Wakefield Trinity 12 Hull FC 16 - Brett Hodgson proud as twelve-man Hull dig deep to withstand Trinity fightback

Before yesterday’s success at Wakefield Trinity, they had only won once since last June: Old Faithful, then, will have reverberated loudly and proudly around the Belle Vue changing rooms.

Yes, it was far from pretty and, at times, this victory over a dogged Wakefield Trinity looked like slipping away particularly when Hull’s full-back Jake Connor received a 65th-minute red card for a high tackle on Lee Gaskell.

Indeed, it was no surprise when relieved head coach Brett Hodgson admitted he was “tired, probably as exhausted as the players” at the end after his desperate side dug deep to hold on.

However, this is a new season. A fresh start. And Hodgson’s Hull showed they have made some of the rudimentary alterations that were clearly required after last season faded away so miserably.

“We showed a huge amount of character,” said the Australian, after they navigated that tricky last period expertly in the rain and mud of their Super League opener.

“We need to be more clinical but the conditions out there, that’s what these early games are like; not many teams will play at their best ability at the moment.

“I’m really proud of the effort. And it was definitely the character that pleased me most. That and the willingness to work hard for each other. We lost that at the back end of last year.

“We had it in spades at the start but now we have to maintain that. No one cares at the end of the year how you get your two points at this time of year.”

Full-back Connor was a surprise inclusion given he fractured a hand just two weeks previously in the friendly at Leeds Rhinos and, after the England international saw red, Hodgson could have been forgiven for gambling on his fitness.

Nevertheless, even though Tom Johnstone crossed and Max Jowitt converted to get Wakefield quickly in touching distance at 16-12, the visitors defended hard to ensure this victory did not slip.

Admittedly, some of Trinity’s decision-making and execution in that final period was poor, too, not least when Jowitt was penalised for crossing but especially when prop David Fifita flung a wild pass into touch inside his own 20.

Connor, who had already had a mixed day, looked bemused by Marcus Griffiths’ decision to send him off but it seems the RFL are clamping down on such tackles in 2022.

He was the third player to be red-carded for a high tackle on the opening weekend after Catalans Dragons’ Dylan Napa and Leeds Rhinos’ James Bentley were both dismissed while Warrington Wolves’ Oli Holmes also saw yellow for contact with the head.

Hodgson said: “I don’t know about the Jake Connor one. I’ll need to see that again but it didn’t look like a straight red for me.

“Even if he did get him a yellow is acceptable but I thought that was a bit of an over exaggeration.”

Previously, the exit of their star man in such circumstances could have proved catastrophic for Hull. However, with Luke Gale now on board, the East Yorkshire club had no concerns when it came to seeing out the contest.

Hodgson had sacrificed club legend Marc Sneyd in the off-season to bring in the England scrum-half from Leeds and, with his kicking game and organisational quality in the wretched conditions, he showed why.

Gale directed Hull around expertly and the coach called him the “general who executed our game plan” as FC eventually got on top. Hodgson admitted they had still “been hurting” from the embarrassing 44-12 defeat at the same ground on the final day of last season but those painful memories are now banished.

Gale had opened the scoring after supporting an excellent break from Connor Wynne, the young centre who impressed with Cameron Scott as first-choice centres Josh Griffin and Carlos Tuimamave nursed tight hamstrings. Trinity’s own debutant Corey Hall replied after Johnstone picked up Connor’s loose pass and raced downfield in the 37th minute to leave it 6-6.

But Hull scored two quickfire tries at the start of the second period as lively Fiji star Joe Lovodua threw an outrageous dummy to score on his debut and Connor’s cut-out pass saw Darnell McIntosh also mark his bow with a try.

When Trinity saw Gaskell depart with an elbow injury seven minutes from time, you sensed Hull would hold on. And they did.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt; Lineham, Lyne, Hall, Johnstone; Gaskell, Miller; Fifita, Hood, Arona, Pitts, Ashurst, Crowther. Substitutes: Battye, Batchelor, Tanginoa, Kay.

Hull FC: Connor; McIntosh, Scott, Wynne, Swift; Reynolds, Gale; Sao, Houghton, Fash, Lane, Savelio, Johnstone. Substitutes: Brown, Burrell, Lovouda, Satae.

Referee: Marcus Griffiths (Widnes)