236 The Dentists Diary

Well what did we glean from that, because for me all the initial signs point to another hard season at least for the fans, and don’t we need a half back? But haven’t we all known that since September? The way that Longy made the try for Sharp shows what one can do, but we need two and we’ve had months to get another and yet we start the season short and still ‘Looking for players’. Turner is learning and showed some good stuff but there’s still some way to go there for me. I know, I know, I know it’s just one game, but I tell it as I feel it and at present I’m disappointed and worried!

Dobson was just too good for us yesterday and showed exactly what a class half back can do to unlock defense’s even when the tide of the game is against you, because we had them beaten in the forwards, but you have to value possession and when the momentum starts to shift we don’t do that, do we? We are just not creative enough at that point, it’s all becomes ‘huff and puff’ but little guile. For too long we played without the ball and when we got it we didn’t value it! We still lose heart too when the chips are down, and are just not able to grind it out. Recognize anything? Yep its business as usual!

I felt for Fitz because I thought that he led us really well but he got little support and there is no doubt that the loss of Berro and Tansey, for whatever reasons, has left us with even fewer options and ideas than we had last year.

On a surreal note there is nothing really as strange as watching the Magic weekend at home in your own front room. In the rest of the games there was some excitement and some big come backs but for me it was all a bit manufactured really. Perhaps it

was my feelings about the whole idea in the first place, the fact that there were too many games back to back or even the proximity of the bottles of wine in the kitchen. I have to admit to falling asleep half way through the Quins game on Saturday and waking up an hour later with the scores and the quality of rugby the same. I have though to admit that the event was certainly attended by more fans than I thought would make the journey, so what does an old traditionalist F*rt like me know about stuff anyway? I am sure a lot of those of you who went had a great time and well done to you all I bet it was a long journey home though!

In this week’s Diary I look at that game and at performances, then its good riddance to Tansey and perhaps what actually happened with him, there’s Phelps on his way, Longy and Fitz telling it as we all thought it was before we had our fears confirmed yesterday, some problems in the East with the East, where now for signings?, KCFM, ESPN and in Codgers Corner what was probably Len Casey’s finest moment as Hull coach.

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A few pundits in the media before the game yesterday said that we would go off like a rocket and then fade and if Rovers could hang onto us the chances would come for them, well they got that bit right at least. I thought though there was a bit to be positive about in that first half and quite frankly I honestly thought beforehand that we would have been well down by half time, so I guess although a massive disappointment under the circumstances, to be just 4 points behind at half time was acceptable. However there was little to be positive about in the second half when quite frankly we were poor.

Our defense was, as at Cas, too thin when under pressure on our own line and on the right hand side our ‘centre’ channel defense was woeful. It’s OK for Agar to blame individual errors but our organization down there was shocking. Yes I know, it’s only one game but the way we performed after that first quarter makes me think that as far as our coach is concerned the clock has to be ticking. (One gloating Dobbin on a message board last night seemed to think that in using that expression I was indicating that he should be sacked right now, without actually understanding the meaning of the terminology. I couldn’t be bothered to reply!) obviously I am not saying that he should go this minute because that would be totally irrational but if this trend towards looking as if we have still got the old failings of last season continues, then the sands of time in his particular hour glass have to be running out!

You’ll say that I’m over reacting with that comment, but I defend my right to make it, simply because for me nothing has changed much at all. That’s the point I base that rather alarming comment on! Two young half backs are the future of the Dobbins for years to come and what do we have? One ageing maestro who I have to say did well, an injury prone ex international who is fighting for fitness, and a couple of hopefuls! What a difference a Sammutt or Chase would have made yesterday, if only to help keep our structure and shape in attack whilst we were under the kosh and in that second half when a flagging Rovers were there for the taking.

I have to say that after watching our first outing, although I know I will probably be made to eat my words, in my opinion we would maybe have been better off spending £100,000 on prizing one of those away from their clubs, rather than on signing Westerman. Just my thoughts of course, and though

time will no doubt prove me wrong, that’s how this fan feels at present.

