Hull F.C. - Official Thread

[GanEden]

Well there is one for the soccer team so why not?

[legolamb]

8,000 season ticket sales this season so far, and victory in the derby. Things appear to be looking up for the Airlie Birds.

Time for a move back to a renovated Boulevard?

[Chris (Newcastle)]

From the Hull FC site:

Just 24 hours after over 16,000 fans turned out to watch Hull FC beat rivals Hull KR at the KC Stadium, Airlie Birds supporters continue to highlight exactly why they are the best in the game with season pass sales smashing through 8,500 to set a new club record!

It is the 5th consecutive year that season pass sales of surpassed any previous record, but this year is even more astounding considering the difficult couple of years that the Black and Whites have experienced.

As the excitement continues to build to a crescendo ahead of the new season and the opening game against St.Helens, the Old Faithful are flocking to the KC Stadium to make sure they don’t miss any of the action next season.

Officially recognised as the 18th man this year, fans have already snapped up nearly all the seats in the South Stand, so anyone who normally sits here on match day is urged to get in quick and buy a season pass to avoid any disappointment.

The East Stand is also proving just as popular, as it does every year, so again fans are encouraged to move quick to avoid missing out on their seat.

Hull FC Chief Executive James Rule has been quick to praise the Old Faithful.

“We knew we looked set for another club record when we looked at the figures a couple of weeks ago and we have been astonished once again by the support from the fans as they continue to buy passes and on behalf of the club, I would like to thank every one of them.

“The Old Faithful are simply the best supporters in the game and once again they continue to back their club in style.

“They have out bought many clubs this season, they will certainly continue to out sing many other clubs this season and we sincerely hope that this year, with the promising squad that Richard Agar has assembled, we can repay the faith they have shown in us.”

He added, “When we took the step last year to officially name them as the 18th man and retire the squad number 18, it was for exactly this reason that we felt they were deserving of such a tribute.”

If you want to join the other 8,500 people that will be following the Airlie Birds week in-week out next season, get in quick to get your season pass right now.

If you buy a pass before the end of the month, you can still make the most of the final discount period.


Watch out Rovers - this season is PAYBACK.

[Chris (Newcastle)]

Hull's Squad 2010-11:

Welcome to internationals Sean Long, CraigFitzgibbon and enforcer prop Mark O' Meley. (not bad recruits? )....



I'm predicting big things of the Yeaman - Briscoe 3/4 combination - that's a lot lot of horse-power outside of Long / Horne at 1/2's.

We're also playing in a kit similar to the 1991 Premiership Winning Team.

[Chris (Newcastle)]

Mark O' Meley Canterbury Bulldogs, New South Wales and Australia:

[Chris (Newcastle)]

Craig Fitzgibbon (Sydney Roosters New South Wales and Australia)



NRL Career highlights
Played in the 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 & 2004 Grand Finals (scored 3 tries & kicked 9 goals for 30 points)
Won the Clive Churchill Medal in the 2002 Grand Final
Played 8 games for New South Wales 2003-2005 (scored one try & kicked 16 goals for 36 points)
Played 15 games for Australia 2002-2005 (scored 3 tries & kicked 39 goals for 90 points)
Played 4 games for Country vs. City 2002, 2004, 2005 & 2006
Craig Fitzgibbon is the highest point scoring forward (1560 points)
Has played 239 first grade games (scored 39 tries & kicked 700 goals for 1560 Points)
Has kicked over 600 goals for the Sydney Roosters

[Dazzar86]

Rugby League 3 is coming out for the Wii in March. apparently the KC Stadium and Craven Park will be on it.

[Chris (Newcastle)]

Originally Posted by Dazzar86

Rugby League 3 is coming out for the Wii in March. apparently the KC Stadium and Craven Park will be on it.

On the Wii? Sounds good. I had the original version on PC but it wasn't that great to play.

[Chris (Newcastle)]

Here's a pic of the old Boulevard with the KC in the distance. I actually played on the hallowed turf (7 a side schools at halftime in 1981)

[Chris (Newcastle)]

[Chris (Newcastle)]

St Helens 12 Hull FC 32

[Chris (Newcastle)]

Let's see what you've got Rovers...

[legolamb]

Good result. Might be worth a tenner punt for the title.

[Pippin0490]

Didn't you also start last season well?

we all know how that finished.

Seriously though, well played.

[Kingston Upon Hull]

HULL FC 14 V 6 Huddersfield Giants


Hull FC fought hard to make it two wins from their opening two games as they continued their bright start to Super League XV with a positive 14-6 victory against Huddersfield Giants in front of a packed KC Stadium.

