Andy Last wants Hull FC to play with more flair when Super League returns.
The interim head coach will welcome the playing group back to training today (Monday) after almost four months away.
Their return will provide Last his first opportunity to get to grips with the squad he inherited in March after Lee Radford was dismissed following the club’s slow start to the season.
Last has spent the lockdown preparing for his own chance to impress in the Black and Whites’ hot seat, while also trying to implement some of his beliefs into the squad.
That includes playing expansively and with freedom, which he hopes will come to fruition when they return against Salford on August 9th.
“For me the team has to be an extension of the coach,” he said.
“So I want us to play with flair, with no fear, tough through the forward pack and with defensive steel. Most coaches would say many of the same things, but I think for me it’s about how I try to implement those messages.
“If you look at our forward pack, I want us to dominate through that ruck area and play a bit more second phase and encourage more support play from the likes of Shaul, Connor and Sneyd. That’s something I’m really keen to see.
“With the strike we have in our outside backs, if you get that dominance down the middle you can go to your edges and give them space too.”
But another point of improvement Last wants is self-application.
“The players have used this period for a bit of self-reflection.
“Speaking to them on the telephone, the biggest thing that’s come out of it is they’ve accepted and understood their performances and how they were applying themselves Monday to Friday wasn’t allowing them to be the best version of themselves.
“They’ve been away from the environment, had a good look at themselves and how they were going about their business, and, from a cleansing point of view, I think it’s allowed everyone to see the error of their ways and they’ll be holding themselves accountable and to a higher standard.
“I’ll just be tweaking a couple of things and setting standards high in training and hopefully the boys will reach those marks, reach their potential and if they do that there will be more wins than losses.”
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