The tackling too must be of concern, with us being woefully exposed down the centre channels particularly on the right were Briscoe, thanks to friend Tansey, had to play in the centre with young Lynne on the wing. I have never jumped on the Briscoe for centre bandwagon and the combination in defense of Tom, Will Sharp and Longy was woeful. Tom needs to be on the wing for me with someone who is a good tackler like say Whiting in the centre. We had some bad luck at some critical moments but remember with the exception of Phelps and Horne that was our full first team out there! It was in the end a poor show I thought! There can be few excuses but there is little doubt that in the next few days our lot will come up with some!

Having said all that on three occasions in that first half a bit better luck would have seen us pull well away but a Manu pass failed to find the man, Houghton was held just short and that interception attempt by Sharp just failed to stick. The worrying similarity to last season for me though was the inability to keep the pressure on. Good teams grind it out and keep the opposition compressed into their own half but we did that for a while then packed up and, despite not conceding one in the first 19 minutes, we then gave away 5 stupid penalties each of which put us on the back foot and three of which led to tries.

As for performances well I thought that Whiting was OK at times but his showing at full back and Briscoe’s in the centre did show a deal of imbalance for me, and proved what a hole Tansey’s idiotic behavior has left us in. With Phelps at full back, Whiting in the centre and Briscoe on the wing we will be a lot

better I think. I will not criticize Reece Lynne or Turner because they are both learning and the latter showed some good touches, but he ain’t the answer yet. Longy I thought tried really hard to get us moving and Yeamo did well and was our best back. Will Sharp did OK for me as well.

In the forwards O’Meley and Radford started really well at prop and Rovers could not handle them at all, but Dowes is not the answer is he? Nothing new there then! Danny Houghton looked really sharp and ran himself to a standstill at acting half but needed spelling at times and I thought that Lauaki did reasonably well off the bench without pulling up any trees. Moa was his usual self and is mastering the art of the off load really well, he’ll go well this year. For me our best forward was between Fitz and Ogre who both I thought had great games, Tickle started well but faded a bit whilst Manu after his great performance at centre at Cas was caught at times too far inside to be effective for me and took too much ball standing still.

Fitz needs to be used as a ball handler, with some support and spelled on the pitch, he can’t do 80 minutes every week. Next we’ll be told that he needs a rest! Then what was going on with Westerman on the bench is anyone’s guess because he certainly didn’t get the game time a ‘marquee’ signing should have done.

So all in all a disappointing outing against a Rovers team that Wigan or Saints or indeed anyone with a decent try line defense would have killed off, but as Longy said this week we ain’t in the Wigan, Leeds, Saints or Warrington class. What a sad indictment of our team by our ex captain that was, but how true! For my money there’s a long season ahead folks.

Well perhaps, reading back what I have said above I am a bit harsh, but that’s how I felt as I wrote it at around 7-00pm on Sunday and I am still on Monday morning a bit disappointed and not a little mad too! Those emotions are probably borne out of the fact that although it’s very early days, teams like Bradford, Huddersfield, Castleford and even Crusaders are already showing that they have all used the closed season to implemented some improvements, some have even signed some half backs!!!!! I don’t see much that points to us doing that and for me at present we look to have as much chance of finishing above Rovers as Justin Morgan has of getting an award from Weight Watchers!

So, after that debacle what about what has been happening over the last week. It’s been ‘one in one out’ as we first saw the predicted expulsion of Tansey and then the signing of Phelps who, I believe, has been standing in the ‘wings’ just waiting for the call, for two weeks now. As I said last week the one thing that there always seems to be plenty of at our club is drama, and there is never any shortage of intrigue, innuendo and ‘soap’ style posturing. So it was on Tuesday that Jordan Tansey, the man with so much talent, who I knick named ‘The Maverick’ was no more, and quite frankly, however hard it gets in his absence…he won’t be missed by me. After the clear out last season one thing we could not afford to do was ‘go soft’ on someone who has I believe behaved in a worse way than several we got rid of 18 months ago.

Tansey let us all down big style last season and was at it again this. One of our junior players this week told me that Jordan was taken off at Doncaster after 60 minutes and told that he was withdrawn because he was in line for starting at Castleford and was needed for a full first team training session next

morning. He was warned about what not to do in the mean time and according to my source he allegedly’ went to a family gathering’ and the rest is well….. you can no doubt guess. However in the end it’s not what he did but the fact that he even contemplated doing it again that really got to me.

