Hull FC know where they fell short and they’re now trying to put it right.
Hull FC Chief Executive Richie Myler.(Image: Hull FC)
Richie Myler has made no secret of Hull FC’s frustrations following a disappointing year on the field – and has put some of the reasoning down to the quicker ruck speeds seen this season.
However, the CEO is confident the club, led by co-owners Andrew Thirkill and David Hood, is now making the right decisions ‘to fix the problem’.
The Black and Whites have landed the likes of Bailey Hodgson, Alrix Da Costa, Isaac Liu, and Daly Cherry-Evans so far, with more new signings in the pipeline. The club will also add some significant conditioning and medical appointments to support incoming head coach Steve McNamara, appointments that will be as crucial as any seen ahead of next year.
“It’s been educational for us all,” Myler said. “It’s been frustrating. Our owners have heavily invested in our squad and we felt like we had a strong squad at the start of the season.
“I think the game then changed overnight. We did a recruitment cycle where we recruited a certain type of player, and then they changed the ruck speed and the way they were going to referee it.
“For certain players now, the game is going ahead of them, and they’re getting exposed. It’s important that we understand what the game’s doing and I think this is going to stay. The ruck is going to be fast and exciting, with attacking rugby, and we’ve all got to adapt. The players have got to be fitter, leaner, and more mobile to be able to compete.
“It’s a work in progress but we still thought we would be much further up the table than we are. It’s frustrating and the margins are frustrating. We’ve left points out there that would change the landscape of our season dramatically.
“It’s been disappointing, but for me, it’s been a really good learning lesson on so many things. The signings we’re making now and the way we’re trying to be proactive to fix our problem, I think, has gone down the way it should have done. We’re never going to get everything right, but we’re trying to.”
On those learnings, Myler, who has had his critics in his CEO role at Hull, continued: “Every day is a school day, but I think the best way of learning is jumping in feet first and straight into the deep end.
“It’s been a baptism of fire at times, but I’m surrounded by some very sensible, astute, and knowledgeable people. It’s never on one man to run a rugby club. We have some very successful and professional people within this organisation that help us run this club.
“I got the criticism and I was new to this role, but I love rugby league and I love being in a team. Rugby league is what I know, and I’ve been around the game a long time to see the good, the bad, and the ugly side of it.”
At Hull for over two years now, Myler has seen one evolution at the club in terms of recruitment, which makes the future more straightforward.
He explained: “It was a tough sell to get players to come to Hull. Players didn’t want to come. And sometimes players come because they have got an extra year’s security.
“That was the reality the club faced. Nobody wanted to come. Now the prospect is a lot different. The appeal of coming to Hull now, Steve McNamara plays a big part in that, as players want to come and play for him. That perception of us as a club has changed.
“We’re still not where we want to be in terms of performance, but the appeal of coming to Hull isn’t as hard and deals are easier to negotiate and finalise than they were previously.”
But while the club now hopes for a more prosperous future, they won’t be making any outlandish statements on next year or where they might finish.
“The table doesn’t lie with regard to where this club is at the moment,” Myler added. “We need to fix that problem quick. The appointments we’ve made help that, but there’s certainly no pressure that we’re going to do anything extravagant next year.”