Discipline was the cornerstone upon which Hull FC’s post-Magic Weekend comeback was constructed. In addition to restricting the number of six-agains and penalties they can deliver, as well as the unwelcome card distribution sequence, this also affects how they play, how they turn the ball over, and how long they can maintain that preferred procedure.
Playing through their sets, turning the ball over in the desired areas of the pitch, and then defending tough were the main goals at Leeds, Leigh, and Catalans. The objective is to establish some rhythm after which the opposition usually gives up due to exhaustion, allowing the strike players to take control (see Will Pryce in Perpignan).
Hull were very good at that process, one the likes of Hull KR have nailed under Willie Peters, against both Leigh and Catalans – and they almost came up trumps at Leeds too. But it’s a process that requires a lot of concentration, patience, buy-in, and, again, discipline – and it was discipline that was found wanting against Castleford on Friday night.
Succumbing to a sloppy 22-14 defeat, Hull were poor. Instead of getting into their desired rhythm, they made numerous unforced errors, cheap errors, and deep errors in their own half. It left them with too much defending to do, and eventually, after a sustained period of pressure, they cracked in the second half.
The numbers show it. Stats can be subjective, but here they tell the story. In total, Hull completed at 75%, compared to Castleford’s 96%. Hull made 16 errors, compared to Castleford’s nine. Hull ran for more metres, but defensively, and as a result of those errors, missed 43 tackles to Castleford’s 20.
On Friday night, there was a clear difference in how Hull, whose wait for a home win extends to 328 days and counting, played – and especially when compared to how they fare on the road. Recently, discipline has been at the centre of their performance, but at home, they were flat, and they became erratic. They were lethargic as a result of the errors they made, and as the game went on, they pushed the pass when it wasn’t on or when they hadn’t earned the right to do so, and it didn’t stick. They forced offloads; they were loose and just generally sloppy. That sequence continued.
There was no calming head and no focus on just playing through sets, completing on their own terms, and pinning Castleford in their desired areas of the field. Instead, the ball was cheaply handed back to the Fords, who, to their credit, started the game with more energy and more enthusiasm, built themselves a foundation, were spirited, put the team first, and fully deserved their win.
They handed a stark reminder to Hull, not that it was needed, that they have to turn up every week or face a gloomy reality. This side is nowhere near good enough to slack off and expect to win. They have to play on their key pillars every week or taste defeat. That was shown here – they were well off the pace in what was a flat account, leaving many to question attitude and the like.
And while John Cartwright dismissed such talk in his post-match press conference, again, there was certainly a difference in how his side played – something they need to get to the bottom of. They went away from recent accounts, completing sets and sticking to a disciplined game plan for a team that pushed the pass and tried to Harlem Globetrot when they needed to knuckle down and build their way back into the game.
And when the errors kept coming, the frustration told. It was a frustrating night all round, with the only positive being that this side, no matter how they fare, don’t throw the towel in now. Big defeats seem to be a thing of the past, with Hull rallying late on and actually scoring a couple of very easy-on-the-eye tries. It shows what they can do when they get their act together.
But it’s a small consolation to take when the disappointment of what seemed a real opportunity to put themselves in a good position at the Super League table is still fresh. However, there’s a chance now to rectify it all at Salford and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Beyond that, it’s a trip to Warrington before two home games against St Helens and Wakefield. And while it might not be appeasing to some, getting into that grind, going set for set, getting into that mental battle with your opposition and seeing who cracks first – that’s the way Hull have to go down if they want sustained performances and results, especially while key players like Pryce and John Asiata are out.
That process again is what their reset was based on after a poor Huddersfield defeat at Magic, and while this season was perhaps always going to feature the highs and the lows, the goals for this team are clear. If they want to avoid the same frustrating defeats and ensure a top-six finish, it’s what they have to base their game on again next week and beyond. But sticking to it and ensuring that discipline and concentration levels don’t drop is the acid test.