After what happened last season, twice, for it to happen again shows for me that he didn’t really have much thought or respect for us lot that paid his wages did he? The next few weeks will be hard at our club and if things go wrong, as they might well do, then rightly or wrongly the recriminations will be flying, but in my more rational moments, and once I have got over yesterday, I think that I would rather watch 13 committed loyal players that love the shirt and respect the fans, losing but trying their best, rather than a player that has taken the mick out of me and the rest of the fans (and got away with it), because of shortages in our squad and a weak coach and Board of Directors. No one, but no one, is bigger than my club! Good riddance Mr Tansey, one day you might just look back and realize that you were just as big a Dick, as we all think you are right now!

So, no sooner had that happened then at last we have a signing. It was not who we expected, well not until Tansey went anyway, but Phelps is on his way and it’s a signing that has been heralded by the fans with emotions ranging from enthusiastic to ‘none plussed’, but wasn’t it ever so at Hull FC. The fans may be short of confidence, patience, and money but they are never short of an opinion, and who can blame them? Is he a stop gap, is he a panic move, is he a good signing, is he on probation with the view to a longer stay, is he going to ever get here…who knows???? There is as always at my club in British rugby leagues equivalent to Coronation Street, simply more questions than answers.

For me as an average fan I guess my first thoughts were on the side of the ‘None Plussed’ brigade but then again I had to remind myself that I did comment to Mrs. R at the start of last season, when watching a Friday night game on TV, that ‘I wish we had a player like him’. When he played full back at Wigan and was fit, he certainly looked a handful coming forward. Before his injury he looked the real deal, fast, into the line in a flash, good hand’s and safe at the back. In fact looking in depth at the things the folks who know him say about his ability he is probably best described as a Jordan Tansy without the hangover!! He is certainly as versatile and a better trainer, so who knows, as always at the FC we the long suffering fans will just have to wait, see and HOPE! All I can say is that all the Wigan fans I have heard from say that had he been British he would definitely still be on their pay roll but circumstances surrounding their closed season quota signings meant that he had to go.

He takes up our quota place so I guess now if we have to get another foreigner in this season, and let’s face it we need at least one more player, then he will have to have say a Maltese passport. Although, then he would be ‘None Fed trained’ I think, but I have given up trying to understand the vagaries of the quota regulations, I simply don’t get it and I honestly believe at times the RL don’t either.

One thing is for sure though Phelps is a dedicated professional and he will be fit when he arrives, so I guess we should await his arrival with some hope for the rest of the season. As for his Visa well who knows? Will his time at Wigan stand him in good stead for fast tracking? Privately I am told he thinks he will be here in two weeks, but it’s to be hoped that he isn’t using the same travel agent as Big Willie. I certainly have no idea, but

always doubt we will get a break, we don’t have a lot of luck with visa’s do we? However if the club are serious about not wanting to suffer from annual depreciation of capital assets, they would be well advised not to be submitting a vehicle to Stockill’s paint shop for naming just yet!!

It was good to hear that Agar felt that Phelps would not be our last signing and that we were still pursuing targets. For me it was a shame when our bid for Sam Obst, reported in last week’s Guardian, fell through when the administrators who were in charge at the club mid week, turned down our offer. I have always rated Obst and see him as a player that has been a constant thorn in our side over the years! He is fast into the line, has a great pass and can cover at both half back and hooker. With him or Sammut on board I really believe we would e been in with a chance this year. I guess the chance of getting Obst is gone because the new owners at Wakey will probably want to hold onto all their assets at first at least, so it could have been just another ‘aborted mission’.

So, surprisingly enough, despite the word being out and about that KCFM have finished with Rugby League there was a Rovers night broadcast last Wednesday which had a lot of fans wondering just what was going on. What has happened is that after the radio stations request for our club to help finance the programme’s there had been a bit of a backlash from the listeners to the absence of any coverage, so the station has decided to try and keep a Hull and Rovers night going themselves. It will feature interviews and stuff from the clubs press day etc. but won’t be led by the club, have guest players or James Rule on every other week. I am even told by an insider at the station that they are looking to do ‘drop in’ visits to live games, although there will be no broadcasting of full games any more.

I watched a lot of Millenium Magic on Saturday and as I said I fell asleep half way through the afternoon, so boring was the fare served up, and the referee’s certainly didn’t do much on Saturday at least to perk things up did they; 37 penalties in that Cas game!! I am told at one point during the Quins game that there was less than 3000 in the Stadium. Good to see a few more in for the big games though, although I saw nothing to change my mind about the principle or timing of the event. Still well done to all those of you who went down there, I bet you had a great time.

