KANE EVANS says an upfront conversation with new Hull FC coach Tony Smith has “fired me up” for the new season.
The former Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels and New Zealand Warriors prop had a disappointing first year in Super League in an underperforming team.
Evans also missed eight matches through suspension and the 30-year-old former Fiji international, who is entering the final year of his contract with the Black and Whites, has been made aware of the need for improvement.
“When I first caught up with Tony, he gave me a run down on his expectations of an overseas player in Super League and he said that being good is not enough – I need to be great,” said Evans.
“You have to be great in every area and you have to do your best to lead the team.
“It was an eye-opening conversation, but I really appreciated the honesty and expectation, and it’s motivated me.
“It’s fired me up. It’s good to hear that from the coach.
“I’m not going to take his comments lightly. I think it will bring the best out of me, because I have a real personal fear of failure.”
Evans is currently in rehabilitation following surgery on a knee injury suffered at the end of last season.
But he is hoping to be available for Hull’s pre-season trip to Wakefield Trinity at the beginning of February, to put him in line for the opening game of the new league campaign.
“The rehab is going well at the moment,” he said.
“It looks as though I’m going to be fighting to be ready to play in our second pre-season match and then hopefully I’ll be flying into round one.
“I still have so much work to do before I can play again, but the fire is burning deep inside me real hard.”