind

True, though Crocker actually missed playing time so is that a benefit for us as he will be fresher?
Thorman is hardly a concern as he'll get as much pre-season as the International stars and thus will be fully prepared imo.
Washy or Raynor I can't disagree with.