Just seeing whether fans of other clubs were aware of the changes going on at Hull since Adam Pearson bought the club, and how they think we'll do in 2012 and beyond?

The changes so far for 2012:

Players:
IN :- Brett Seymour (NZW), Aaron Heremaia (NZW), Jamie Ellis (Leigh), Eamon O'Carroll (Wigan), Tony Martin (Crusaders), Wade McKinnon (Wests) & Andy Lynch (Bradford).
OUT:- Lee Radford, Ewan Dowes, Danny Washbrook, Cameron Phelps, Martin Gleeson, Mike Burnett, Sean Long, Craig Fitzgibbon & Hame Lauaki.

Board Level:
CEO James Rule gone. New Director of Rugby appointed in Shaun McRae.

Coaching:
New Head Coach Peter Gentle, Richard Agar gone.
New assistant coaches Andy Hay & Lee Radford appointed, James Webster gone.

Youth & Training:
Moving to a new training facility within the city boundaries.
Youth structures to have a complete overhaul & more investment (particularly since losing Luke Briscoe to Leeds).

Season Tickets have also seen a slight reduction in price.


As a lifelong Hull fan, I've never witnessed changes like this in such a short space of time. Pearson has highlighted that the old regime ran things on an extremely tight budget, and some areas of the club have suffered from little or no investment, which he is trying to recify. We've not even been operating at full cap!

I think next year Hull will be competing with Wigan, Warrington, Leeds, Saints, Catalans and Huddersfield for the major trophies.

I also think that with the momentum building Hulls crowds will increase too.

The ins are not particularly amazing for me. I don't see any obvious improvement in fortunes there. The signings of O'Carroll and Martin in particular are absolutely bizarre.

On what basis?! All I can see are very poor signings and the loss of some decent players. I'd be very concerned if I were a Hull FC fan. Tough job for Gentle.

Just my opinion but Seymour, Heremaia, Ellis, McKinnon and Lynch are really good signings for me. Also the change of coach will help.

Don't think Radford, Long, Washbrook, Dowes, Gleeson, Burnett or Phelps will be missed at all.

Which decent players have we lost? Fitzgibbon I'll give you.

Other than Fitz, I don't see any of the other players that are leaving as a 'loss' really.

Long, who played just a handful of games this year, will be replaced by a fit and younger Seymour. We also have Ellis as backup.

Gleeson played just a few games too, Martin has been signed for just one year, so i'd expect a decent centre for 2013, or the emergence of Turner.

Washbrook, Dowes, Radford & Lauaki have been poor for the past two years.

Fitz's role as a leader and tackle machine will be taken by Andy Lynch.

Signing Aaron Heremaia will means Danny Houghton doesn't have to do the full 80mins each week. He provides a decent kicking game too, which we seriously lack.

Wade McKinnon is better than Cameron Phelps.

I think we're a forward too light as it stands, although we do have 3/4 in the U20's who could potentially make the step up.

Weighing up the ins/outs, I'd say it was an improvement.

Far too many changes to make in one go, it will take some time for everyone to settle dow, by which time there will be a large 'Gentles out' thread on the RLFANS Hull Site.

Gentle's nickname in Australia was "The Coneman"

(Taps side of nose and winks)

Apart from Long and Gleeson who WERE decent players,but did nowt for us,I agree with the poster who says our biggest loss is Fitz.

You will have to enlighten me,as that has gone completely over my head.

Underwhelming signings but getting rid of Agar must surely improve you!