Hull FC new boy Liam Tindall opens up on Rohan Smith relationship after staying in family

The 22-year-old felt leaving Leeds Rhinos was his only option after struggling to establish himself at his hometown club.

Tindall made the last of his six 2023 appearances in June shortly after rejecting a new deal in favour of a move to Hull FC but he bears no ill will towards Rhinos boss Rohan Smith.

"I didn't get as many opportunities as I wanted at Leeds but I had a good relationship with Rohan," Tindall told The Yorkshire Post.

"We left on a positive note. He wished me all the best and I've got nothing against Rohan.

"I don't like pointing the finger when I'm not playing. I take accountability and try better myself in the background.

"Rather than blame someone else, I'd rather work hard to try and give them no reason not to play me."

Despite his best efforts in training, Tindall could not force his way into a struggling Leeds side.

It was a case of one step forward, two steps back for the young winger after making 13 of his 23 Rhinos appearances in 2022.

"I played quite a lot the season before," added Tindall, who debuted in 2020. "That's just how it works sometimes with injuries and rotation.

"I got a bit of game time out on loan (at Bradford Bulls) which was good for me.

"I would have liked more opportunities but it's not my decision to make. Any player wants to play more when they're not playing.

"It's one man's decision and if that's the decision he goes with, I can't really argue with it.

"It is frustrating being on the sideline and not being able to do what you want to do and contribute to the team when you feel like you can.

"There's not much else I could do about it apart from work hard."

Tindall saw a clearer path at Hull, a club in transition after sliding down the Super League table in recent years.

After failing to become a regular under Rohan Smith, Tindall is out to convince his old boss' uncle that he can crack Super League.

The speedster views Tony Smith – the competition’s most experienced head coach – as the perfect man to unlock his potential.

"He's quite easy to talk to and get little bits of advice from," said Tindall. "He's obviously a good bloke to get some advice from about the game.

"It's about making sure we're on the same page about what he wants from me and me achieving that.

"He's got a reputation as a coach with a lot of time for young players and that's been evident to see.

"He'll pull you to one side and talk you through why he's thinking a certain way and why he wants you to do something a certain way. You can debate with him and he'll take in what you're saying.

"Quite a lot of young players debuted last season for Hull FC. It's good that he gives young players an opportunity and the time to show what they can do."

Smith struggled to make his mark in his first season in charge of Hull, with last season's 10th-place finish their worst in nine years.

Tindall is convinced that the new-look Black and Whites will turn the corner in 2024.

"I feel like we've got a strong squad this season," he said.

"Doing better than last year is non-negotiable. We need to improve.

"It's exciting. I imagine it's a breath of fresh air for the fans with all the new signings.

"Everyone is coming in wanting to impress. It's quite a young squad so everyone is full of energy and wanting to work hard to achieve things."

The new signings include NRL quartet Herman Ese’ese, Jayden Okunbor, Franklin Pele and Fa’amanu Brown, as well as Tindall's former Leeds team-mate Jack Walker.

Tindall is car sharing with Walker and fellow former Rhino Liam Sutcliffe in the early weeks of pre-season but plans to move over to Hull with the goal of becoming a Super League regular.

"That's the hope," said Tindall, who signed an initial two-year deal with the Black and Whites.

"I want to be a first-choice winger. What I'm pushing for this pre-season is to make it an easy decision for Tony.

"If that doesn't happen, I want to get as much game time as possible and prove what I can do to Tony and the fans."

Tindall will face boyhood club Leeds three times in 2024 but must wait until September for his first return to Headingley.

While he will always have an emotional tie to the Rhinos, his career came first.

"I've supported Leeds my whole life," said Tindall. "I was a season ticket holder at Leeds and always wanted to play for the club.

"I'm happy I got the chance to but going forward I thought it was a really good move career-wise to come to Hull.

"There are more opportunities and the change of environment is a breath of fresh air for me. It's a really positive move for me and my future."