Well he ain’t the captain anymore but I think that’s no bad thing if relinquishing that responsibility means that Longy speaks out so eloquently and honestly as he did in the RL Press last week. He didn’t tow the official line as he has had to, but instead shot straight from the hip and told it as it was and how we as fans have all been saying it for weeks. He described our squad as ‘shallow’ which some would say is an understatement, basically saying that although our forwards are fine, if we get any injuries in the halves we are stuffed. He went on to say that ‘We are also short at full back and centre and if we don’t make a couple of signings we could struggle if we get a few injuries’. That was of course before Phelps was announced.

It is a sad indictment of our current position to hear our 34 year old ex international scrum half say that he has given up the captaincy so that he can concentrate on keeping fit because there is no one to take over if he is injured. I don’t know about you but although I bet he got a boll*cking for his outburst, it is great to hear someone saying what the fans can all see and telling it as it is instead of all the spin etc. that the senior staff at the club are obliged to put out. His column in the Mail that started on Thursday was good and I enjoyed his refreshing

outlook on what is fast becoming a sanitized sport, publicity wise. Player’s comments are becoming increasingly controlled and predictable in what is now a ‘Sound bite’ led business. That Peter Sharp has a lot to answer for!

Still it was good to see Longy exorcising a few ghosts when he showed his surprise and disappointment about that article in the Sun that said that he had been sent home before Christmas on ‘Compassionate leave’, which was of course rubbish. The paper had probably got it from the message boarders who were buzzing with the rumor, which I always though seeing him in training, was wide of the mark. I found both those articles by Longy first class and very refreshing, well done to him.

It’s not just the ex captain that is being honest and telling a few home truth’s either, because in an interview in the Yorkshire Post on Saturday Fitz himself said, ‘If we can shore up six, seven and one, then we will be there or thereabouts’. It seems everyone is saying before we even really get started that we are lacking cover and it’s something we have missed by our own admission since last September. Having admitted failings that have not been addressed since last season, is simply not really fair on us lot the paying public is it?

How interesting it was to read in last week’s Rugby League Press about the fact that ESPN could enter the market to televise Super League. The Chair of the RL Richard Lewis said, they were entering "The most intense and competitive bidding process" for the right to broadcast both Super League and the Challenge Cup from 2012 onwards. The current deals for both competitions, with Sky and the BBC respectively, run out at the end of this season, along with the sponsorship deal for the Super League's title held by Engage Mutual Assurance, the

Harrogate-based financial services company, who have been putting their name to it since 2005.

Of course any potential deal from ESPN could become a great source of income for the Super League, or at least force the hand of Sky and the BBC to bump up their deals, however when you look a bit more closely a long term move to a new company could have some worrying implications for the welfare of the sport.

When Sky Sports lost the rights for covering Australia’s NRL in 2007, their sister channel Sky Sports News also dropped the league from their regular news broadcasts and updates and should Super League move to ESPN, it’s likely that Sky will ‘take their bat and ball home’ again and stop any coverage or news about our game, which could result in a great deal of media attention being diverted away from the sport.

Another concern could be that Sky and BBC are all include on the Sky network planners under one subscription and attract many millions of viewers, unlike ESPN which charges a monthly subscription for their channels alone.

The RFL will let us know what is happening, they say, early this season but for me all that glitters is not necessarily gold and although the clubs particularly those who I discussed last week that cannot be ar*ed to get out and improve their incomes will be rubbing their hands at more dosh coming their way, the long term benefits of going with a new broadcaster who is subject to a separate subscription could cause the game problems with its media exposure. Still it could also drive up the Sky bid,

although the interim ruling in court last week with the land lady in Portsmouth and her using a continental supplier to show premiership football, could, if eventually successful, see Sky needing to cut back their offers for broadcast rights, particularly when it comes to securing contracts for what they undoubtedly see as ‘marginal’ sports like RL.

Well there I was in the Central Library doing a bit of ‘Book’ research when in walks a good pal of mine form the Council who gave me the Caravan Park ‘upgrade update’ for all you Rovers fans who read this every week to find out what is happening behind the scenes at your club. My pal told me that the new East Stand development and extension will be starting soon, once building regulation issues are sorted out as it has to under the conditions of the Health Service funding and tie up, but when finished it won’t increase the capacity of the ground, well not at first anyway.