Over 14,500 fans turned out to watch the Black and Whites’ workmanlike victory as they set about the giant challenge at hand, opening the scoring on just 7 minutes when the impressive Danny Tickle forced his way over the line to touch down, converting the try himself.

Craig Hall then doubled their advantage as he dived in at the right hand corner after being put clear by Richard Whiting, following a decisive opening run and offload from the imperious Epalahame Lauaki, who was taking his first touches of the ball after just arriving on the field seconds before.

2009 Challenge Cup Finalists Huddersfield did pull one back in a scrappy second half, not helped by some silly errors from both sides, as the tireless Scott Grix went over, but the game was put to bed mid way through the second period when Tickle added to his tally for the evening with a comfortable penalty.

It’s two wins from two for Hull as they continue their impressive start to the season following their opening day victory against St.Helens.

Next up they face Crusaders at Wrexham, after the Welsh side registered their first victory of the competition with an easy win over Salford.

The Match

Hull FC Head Coach Richard Agar named an unchanged line-up for the visit of Huddersfield Giants, following last weekend’s emphatic victory over St.Helens.

Once again, much was expected of new boys Sean Long and Craig Fitzgibbon and as it turned out they didn’t disappoint, the latter going on to collect the Man of the Match award, something he could have quite easily achieved six days earlier on the trip to Lancashire.

As for Huddersfield, the big news ahead of the clash was the exclusion of star man and 2009 Man of Steel, Brett Hodgson, who had a troublesome back injury so didn’t feature, while not long into the match, influential hooker Shaun Lunt suffered a nasty injury and was forced to miss the rest of the game with what looked like a broken wrist.

With two of their more important, creative players missing from their side it was always going to be difficult for the Giants, made worse by a powerful start from Hull’s dominant pack who were clearly buoyed following an exciting build-up to the game as they took to the field in front of a vocal home support.

The Black and Whites continued to peg back the Giants onto their own 22metre line with back to back, three man tackles as Hull took control against one of the more imperious packs in the game.

On 7 minutes, that pressure paid off, as Willie Manu almost broke clear with a trademark, winding run, before the resulting move opened up Huddersfield’s left side with Hull overloading the bodies down the right channel, giving Tickle an inviting opening to blast his way over the top of Lee Gilmour to find the try line.

A bright start from the Airlie Birds, putting them 6 points up when Tickle converted his own try.

Hull maintained the pressure on the Giants who couldn’t really offer anything going forward against a rigorous Black and Whites side, who almost added to their lead on 13 minutes, when the aggressive Mark O’Meley charged down a kick and watched the ball fall into the hands of the on-running Richard Horne who didn’t quite have the legs to complete a 40 metre sprint to the try line.

A decent travelling support from West Yorkshire had to wait until mid way through the first half before any significant attack from the Giants.

Lively half-back Kevin Brown was given too much space in the 6th phase as he dropped an almost pin point kick on three flying Huddersfield wingers down the right wing, but Jamahl Lolesi couldn’t ground the ball in the corner.

However, the promising signs of that attack were short lived as Hull replied in the best possible fashion with the next play, extending their lead to 12 points on 26 minutes.

With the ball back in the Giants half, Tongan hit man Epalahame Lauaki, with his first touch of the ball after coming on for his first spell of the match, drew two men and offloaded to centre Richard Whiting who instinctively set Craig Hall up with a sniff of the try line and with just one man in the way of him and the whitewash 20 minutes beyond, there was only going to be one winner as the pacey Hall flew in at the corner.

Danny Tickle kicked is second goal of the game, perfectly executed from the touch line, to put Hull 12-0 in front.

As the half-time interval got ever closer, Hull never looked like giving up their lead. The Giants continued to push, but the likes of Eorl Crabtree failed to have any of the impact we have come to expect from the talented, 6ft 7in forward, with Hull’s sliding defence superbly filling any cracks that may have appeared from time to time.

Even when Huddersfield did manage to break the line, as Robinson did just moments before half-time, they failed to capitalise as the scrum-half selfishly opted to try and cut back inside and was held by Jordan Tansey, despite having three men free over his left shoulder, summing up the Giants evening.

The Hull pack were on top, Fitzgibbon performing head and shoulders above anyone else around him, Sean Long was running the show once again and Jordan Tansey continued to impress with an assured performance in the No.1 jersey.

Half-Time- 12-0

In truth, the second half probably didn’t live up to the lively promise that the first 40 may have suggested was to come, not helped by some stop start play and silly penalties from both sides, as French referee Thierry Alibert became the centre of attention.

