Danny Houghton hasn’t improved or changed as a player over the previous seasons, all that’s changed is the fans perception of him now that the team is looking like a quality team, just like how the perception of Radford has ……When things seem to be going bad your fans pick apart every aspect of your club and when things seem to be going good you all suddenly become apologists ……If your season goes awry, expect your fans to go back to picking apart DH game and question his credentials.

IMO ……Danny Houghton is one of the best hookers in Rugby League and should be a part of the England set up ……But hey, I’m not one to get in between a fan and their scapegoat.

Nobody has ever scapegoated Houghton for anything. Pointing out areas of a players game that are not as strong as others is not 'scapegoating'. Houghton has always been lauded for his fitness, energy, and phenomenal defensive efforts. The only area of his game that comes in for criticism - rightly IMO - is his distribution. This season he has been more effective off the back of a more dominant set of forwards and the faster PTB this has allowed.

Great post, bang on. Houghtons outstanding, unbelievable any hull fan gives him stick

Tbf there is probably an element of that, people do tend to throw the baby out with the bath water when things are going badly. On the Ellis thread someone commented that he hadn't been a big fan of him but that he's been awesome this year. Gaz is just playing how he always has, the difference is that we are winning.

For me the speed of Houghton's distribution has always let him down slightly, but this year it seems better. Is that because he's improved? Is it because the forwards are playing the ball quicker? Or is it simply because we are winning and I'm not paying so much attention to where our problems are? I'm not sure, but I'll pay closer attention to it next time I see us play.

Bang on this!

Distribution I'd a load of tosh as well really.
Watch how many times Clarke n aiton lob balls at players knees n heads.
Like for like up to aiton getting injured at Leeds the dominant team with options everywhere Houghtons stats were on a par mostly with added extras.
Houghton had he been at Leeds wigan saints etc would of been a man of steel contender at least twice by now

Well he's just come up against two of the three hookers in the England set up in Clarke and roby. In both games he has guided the team to victories. Hope Wayne Bennett is watching

With the Aussie press currently rating Josh Hodgson the best hooker in the comp, there's no way Danny will get in. It will be Hodgson and Roby, and rightly so probably. I would argue that Danny is in front of Clark now though.

It really isn't. And just pointing out that two other hookers are sometimes no better is not a convincing argument IMO.

None of which in any way makes him a bad hooker. Which some seem to be struggling with.

It wasn't just critism, it was many fans stating he wasn't good enough to take us to the next level, which is totally wrong and if we let him go most teams in SL including the top ones would be intrested like Leeds were last year. He isn't perfect but what player is, some Hull want that perfect player, Briscoe use to get plenty of critism, but was a fantastic player and one of the best in SL.

Houghton is and was a fantastic player and in our top 3 most important players, as said he isn't going anything different to previous season, just the rest of the team are playing to his standards.

Not sure on his deal, but we should looking at getting him a longer deal if it's anywhere close to finishing.