Style of Play : Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:52 am  

It seems the gripe with most is our style of play and I think warrants a thread on that alone.

I have to say the in recent seasons with defences becoming dominant, there have been a few games on tv and other places that have failed to set the world alight when it comes to excitement. RL seems to be becoming stifled by dominant defences.

However, in the case of Hull FC this is compounded by the fact we seem incapable or willing to even try anything a little more risque. Its been mentioned on other threads that we appear to have one game plan which is basically 5 drives and 1 kick. This is becoming very tedious as a spectacle. I was bored half to death yesterday. Its not what I pay money for. I want to be entertained. I wouldnt mind quite so much if the tactic was proving too much for other teams to handle and we were winning games but its not.

For example how many times recently have we tried an attacking option from our own half? I really cant think it happens much at all. The days of Shaun McCrea seem a distance away. In those days we looked capable of scoring from anywhere on the pitch. So much so that I looked at highlights from those years to see if it was just me or looked like a reasonable comprehension.

Besty scoring from our own half, Prescott the same. Line breaks aplenty. You can move it on somewhat to the days of Briscoe and all under John Kear. Not in the same abundance but still there to see. It WAS better as a spectacle in those not so long ago days. Steady decline from then on it seems to me.

We see very little of that now. I tend to watch a fair bit of the Academy and reserves and believe it or not, they all play with the same type of mentality. A safety first approach. Watch the Saints Academy play and its just like watching their first grade. Players backing up, short balls to the support player, supporting the ball carrier, offloads etc.

It seems to me it has to be a coaching decision. I have my doubts about our ability or willingness to take chances. I would rather we went down playing some good "Rugby League Football" than playing tactics a simpleton could read.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:55 am  

Oh I dont know, Thorman tried to mix it up and kicked it down someones throat on the second yesterday !

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:55 am  

Yeah exactly... remember the play-off semi against Bradford, Horne kick from the base of the scrum to Tony on the wing? We were inovative once....

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:56 am  

You only have to see what our first 3 tackle plays are after we get a penalty within the oppositon 20 to see whats wrong with our style of play. Why waste 3 or 4 tackles with one out rugby when we are within 20 meters of the try line? Teams know they can defend tight in because we never spread it wide and certainly never at pace.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:07 am  

Robbo4 wrote:

You only have to see what our first 3 tackle plays are after we get a penalty within the oppositon 20 to see whats wrong with our style of play. Why waste 3 or 4 tackles with one out rugby when we are within 20 meters of the try line? Teams know they can defend tight in because we never spread it wide and certainly never at pace.

But we did at Huddersfield and Bradford

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:09 am  

Whats wrong with our style of play ?

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:21 am  

me 'n' our kid wrote:

But we did at Huddersfield and Bradford

Which shows we can do it. However since we played Cas and Moa has been put in at the expense of another forward who can do 2 x 20 minute spells we have not been able to lay a platform for the backs.

Admittedly a better scrum half would still produce something, but we need to go back to using the bench effectively and spread the forwards workload.

Our style of play has been boring for most of the games this season and it needs to be worked on, but Agar needs to use his bench better first.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:23 am  

hullbg wrote:

Which shows we can do it. However since we played Cas and Moa has been put in at the expense of another forward who can do 2 x 20 minute spells we have not been able to lay a platform for the backs.Admittedly a better scrum half would still produce something, but we need to go back to using the bench effectively and spread the forwards workload.

Our style of play has been boring for most of the games this season and it needs to be worked on, but Agar needs to use his bench better first.

thats how i saw it, the forwards are too knackered by having to play too long, and the backs cant create anything.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:24 am  

me 'n' our kid wrote:

But we did at Huddersfield and Bradford

Did we? Seems like a lifetime ago.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:24 am  

With forwards like ours, we need to be super aggressive id happily run at out line in a match... would i against Saints and Leeds? No I'd be scared of getting smashed by Leuleui or Puletua. i dont think we give that fear factor.

We seem unable to pressure opposing kickers also, would have loved to see Steven Price from Warriors come here for exactlt that and even though he's 35 odd still just about the best prop on the planet, might make some of ours wake up and realise what they should be doing and get some tips also. (Not that I think ours are awful may I add!)