However, it was to be Huddersfield that struck first, giving Hull a wakeup call and themselves a chance in the match.

A rather dubious penalty created the opportunity for the Giants, as they made the set of six count with Scott Grix, one of their best players on the night, holding off three desperate Hull defenders to plant the ball down on the try line.

With young Leroy Cudjoe converting, standing in at full-back in place of the injured Hodgson, it halved the arrears to 12-6.

From there, neither side could really take control in a scrappy second half.

Tickle furthered Hull’s advantage on 65 minutes with a bread and butter penalty after the latest bout of interference at the play of the ball, something that riddled the game, and the Black and Whites remained in control.

Even when Hull winger Tom Briscoe dropped the ball just five metres from his own try line, the Giants didn’t have the wherewithal to take advantage and even when they had looked to break away when David Hodgson raced over 60 metres to touch down in the corner, French referee Thierry Alibert then made a belated, but correct decision, to haul the play back 80 metres because of a knock on earlier in the move, rather to the bemusement of a number of the players.

It wasn’t just The Giants pressing for a score the as the game wore on and became stretched. The always dangerous Craig Hall almost latched on to a Richard Horne kick which forced the first of three successive Giants drop-outs as Hull piled on the pressure and the tide turned back in their favour.

The impressive Fitzgibbon almost managed to run round on his own grubber kick and Long looked committed in his attempts to unlock the Huddersfield line, but it wasn’t to be, despite unleashing Briscoe in down the left after throwing a superb dummy to beat three men, only for the young England winger to just miss out on a try.

There was to be no more scores for either side as Hull remained in charge and a jubilant Old Faithful counted down the final few seconds as their side wrapped up another impressive victory.

Two wins from two difficult opening fixtures to the new season for the Black and Whites has seen their odds for success dramatically slashed, but following such a positive to start to last year’s campaign, Hull coach Richard Agar will be urging his side to remain focused and knows there is still plenty of work to be done.

But credit to Hull for another commanding and controlled display as they executed their game plan perfectly and once again picked up a valuable two points.

Hull: Tansey, Hall, Whiting, Yeaman, T. Briscoe, Horne, Long, O’Meley, Berrigan, Radford, Tickle, Manu, Fitzgibbon.

Replacements: Dowes, Cusack, Lauaki, Houghton.

Tries: Tickle , Hall
Goals: Tickle (3)

Huddersfield: Cudjoe, Lolesi, Lawrence, Whaturia, D. Hodgson, Brown, Robinson, Raleigh, Lunt, D. Griffin, Gilmour, Horne, Faiumu.
Replacements: Crabtree, Fa’alogo, Grix, Patrick.

Tries: Grix
Goals: Cudjoe

Referee: T Alibert (Toulouse)
Attendance: 14,520

[Kingston Upon Hull]

Crusaders 18 V 16 HULL FC


Hull FC suffered their first defeat of Super League XV as Wrexham-based Crusaders beat the Black and Whites 18-16 at the Racecourse Ground.


The Crusaders had taken the lead through former Gateshead full-back Nick Youngquest, but Hull equalised through Lee Radford and took the lead minutes later through Tom Briscoe before the Crusaders levelled the scores through star man Michael Witt.

Kirk Yeaman’s try midway through the second half gave Hull a four point advantage, but Craig Fitzgibbon’s missed conversion proved crucial as Youngquest scored his second and, with Witt converting, the home fans celebrated their first home win of the season.

Match

The match was in doubt early on Sunday due to four inches of snowfall in North Wales, but after excellent work from ground staff and volunteers at the Racecourse Ground the game went ahead following a 10am pitch inspection.

Richard Agar made two changes to his team, with Mike Burnett replacing Danny Tickle and Danny Washbrook coming into the halves in place of Sean Long.

Crusaders coach Brian Noble included three former Hull players Tommy Lee, Jamie Thackray and Gareth Raynor, who had all joined the club in pre-season, as well as another ex-player in Peter Lupton.

Hull began with Jordan Tansey operating in the halves in attack to provide support to Washbrook and Richard Horne, with Tansey taking responsibility at dummy half and in the kicking game.

Michael Witt began the game in the same form he has shown since joining the Crusaders this season, and early on the scrum-half looked to be the key man for the Welsh side.

Mike Burnett came close for Hull after some good play from Danny Washbrook, but the second-rower was halted two metres from the line by a Crusaders defence who tackled enthusiastically all afternoon.