Apparently if you create more room for fans you have to create more disabled accommodation and if you do that, as they have, you need more dedicated Disabled Car parking spaces within a certain distance of the stand, which allegedly they haven’t bargained or budgeted for. Then there is also the issue of providing more turnstiles to meet the ‘incoming crowd flow’ regulations that increased capacity in any stand requires. Once again it would appear these have not been thought out either. So there are still a few hurdles to overcome before the new East Stand extension can accommodate its increased capacity even when it is finished.

In Codgers Corner this week we go back, to the mid eighties for what is definitely a bit of a rarity for this blog, a defeat for Hull FC. However it is certainly a memorable defeat, as anyone who was there will testify and indeed it’s a game that will be remembered as much for the last ten minutes as it will for anything else. Back at Christmas 1986 we were in a season

when under new coach Len Casey we were just starting to struggle. The great team of the early 80’s was on the wane and although we had some really good youngsters coming through, the cracks were starting to show. As is usually the case in these circumstances we were desperately looking for a good cup run to swell the financial coffers and bring some much needed confidence to the team.

So this week we look at a game that was most probably Casey’s greatest moment as Hull coach, in a short but eventful career that did, in my opinion, a lot of damage to the club. We had done really well in the John Player Trophy, having managed to reach the televised semi final at Headingley on the last Saturday before Christmas, 20th December 1986. It was a strange format for the competition that year in which we had played all the rounds back to back from 30th November and had reached the semi final by beating Salford at the Willows, Blackpool at Home and Bradford Northern at Odsal. This had been an impressive run indeed, coming as it did after 4 straight defeats in which we conceded 170 points, including a 48-0 defeat by the Australian tourists at the Boulevard and a 50-10 drubbing away at the hands of Saints.

The Cup though had captured the imagination of the West Hull public and after we had taken around 5000 fans to the quarter final at Odsal, and despite it being the last big shopping day before Christmas, many more joined me on the pilgrimage to Headingley to face Wigan. Strangely enough from being rank outsiders at the start of the completion Hull’s form had seen us as billed as slight favourites to rediscover our old cup magic and make the final. Casey made just one change to the line up that had done so well at Odsal the previous week resting John Sharp who had concussion and drafting in Steve ‘Knocker’ Norton, whose Testimonial Brochure was due out the following Monday, onto the bench.

Gary Pearce got the game underway with a long kick off and after Kemble had fielded a high Wigan kick at the end of the first set Tomlinson the FC prop produced a strong break of around 30 yards down the middle of the field. That was the shape of things to come from the Hull in that first quarter as our forwards took the big Lancastians on down the middle of the park. Hull came forward strongly again as Tomlinson and Crooks linked to put Schofield away and only a last ditch tackle form Wigan’s Hampson saved a try. Then Dannett broke away and fed Windley who shot inside, but the move faltered as a try looked on, when Crooks fumbled the scrum half’s pass. We continued to work the ball forward and a brilliant dummy and pass by Pearce found Crooks in space and from 20 yards Lee dropped a goal to give us a slender 1-0 lead.

From the kick off Wigan came down field and Shaun Edwards made a great break before Ah Kuoi grabbed a loose ball on our line and we cleared the danger area in spectacular fashion. O’Hara cut in field and fed the overlapping Lazenby a great outside ball for the second rower to run 50 yard before being caught 35 yards out. A good Pearce kick pinned Wigan back and a scrum was formed just 5 yards out from their line. Straight from the scrum Windley spotted a hole on the blind side and shot over too wide out for Pearce who missed the conversion, but at 5-0 we were going well.

After 29 minutes a mini kicking duel (remember them?) between the two full backs, Kemble and Hampson, saw a massive ‘bomb’ hoisted and as Hampson caught it three FC forwards hammered him to the ground. He spilled the ball and Patrick picking it up, but in breaking away he failed to see Eastwood who had a clear run to the line on his outside. With minutes to go to half time it was all Wigan, but great tackling

particularly from Crooks on Ellery Handley and Kemble on Russell kept our line intact and we went in leading 5-0.

