The Hull FC back rower on the club’s ‘overdue’ derby win, recent improvements, and finding form again.
Hull FC back rower Joe Batchelor.
Joe Batchelor believes Hull FC are ‘overdue’ a derby win and will give it everything to get one over Hull KR this weekend.
The Black and Whites go up against the old enemy at the Magic Weekend, with Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium playing host to the 251st meeting of the two sides.
And Batchelor, who got his first taste of the fixture on Good Friday, knows full well it’s importance, with Hull looking to break Rovers’ seven-game stranglehold that has lasted almost three years.
“I think it’s about time we put in a performance against them and give them a real good game and show them what we’re about,” Batchelor, speaking to Hull Live, said. “I’m sure they’ll be coming after us and wanting to put a number on us again, so it’s an exciting time.
“We didn’t quite get there on Good Friday, but I think there’s enough in that Wigan game last week to give ourselves a bit of confidence to take that next step forward and really take it to them.
“There are plenty of people here now that haven’t managed to experience that win and I’m sure the fans think it’s well overdue. We’ve got responsibility on Saturday to make sure we put our best foot forward and hopefully that puts us in a position then to come away with the two points.”
Hull have struggled to find wins at times this year, with injuries and form derailing the challenge, but have remained competitive no matter what.
However, in Batchelor’s view, they are starting to improve, having put in an encouraging display against Wigan last week, albeit in defeat.
“Results-wise have not been perfect,” Batchelor said. “But in the games we have lost, there’s only been one or two where the scoreboard’s got away from us, so imagine if we iced a couple of those games; it would be a different conversation, especially with sort of the injuries and suspensions we’ve had.
“But no one’s going to feel sorry for us on the back of those things. We’ve just got to make sure we keep producing the best possible Hull FC performances every week and be right in each and every game.
“I thought last week against Wigan was certainly a step forward and some of the stuff we’ve been working on recently all came out and we looked closer to where we want to be.
“But when the game kicks off, it all starts again. It’s a brutal game, rugby league, and you’ve got to earn that right every week. You talk about the physicality, and if you don’t get that right first and foremost, you’re not in any game, so that’s something we’ve got to learn a lesson on and make sure that we bring that first.
“That’s our main goal: to find some consistency in that area and get some details on the back of that that we want to work on and we understand, but yeah, we know we’ve got it in us now. We just need to be more ruthless when attacking moments come around, but we can take some confidence from recent weeks and use it for the rest of the year.”
And as for his own game, Batchelor only has one word on his mind: payback. By his own admission, the back rower didn’t get the start he wanted at the Black and Whites, but now he’s beginning to find his groove again.
Shaking off early-season soft tissue injuries, Batchelor has played in each of Hull’s seven games, adding to the four he got earlier this year, and is looking good value for it. Now it’s time to hit the next level – and he’s confident he can do just that.
“It’s something I wanted to do when I got here,” Batchelor said. “Obviously it wasn’t the best start for me and it wasn’t the impression I wanted to leave on my teammates and the coaching staff and the fans.
“I’m delighted to have been able to do that now, and hopefully I can repay the coaching staff, the medical staff, and everyone who has been putting the hard work in to make sure I can get this run of games in and keep on improving my performances and we get some wins as a result.”
Commenting on recent form, Batchelor added: “I think now that I’ve got a consistent run in the team, I’m starting to build some partnerships. I know as a right-side back rower, I’m going to get a lot of traffic defensively, and with the ball and stuff as well, I like to add some bits on that.
“But first and foremost, if your defence is right, then you’re in any game, so that’s something I like to pride myself on. Hopefully I can kick on now towards the end of the season and start showing some top form.”