And it was the Crusaders who took the lead less than a quarter of an hour into the match, as ex-Hull player Lee placed a high kick to the right corner, and Nick Youngquest, signed from Gateshead Thunder in the off-season, rose highest to catch and score in the corner. Witt’s conversion gave Crusaders a 6-0 lead.

The Airlie Birds, buoyed by a following of over 1000 Hull fans, hit back immediately through a move finished by Lee Radford under the sticks. Mark O’
Meley’s charge at the line and subsequent offload to Radford came just minutes after Youngquest’s try, and Craig Fitzgibbon’s easy conversion levelled the scores.

Hull then took the lead within two minutes of Radford’s try, when Shaun Berrigan’s outside pass to Danny Washbrook presented the stand-off with three men out wide.
Washbrook threw a cut-out pass past Kirk Yeaman into the hands of Willie Manu, who only just collected the ball before slipping a short pass to Tom Briscoe, who scored in the corner.

Fitzgibbon, taking over the kicking duties from the absent Danny Tickle, slotted over an excellent touchline conversion to give Hull a six-point lead.

The Crusaders, led by the creativity of Witt, stepped up their game and forced a repeat set following a Hull knock on close to their own line. The Black and Whites kept out the home side in the first set, but the territorial advantage told and Witt darted in to the right of the posts to score a try that he duly converted to again level the scores.

Witt’s attempt at a drop-goal on the stroke of half time may have missed, but the Crusaders went in to the break the happier of the two sides, with Hull lacking organisation and a spark in the final third of the pitch.

Hull began the second half hoping to find the X factor that had eluded them in the first half, and a Richard Horne dab to the line was collected by impressive full-back Eliot Kear, but the youngster failed to escape the in-goal area and conceded a drop out.

The two sides battled during the early stages of the second period, but it wasn’t until the hour mark when either side added to the score. Craig Fitzgibbon raced to dictate the play at dummy half ten metres out in front of the sticks, and his pass to Tansey allowed the former Leeds full-back to slide an angled kick through the Crusaders line to the on-running Yeaman, who dived onto the ball to reclaim the lead for Hull.

However, Fitzgibbon crucially hit the post with his conversion, meaning that Hull missed out on a potential six-point lead. This was to prove crucial ten minutes later, as Youngquest again claimed a high kick in the corner, this time from star man Witt, to score his second try. Witt’s conversion set the Crusaders on their way to their first home win in Wrexham, and their first consecutive victory since joining Super League in 2009.

Hull pressed in the remaining ten minutes, with Craig Hall collecting Tansey’s kick to the corner only to be forced out of the field by ex-team-mate Gareth Raynor, but Hull’s lack of creativity was punished as an organised and fervent Crusaders side celebrated an important victory.

Crusaders: Kear; Youngquest, Dyer, Mellars, Raynor; Lee, Witt; O’Hara, Withers, Bryant; Hauraki, Chan; Trimarchi. Subs: Lupton, Peek, Winterstein, Thackray
Tries: Youngquest 2, Witt.
Goals: Witt 3/3
Hull FC: Tansey; Hall, Whiting, Yeaman, Briscoe; Washbrook, Horne; O’Meley, Berrigan, Radford; Burnett, Manu; Fitzgibbon. Subs: Cusack, Houghton, Lauaki, Dowes
Tries: Radford, Briscoe, Yeaman
Goals: Fitzgibbon 2/3
Referee: Ian Smith (Oldham)
Attendance: 6794

[Chris (Newcastle)]

Originally Posted by Chris (Newcastle)

Craig Fitzgibbon (Sydney Roosters New South Wales and Australia)



NRL Career highlights
Played in the 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 & 2004 Grand Finals (scored 3 tries & kicked 9 goals for 30 points)
Won the Clive Churchill Medal in the 2002 Grand Final
Played 8 games for New South Wales 2003-2005 (scored one try & kicked 16 goals for 36 points)
Played 15 games for Australia 2002-2005 (scored 3 tries & kicked 39 goals for 90 points)
Played 4 games for Country vs. City 2002, 2004, 2005 & 2006
Craig Fitzgibbon is the highest point scoring forward (1560 points)
Has played 239 first grade games (scored 39 tries & kicked 700 goals for 1560 Points)
Has kicked over 600 goals for the Sydney Roosters

From Hull Daily Mail:

HULL FC: Fitzgibbon's form proves age is just a number
Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 14:00

RICHARD Agar says Craig Fitzgibbon's superb start to life at Hull FC is proof that age is just a number.

