Maybe he doesn't need to as it appears he can walk on water. Well played Radders.

Well on Monday with Horne carrying a knock Ellis will likely start, that will benefit us against a big a Huddersfield pack who we need to turn around and tire out. I dont expect a win however after yesterday anything is posssible.

We haven't beaten Hudds in a few games now and I think this will be as much of a bench mark of our improvement, as if we beat Leeds or Wigan.

Hudds are the benchmark team so far, they have to be as they are the ones at the top of the league.



Is it reasonable to expect to beat the league leaders on their own patch on Easter Monday? We did last year

No



But the good thing is we can still improve, we look solid in defence, playing as a unit and for each other and as the confidence grows the classy tries and moves are coming.



At last the teams potential seems to be coming through with the right guidence from the top, coach and captain this team has all the right signs of becoming a very good team and with more shrewd signings being promised it all looks good.

Not forgetting Andy Hay`s input which people tend to overlook.

Yeah but look at who we had coaching us then, no wonder we won

and by coincedence it was salford who played both hudds and wire!!

This.

This "benchmark" stuff is utter rubbish.



If you can't see the obvious talent in this team against any current SuperLeague opposition then your daft. If we loose against Hudds on Monday and this board gets flooded with people saying that we are pretenders it will be really frustrating.



I'm watching a Hull FC team that is improving every game - some of the posts on here read like we have reached our potential already and that everybody else has kinda yet to catch up.

I'm not holding my breath mate.

Indeed. Sounds trendy though.

Oh I know it will happen.





I've not seen anything this season, from any other team that I think we can't compete against - I'm not saying we are going to win every game and there will be no hiccups, but everything is there for a big season imo - confidence is key.

Aye - I can think of a couple of obvious candidates without any effort whatsoever.

Must be frustrating for them that we are doing so well though.

i've said from the beginning of the season that the team is work in progress we still have areas that need addressing.

A team that with time and the right backing both on and off the field will get better.

The club is going in the right direction after maybe 7 years of under funding. It all looks good for the future but lets take things one game at a time and take this season for what it is the start of the future.

Wine into water, Sunderland in the cup in '73, Lyall Lovett marries Julia Roberts. Yes, freaks of nature and reason do happen

If you want confirmation go to the Wakey forum.

It's a good read atm.

To be honest, I dont really get the "years of under funding" line which AP used when he first took over. I could well have been a "I have listened to the discontent and I want to get the natives on board" type comment.



Even if over the last how ever many years it was, we didn't spend the full salary cap, with the first team personnel we had it's not inconceivable to suggest were pretty close to it.

If that comment was aimed at youth development then the impact of investment in that area will not be felt for a few years yet. if our youth development was so poor in the past then Green, Kent, Bowden would have been no where near first team consideration.



I am not for one minute saying things were anywhere near adequate under Agar and Kath, but I fully appreciate the positive vibe an incoming owner will want to put on things.



Are we back? I think we have to be realistic to know we haven't really been there yet, not until we end top of the tree and taking home the main prize.



Are we back in with a shout of giving the current contenders something to think about, I reckon so. But the main difference is not financial investment, it's having a coach who knows what the job is about.

the under funding i'm on about is the lack of proper facilities that that juniors (and at time the first team)had to put up with . gordon street school should have been pulled down in the 70's when it shut. having to walk on to st georges road to train on a old cemetry with dog muck all over the place. Limited times for training due to the lack off floodlights.

this sort of enviroment could have held back their development.

I know we have players now stepping up to super league but how many others could have stepped up with the right facilities.

I know the boulevard is part of our history but the lack of a proper base for the development team and players has held the club back over the past few years in bring the younger players through quicker

Think we are definately improving. However, we'll have a better idea in a month's time. I think there is a lot more positivity and yesterday's victory will certainly help.



We need to keep ourselves in perspective. We need to remember we have never been world beaters. In the past sixty years, we've won one title and two Challenge Cups. We had a very good spell in the early 80's, a decent team in the early 90's and a few moments in the mid 2000's.



We could be on for a new era, I hope so. I like Gentle and I like Pearson. Could be some fun days ahead and I think Hull fans generally have a good handle on where we are and how we are performing. Let's enjoy the ride!!

In terms of playing as a team, hacing gameplans, building a squad, players getting coached correctly and having ambition then yes we are back. However still a lot of work to do and I still maintain we won't finish top 4 this season.



For us fans it's just great to finally have some justified optimism in our great club again.

The standard of support play is improving week on week. Against rovers we had multiple players flooding through when someone made a break. Great to see and something we haven't had for years

I watched a highlights video the other day from the 2006 season and it was unbelievable how many players were always there in support. Something which has been missing the last few seasons, but looks like its now being rectified.