What goes around comes around.
It’s a mark of the man that Lee Radford’s reaction to Castleford Tigers’ 46-18 win at Hull FC on Friday was both measured and missing any hint of gloating.
But looking on in the aftermath of his first return to a club that has been such a big part of his career, both as a player and a coach, since his very public sacking in the immediate wake of that 38-4 home defeat by Warrington Wolves in March 2020, it’s hard not wonder what was going through the minds of not just Radford, but also Adam Pearson, the Hull Chairman, who announced the departure after seven years at the helm live on Sky Sports.
Hull carried on that campaign under the interim coaching of Radford’s right-hand man Andy Last, and made the play-offs, before the arrival of Brett Hodgson ahead of last season, when they finished two places off the top six.
Hull fans won’t need to be reminded that after seven victories and a draw in their club’s first eleven Super League games of 2021, nine of the final ten were lost, the exception being a 23-22 home success against Hull KR.
Rovers were seen off 34-28 at Magic Weekend earlier this month, but that was the only win in the last seven matches – after eight in the first 13.
Hull have slipped to eighth ahead of Friday’s tussle with Toulouse Olympique in France, with Hodgson under increasing pressure, particularly after his side’s concession of 196 points in their last four outings.
The middle of the table is tight, with just five points separating Castleford, where Radford and Last were reunited ahead of this season, in fifth and Leeds in ninth (Garry Schofield has his say on both the Rhinos’ impressive 42-12 home triumph over Wigan Warriors and Hull’s current plight in his Pulling No Punches column on page 12).
Hull aren’t out of the play-off chase by any means, but Castleford, who have claimed two victories running and five in six ahead of Friday’s visit of Wakefield Trinity, Salford Red Devils, who host St Helens on Sunday, Hull KR (away to Wigan on Thursday, when they will target a third win in four under Danny McGuire, who became interim coach when Tony Smith stood down) and Leeds, who face Catalans Dragons in France on Saturday, are also firmly in the hunt.
Saturday’s showdown between Huddersfield Giants and Warrington at the John Smith’s Stadium completes an intriguing round 21 of 27, while this weekend also features the Championship’s Summer Bash at Headingley.
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