Hull FC winger Darnell McIntosh is in his first season with the Airlie Birds and he admits that he moved to the east coast from Huddersfield Giants in the close-season to fulfil his ambition of winning trophies and being noticed on the representative front.
So it seems ironic that his former club played in the Challenge Cup Final last month just a few months after he had left the John Smith’s Stadium.
But that doesn’t mean that McIntosh has any regrets about his move.
Instead he has thrown himself into his new club and its environment, moving house to Hull to avoid having to travel each day along the busy M62 motorway.
And he admits that one of the attractions at Hull is the style of play that coach Brett Hodgson encourages the team to play.
“Brett is allowing each player to express himself and the result is that we play rugby that is good to watch, although the team always comes first,” said McIntosh.
“We are encouraged to chance our arm, but within reason.”
And with Hull firmly embedded in the top six, Hodgson’s approach appears to be playing dividends.
“The standards that we’ve wanted to set all year were on display against Wigan,” said McIntosh.
“As for me, I just want to stay injury free for the rest of the season. In every game I’m becoming aware of more things that I can improve. I want to keep on challenging myself and get the best out of myself and I’m confident I can do that.
“It’s only a short career and I didn’t want to get to the end of my career and have any regrets.
“I didn’t have any relationship ties in Huddersfield, so now was the time for a new challenge and a fresh start and I’ve got that.
“Huddersfield have a good team and good coaching staff and I never had any doubt that they could reach a final and I was happy for my mates to do that. But for me it’s back to business at Hull and I want to get there myself with a great bunch of lads here who enjoy playing together.”
And McIntosh particularly enjoys playing with another former Giant in Jake Connor.
“Jake Connor with ball in hand is probably one of the best in the league,” said McIntosh.
“Just being around him makes you realise that he wants to compete at everything and he is just the same off the pitch as he is on it.
“At training, when I’m the defending winger against the attacking team, it only makes me better. If I can defend against him in training, then when it comes to game day, I have all the confidence.
And Jake wants the people around him to get better. He will let you know if he’s not happy with you, but straight away it’s gone and we move on.”
McIntosh admits to having been a relatively late starter in Rugby League as a youngster.
“My junior club was Newsome Panthers but I didn’t start playing until I was 14. There was a kid in my form at school and he said his dad would pick me up. And I think I needed that family feel that rugby gives you.
“Huddersfield picked me up for the Scholarship in my second season. But they didn’t give me a contract for the Academy. They told me I could go and train with them, but I wouldn’t ever play. So I was just trying to prove myself to earn a contract, but then Andy Kelly came along, said he liked the look of me and asked why I hadn’t got a contract. He gave me a three-week trial contract and a week later, after my first game, they signed me to a contract and a year later I got a first-team contract.
“It had been a bit tough for my family because my mother needed me to be working but I reckoned I could do it and asked her to give me a year. And now she is over the moon. I’m grateful to get to where I am now and I’ve made my mum proud of me.”
But why move to Hull?
“I didn’t want to play safe and comfortable at Huddersfield. I felt like I needed to get noticed and make a name for myself. I wanted to get into the All Stars squad to play against England.
“I would qualify for the All Stars because my heritage is Grenadian, like Jermaine McGillvary, who played for the All Stars last year.
“I was hoping to get into the All Stars to challenge myself this year, putting myself in a different environment to play at that elite level, but things haven’t worked out like that and I haven’t been selected.
“But that hasn’t demotivated me at all. I want to keep on pushing and if it’s a year or two down the track I want to make the training squad to be in the shop window to help myself get better.
“I want to be the best I can be, otherwise I’ll kick myself at the end of my career.”
The above content is also available in the regular weekly edition of League Express, on newsstands every Monday in the UK and as a digital download. Click here for more details.
