MZH

I think the really impressive thing about Peet isn't the improvement in results but the way he's totally overhauled their style. Great attractive flowing rugby, and very little of the niggle and sh*thousery that might have been associated with Wigan teams in the not too distant past. Admittedly it helps when you've got a couple of excitement machines at your disposal in Field and French, but still, hats off to him because this team is unrecognisable from the team Lam coached.

I took it to mean that if you struggle to get past Batley then you've got no chance against Leigh. Not that you are in big trouble if you lose. Not that I agree. I mean, I'd be pretty surprised if Leigh don't get promotion, but your performance against Batley won't have any bearing on that. Finals are different and it's all on the day. You've just got to get there, by hook or by crook.

Fair points. It's just a very simplistic view that a lot of people seem to have that if you aren't a good tackler you shouldn't play full back. As you mention, positional play and being able to organise the line are much more important.

Agree with this. It's nonsense to say x can't tackle so he shouldn't play full back. In a team that is defensively well organised a full back should only need to make a handful of tackles per game. As you say a poor defender is much more likely to be exposed playing at centre. Fwiw I think Connor is a reasonable defender. His problem is that he lacks pace, so when a speedster breaks the line he is often left clutching at thin air.

This is another common assumption about Connor that simply isn't true. The guy might be a loose cannon on the field sometimes. But he loves rugby league and learning about the game and working on his own skills. I've seen interviews with his team mates saying he bores everyone to death because he just wants to talk rugby 24/7. If he is staying at Hull he will be excited to work with Smith and learn from an experienced coach I'm sure.

It's amazing how he divides opinion. A lot of Hull fans would say he is one of the few players who truly cares. He hates losing, and gets frustrated with his teammates attitude and lack of effort.

That's my view too. Smith loves the challenge of improving players, and he will know Connor could be a huge asset if he can just polish out a few flaws in his game. Connor might be moving on, but if he is I don't think it's a case of Smith wanting rid. It's more likely that he wants a move and we are cashing in whilst he still has a year left on his contract.

If that's a serious post then it is pathetic. All he's done for your club, and now he's got an opportunity to advance his career he's a back stabber?

Let's not get carried away.

Happy with that. Hopefully Pearson backs him properly and gives him full control over rugby matters. Only time will tell if it's a good appointment, but we needed an experienced coach to rebuild the club, and he's certainly experienced. I've also heard Stanley Gene is coming as his assistant, which is left field to say the least but would annoy the red and whites so I'm all for it.

It's the fans and the occasion that make for a good atmosphere. The MKM for example can be as flat as a pancake. But when it's a big game with 15000 in and Hull are playing well the place can be absolutely bouncing. Those occasions have been few and far between in recent times admittedly.

Well funnily enough there are a few rumours about that, however it's as an assistant to Tony Smith.

I'd be pretty happy with Smith. Bags of experience, respected throughout the game, and a pretty good track record. I also like the way he conducts himself.

One thing that any new coach has in their favour is that the current batch of youngster looks to be the best in a long time. There's some very talented players in that 18-20 age bracket and if their transition to first team is handled well it could be a foundation for us to have a good period of (relative) success. Some big decisions need to be made in the first team, and the most important and difficult task is picking up a bunch of players who's confidence will be through the floor, and instilling a winners mindset and culture. It will be an attractive job to a lot of people, its still one of the biggest coaching jobs in the game and the potential rewards are huge. But it's also one of the most difficult. Whoever gets it has got an awful lot of work to do.

No it's not. A couple of weeks ago I was certain that he would be here at the start of next season. Obviously that performance in Saturday was the final straw. I do feel sorry for him. There are some things he did well and he seems like a really decent guy and the problems at the club go far beyond the coach. Ultimately, whether or not this was the right call will depend on who we get in to replace him. The wrong appointment (again) will see us back to square one.