The thing is, it's not long ago that we were talking about trebles and could make a realistic claim to being the best team in the league. Yes there were good things about our performance last night and I am sure that a win isn't far away. The way we played last night would probably be too good for half the teams in the division. But to even be talking like that shows just how far we have gone backwards in a very short space of time.

Our pack absolutely ran riot not so long ago, teams just couldn't live with them. Now we have Taylor who is international quality, and Westerman who I rate very highly, and then what?

Green is imo our second best prop, but his injury record is terrible, when he returns can we keep him there for more than 2 games? Bowden is good, but not a world beater, and he has had a very serious injury, will he be the same player? Paea is garbage, he can leave tomorrow for me. Masi doesn't make any yards. Minichiello doesn't offer any threat any more, Manu isn't much better. Thompson tries but is too lightweight, in fairness to him he should go better when the pitches firm up. Washbrook is a handy squad player because of his versatility, but again, he never makes any impact.

Then you have Fash who is a grafter but is again too small and light. Lane who has a lot of potential but is years away from reaching it. Hadley is probably our best second rower and that says it all because he is Mr average. Beinek is yet to prove himself. Brown hasn't played a first grade game yet, and Levy hasn't pulled up any trees at his other clubs.

It's an awful group of players really.

Last night has shown where our biggest problem is and our weakest area and that is the forwards. Taylor is the only one that gives us any go forward. Paea for me is a total waste of a quota spot but also a spot in the 17 as he offers us nothing, Masi is still progressing but is not yet there. Mini & Manu for me offer little now which is a shame as Mini has been one the clubs best import signings on the whole but sentiment won't win us games, neither should have been re signed.
Bowden has been out for so long after a horrible injury its hard to say whether he will be as good as he was and will take him time to get back in to things even when he does make a return. Green for me can be good but just doesn't use his size enough and is rarely on the field.
Thompson is not a front rower and would be better in the 2nd row and have more effect than Mini but at present he is the best option which says an awful lot about the poor state we are in with front rowers. Hadley, Thompson and Lane for me would offer more than Mini & Manu.
Bienek as yet is relatively untried and untested at this level and Brown who impressed in pre season is yet to taste SL action.

We need 2 front rowers who can take help share the workload of Taylor and give us much needed go forward, unfortunately that isn't going to happen this season. So we are stuck with what we have this season due to very poor recruitment and retention.

We can only hope for big changes next season but sadly can't see anything changing or improving much this season, just hoped I'm proved wrong.

Learned last night Kelly is not in the country, as he’s seeing a specialist re his brain injury. Concern re cognition.

I thought he was playing Playstation with the kids?

Funny that he was stood in our dugout last night.

I hate to sound pessimistic but it’s not looking good.
Not sure who is responsible for player retention and new signings but to be fair they should be out of a job.
Watts for me is the best prop in SL and his departure was a nightmare, replacing him with a like for like player is very difficult, same with Ellis and Fonua. Yet we also lost Prichard another beast in our pack that was never replaced, yeah he didn’t have the best of seasons but his presence on the field always drew in defenders.
The pack that three years ago was probably the best is now...well not good.
For me Masi is still young and green and probably should be our fifth or sixth prop and only playing as cover in the forwards. Paea is no where near the player he was and Green and Bowden wouldn’t be a starting prop for one of the top four in a million years. If we keep abusing Taylor all season and expect him to do the work of two props then he will burn out very quickly and be good to no one.
Mini and Manu both should have been replaced.
Think our back line is as good as anyone but if your pack is getting overpowered then it’s hard for them.
I’m not a big fan of Westy but for me he had his best game in an FC shirt last night, him Shaul and Connor didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.
If we finish mid table this season I would be happy, but if we see some of our better players out for lengthy periods this could be a long hard season

All good posts above, and points well made.
We have not consolidated on 2016 and 2017.
If we can see it , why can’t the Club.
Hull FC never seem to kick on.
Sporadic success from 1991 has never be sustained.
We also seem to produce players, but we never seem to turn them into top talent . They move on ,and sometimes come back to haunt us .
As for the Coaching set up . A new broom is needed. Fresh ideas and an ability to attract top talent . Radford hit it lucky with his pre 2016 recruitment. Those players Coached themselves. Remember the dressing room lock out at Widnes .
The loss of his leaders and his inability to attract replacements for them ,is now coming home to roost.
We needed to sign at least 2 forwards that would be first choice. ATM Taylor is carrying our pack , the rest are average , or past their sell by date.
We thought it was going to be a struggle in 2019. Now we know it is going to be !

Does anybody know the latest on Talanoa?

Gwilym questioned Radford on RH on the return of Kelly, Bowden and Green but no mention on Talanoa.

With Sporting Chance I believe with no date set on return

Yes that is in line with what I have heard as well.

I hope he returns, but if I am honest I don't expect to see him in a Hull shirt again.

That's very sad if true, whatever his problem is I hope he makes a full recovery.

I wonder why the club hasn't just told the truth that he's receiving treatment.

Perhaps Fetuli wishes to keep it private or as private as you can be as a professional sportsman.

I wonder why people are discussing/speculating on his personal problems on this forum.

Everything said here is absolutely correct. Other clubs have success and build on it,we seem to go the other way.I feel sorry for Taylor,he's doing the work of two props,be burnt out before long. Last night Cas were getting three men in the tackle and slowing the game down,why don't we do the same,they seemed so smooth with everything they did and we looked disjointed and Cas also had a hooker who played like a hooker .Danny has been a good club hooker and a brilliant tackler but he lacks the creativity of other top hookers. Our right side was shocking last night and an astute coach like Powell soon exploited it.We have to get over winning the challenge cup twice and start living in the present,things aren't good and I can't see them getting any better.