Hull FC captain Scott Taylor’s blunt assessment ahead of new campaign

The England prop has won two Challenge Cups with his hometown club but – despite plenty of promise – they have never realistically got near winning Super League since reaching their only Grand Final in 2006.

Admittedly, Hull did make the semi-finals last year following a late surge in form.

With the arrival of a new head coach in Brett Hodgson ahead of this campaign and former New South Wales State of Origin stand-off Josh Reynolds for 2021, predictably some people believe they might go further this term.

But Taylor, 30, said: “We’re sick to death of hearing we’ve got a really good team on paper as we clearly didn’t.

“We weren’t performing and we were absolutely way off at times last year until we turned it around a bit at the end and got to that semi-final. We haven’t got any aims or any targets. It’s all been about let’s just start the season well, get 10 or 15 games in and then re-evaluate.”

Taylor has been impressed with the impact of Australian Hodgson since joining Hull from his position as an assistant with NRL club Wests Tigers last November.

“He’s come in and put his stamp on things,” said the ex-Wigan Warriors front-row, who says he will be “absolutely fine” for their opener against Huddersfield Giants on Sunday week despite missing Thursday’s friendly at York City Knights.

“We’ve worked on defensive stuff more than we have done for a long time. He’s put a massive focus on that and making sure we’re putting in a lot more time and effort there on the training field and in the wrestle room.

“But he’s getting everyone in good habits again and given us a big boost. It’s his first year as a head coach so he’s built up years of what he’d want to do in that role. He had all our respect before he even walked through the door and that’s only got bigger and bigger as the weeks have gone on.”

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