MIDLANDS HURRICANES coach Mark Dunning says “ignoring outside noise” has helped his players pump up the volume on the pitch this year.
The Birmingham side’s season was ended by a 46-16 defeat in their play-off elimination final at Oldham.
Dunning was disappointed by that outcome and frustrated by some of the refereeing decisions, saying: “There were too many involvements from the man in the middle, which had an effect on points being scored.”
But he added: “Take nothing away from Oldham, they were good.”
And reviewing the season as a whole, the club’s first at the Avery Fields ground after moving from the Alexander Stadium, Dunning continued: “We set a goal of making the top ten, and we knew that would take a monumental effort and would be a great achievement.
“As the year went on, we dared to dream, which is one of our mottos, and we ended up making the 1895 Cup semi-finals, finishing ninth and winning a play-off tie (against Whitehaven).
“Perhaps we have proved a few people wrong, but we had confidence in the group we were putting together and knew that through hard work, they could deliver.
“I think some of them needed to believe it themselves, but we told them it was about ignoring outside noise and sticking together, and they have created a special environment.
“We haven’t used the loan system, and some of the boys have played when they really shouldn’t have, but they have done it for that badge on the chest.”
Midlands say there will be some ins and outs, but Dunning said: “The majority of the squad are staying, and it’s going to be exciting to see if we can use this year as a building block.”