Tony Smith hoping muscle memory takes over as Hull FC aim to win mental battle

The Black and Whites halted a seven-match losing run last time out thanks to a hard-fought win over Huddersfield Giants at the MKM Stadium.

After seeing his team struggle to adapt to a new way of playing following an initial honeymoon period, Tony Smith saw positive signs against Huddersfield.

"I don't know if it's a penny drop but I think some things fall into place, particularly when you've got a new coach and you're being asked to do things slightly differently," said the Hull boss.

"That's challenging. It's hard for players to change those behaviours quickly. It takes time. Some can adapt really quickly and some can't.

"If they've been doing the same sort of thing for years and then some new coach tells them to do it another way instead, they're not going to be able to do it even if they want to. I think they want to.

"Last week was closer to how I've challenged them and asked them to play. I hope they get some confidence out of that."

The goal for every team is to get to the stage where the players can rely on muscle memory.

"When you don't have to think, that's when it's ingrained," added Smith.

"You just do it – 'when I'm in this situation, this is what I do.' That hasn't been there for us yet.

"It takes time and a lot of practice until you get to the point where you think, 'Yeah, it does work.'

"You need a little taste of its success in order to really, really buy into it. There were moments of that in the last game."

In recent years, Hull have had a propensity to collapse in testing situations, an unwanted trait that Smith is trying to eradicate.

The Black and Whites have the worst defensive record in Super League 10 rounds in but showed more steel in the defeat of the Giants.

Ahead of the latest challenge against high-flying Wigan, Smith believes Hull are beginning to get on top of the mental battle.

"All these boys once they get to this level have got a certain amount of abilities and skills but a lot of it is mental," he said.

"It's hard for young people nowadays with outside influences like social media. It's easier if you don't read it or know about it.

"People are probably ripping me apart but I don't see it so it doesn't worry me as much as if I was seeing it. We're all human beings who like to be liked and thought of respectfully.

"In terms of doing things automatically without having to think about it, maybe that fog is lifting a little bit. We're getting closer to that."

Wigan are protecting a six-match winning run, which includes back-to-back victories over St Helens and Warrington Wolves.

“They’re a dangerous team with a lot of speed,” said Smith. “If you’re not on, they can punish you. We need to be on it right across the board and throw a bit back at them.”