Having seen the 32-year-old scoop Super League's player of the month award, the Hull coach says his impact has been inspirational.

A key figure behind Hull's great start to the season, Agar has also hailed the loose-forward for his all-round influence.

"Craig has been in super form over the opening rounds of the season and his influence on the club has made a huge impact, not only on the field but off it too.

"I'm sure Craig wont mind me saying this, but when there are articles or stories about Craig, they often mention his age.

"It seems to be a prevalent theme and an issue which crops up long before they mention his form and fitness.

"Take a good look around Super League and you will find a very sizeable chunk of very top performers being the so-called wrong side of 30.

"In rugby league, I think the question should be how is someone's form and fitness, not their age.

"That's because players are training smarter, looking after their bodies better and becoming much wiser for all their experience.

"Their value and contributions should not be underestimated."

[Chris (Newcastle)]

Engage Super League League Table

Team P W D L F A Pts

Wigan 5 4 0 1 170 54 8

Warrington 5 4 0 1 166 60 8

Hull 5 4 0 1 132 62 8

Huddersfield 5 3 0 2 122 40 6

Leeds 5 3 0 2 146 72 6

St Helens 5 3 0 2 138 94 6

Bradford 5 3 0 2 88 104 6

Hull K R 5 3 0 2 88 118 6

Wakefield 5 3 0 2 90 122 6

Crusaders RL 5 2 0 3 78 150 4

Castleford 5 1 0 4 104 145 2

Catalans Dragons 5 1 0 4 60 156 2

Harlequins RL 5 1 0 4 34 170 2

Salford 5 0 0 5 50 119 0


Keep it going lads!

[Kingston Upon Hull]

Nice report this

http://www.skysports.com/video/inlin...067205,00.html

[legolamb]

sounds like a corker!

Hull 27 St Helens 26
Boyhood St Helens fan Danny Tickle kicked a 78th-minute drop goal as Hull produced one of the most stunning comebacks the Super League has seen as they rocked the Saints with four answered tries in a breathtaking second-half at the KC Stadium.

By Telegraph staff and agencies
Published: 10:01PM BST 04 Jun 2010
Francis Meli's maiden four-try haul in the English game had given Mick Potter's side what had looked to be an unassailable 26-6 lead with little over 30 minutes remaining, only for the home side to respond with an unstoppable barrage that resulted in them registering three successive wins for the first time this season.
With both sides scoring five tries and missing two goals, the scores were locked at 26-26 when Tickle split the posts from 30 metres out to send the majority of the 13,300 crowd into a frenzy.

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The result leaves Saints coach Potter with plenty of questions to answer as his side, missing England star Kyle Eastmond for the first time this season, badly lost their way in the second-half.
That will not bother opposite number Richard Agar too much, though, as his men moved to within two points of the Saints as they consolidated their fourth place.
Hull started well and it was of little surprise when they opened the scoring after 10 minutes.
Tom Briscoe had already been dumped into touch by Jonny Lomax as he looked set to score when the try came, with Briscoe showing admirable strength to drive his way over after Willie Manu's superb offload.
St Helens' rode the early storm though, and levelled things up five minutes later as Meli, back after a three-game absence, leapt above Richard Whiting to take in Scott Moore's kick.
James Roby would have added another try moments later had his snaking run not ended with him colliding with a post, before Meli took in another ball from Moore, this time a pass, to give his side a 20th-minute lead.
Hull had no answer to the momentum Saints had built up, and veteran hooker Keiron Cunningham took full advantage of their increasing vulnerability as he bounced over the line following a 15-metre run.
Hull managed to tame their visitors for a time after that, but Saints rediscovered their rhythm two minutes before the half-time hooter as Meli took advantage of a six-on-one overlap to net his third Super League hat-trick.
His first four-try salvo came shortly after the restart as he made light work of Jordan Tansey and Danny Washbrook's attempted tackles, before Jordan Turner gave Hull hope of a comeback when he stepped his way in with 32 minutes left.
With England hooker Roby leaving the field after a heavy collision, Hull turned hope into a reality as Danny Houghton pounced on a loose ball after Long's kick to slip in under the posts and bring his side back to within eight points.
It was now the Saints' turn to be rattled and Willie Manu brought Hull even closer to them with a close-range bump over the line following Houghton's pass - although Tickle was unable to convert on this occasion.
Tickle quickly redeemed himself, though, as he pounced on another Meli handling error from another long kick to score in the corner, with another failed conversion tying the scores at 26-all.
Ex-Saints playmaker Long saw a drop goal attempt fall agonisingly short, before Tickle found the mark.