It looked like there was to be a sensational start to the second half as Lee Crooks took Hanley’s kick off and fed a great short ball to Garry Schofield who shot through the line and headed off on a 60 yard run to touch down. However referee Holdsworth called the play back for a forward pass much to the disappointment of all the FC fans stood in the cold with me in the South Stand. Slowly but surely though Handley and Edwards were wrestling the advantage away for Hull and Ah Kuoi was lucky to stay on the field after a long lecture from the referee followed a really high tackle on Gill. Luckily for us Stephenson was wide with his penalty attempt. However Wigan continued to press forward as the official Mr Holdsworth appeared to allow anything and everything. Twice Garry Pearce stopped Hanley in full flight with brilliant tackles before the Wigan outfit finally went ahead in controversial circumstances. Ellery Handley shot in next to the posts but could clearly be seen to drop the ball from his hand as he went over. However the try stood and with Stephenson’s conversion, Wigan were in front for the first time 6-5 . The Hull forwards looked a bit tired at this point but with Puckering and Norton coming off the bench suddenly we were up for it again.

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We had not been in the Wigan 25 yard area for almost 15 minutes, when Lazenby broke and passed onto Crane. Mick belying his years showed a bit of that old magic and transferring the ball from one hand to the other put Pearce through a huge gap and as the cover came in he cut inside and scored before converting his own try to put us back in front 11-6. However it was a short lived lead as Edwards found us out again with a brilliant piece of play hanging a ball in the air for Hanley to come through and score wide out, this time

grounding the ball correctly, and as Gill curled in the conversion we trailed again 11-10.

That last ten minutes was all action and so memorable for all the wrong reasons. Ah Kuoi who had come back on grabbed a loose ball on the Wigan 25 and Puckering made a great break. However tragedy struck when the usually dependable Pearce dropped the ball in his effort to release it to the waiting O’Hara player who would have scored, and the chance was lost. Hull then made a tremendous last ditch effort to grab a win and as the crowd roared them on they almost did it. Schofield created a lot of space for himself in a tight spot and passed to O’Hara who only had to put the ball down next to the flag but a tremendous effort by two Wigan tacklers, who somehow reached him, saw him just fail to score. We continued to press as referee Holdsworth missed a glaringly obvious Wigan knock on from a booming Hull up and under, and so as the final hooter went we had lost by one point, and the dream of a final which had been within touching distance was gone.

It was a great game and a great performance where we came up just short, but there were many heroes that day. It took the shine off Christmas a bit for this fan who, I seem to remember, was accused at home of sulking, although a good victory over Featherstone on Boxing Day at the Boulevard did something to brighten the mood and of course as is always the case further adventures were just around the corner including that memorable outing to Alfreton Town to meet Mansfield Marksmen in the Challenge Cup, but that game at Headingley was our big chance of glory that year which sadly passed us by!

So the season opener at the KC looms with a short turn around and the visit of Leeds on Friday. They looked really good on the break at the weekend and that could spell danger for our flimsy

defence and I find it hard at present to have much that is positive to say about the game really. If we lose, then the journey to Huddersfield the following week takes on gigantic proportions because another loss could see the season slipping away from us already. I love my club as do all of you who read this, but it does not stop me being bloody mad and totally frustrated with what I saw yesterday. Simply because, our defence seems flawed and there seems to be a lack of any sort of invention when things go against us.

To all of you who made the trip to Wales well done you deserved better I think! To all of those who like me spent most of the second half behind the settee at home with a bottle of wine, we had better get there on Friday and get behind the boys, then at least WE won’t be found wanting! Who knows next week I could be hailing a great victory against Leeds.

However what we have to learn and fast, is that in the life span of a game there will be times when we go behind and when things go against us, and we have to deal with them a lot better than we did in Cardiff. Still thanks as always for reading what is I guess a depressing Diary but as ever it’s just my thoughts, you may think differently and this Monday morning it’s all ‘Grand Final here we come’ in your house..... but it ain’t been that in ours! As for me well at present I’m depressed and a little fed up!!! Still I’ll be there on Friday and I’m looking forward to seeing our first game back at the old place. There is little doubt that the long suffering FC Army will turn up in their thousands as we always do, expecting the most and singing our hearts out! What we will get though is anyone’s guess!

See You There!!!

Faithfully Yours

Wilf