Round 1
St Helens 12 l. Hull FC 32

2010 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Long makes immediate impact against former club
Sun February 7, 2010
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Sean Long grabbed a debut try to inspire Hull FC to a stunning victory on his quicker-than-expected return to the GPW Recruitment Stadium.

Fog forced the kick-off to be delayed 15 minutes with the mist hovering over the ground throughout the contest.

All the focus was on Hull's new skipper Long, the former Great Britain scrum-half, who made an emotional return to the club he left in the close-season after 13 years - and how he enjoyed the occasion.

The 33-year-old turned down a 12-month contract at Saints to sign a two-year deal with Hull, who also handed Australians Mark O'Meley and Craig Fitzgibbon their debuts in the starting line-up.

Saints left out Jordan Turner, signed from Salford City Reds, with Kiwi Sia Soliola making his bow after his arrival from Sydney Roosters.

Nick Fozzard and Scott Moore were also back for Saints after returning from Hull Kingston Rovers and Huddersfield Giants.

Hull came close to snatching a 12th-minute lead when Jordan Tansey just failed to gather Richard Horne's kick which bobbed over the line.

Saints suffered a blow when they lost Ade Gardner two minutes later with a rib injury and James Roby, a regular sub last season, made a sooner-than-expected appearance.

Long made his mark after 26 minutes when Willie Manu powered through Paul Wellens' tackle from his skipper's pass and Danny Tickle booted the goal.

Soliola hobbled off with an ankle injury after 36 minutes and worse followed for Saints when sub Epalahame Lauaki forced his way past Leon Pryce, with Tickle's conversion making it 12-0 at half-time.

Hull looked more dangerous before the break with the pack responding to Long's promptings.

Saints, with Francis Meli still Down Under, had major three-quarter problems with Roby forced to play on the right wing.

Tickle's penalty, when Ewan Dowes was held down, stretched the lead to 14-0.

Long's moment of glory came after Tickle, Tansey and Horne combined for their new recruit to sweep over for a sizzling try.

Tickle converted to make it 20-0 with Lauaki's marauding runs causing continual problems for Saints.

Tom Briscoe's breakaway try extended the lead with Fitzgibbon tagging on the conversion.

The impressive Tansey was sin-binned before video referee Steve Ganson awarded Matt Gidley a consolation try for Saints with Kyle Eastmond adding the touchline goal.

Chris Flannery bagged a second Saints try 10 minutes from time but Hull had the final say with Kirk Yeaman latching onto Long's kick.


Airlie News: Hull FC v St Helens
Sat February 6, 2010
Source: www.hullfc.com

After months of anticipation, the wait is almost over for the an expectant Old Faithful, as a new look Hull FC side make the first step into Super League XV.

Following an exciting off-season, that has seen a new club record smashed for season pass sold, now over 9,000 putting them up there with Wigan and Leeds, the opening game against St.Helens couldn't come soon enough for the fans, while it's fair to say the players themselves are itching to get going.

New boy Craig Fitzgibbon, a man who's reputation proceeds him with five NRL Grand Final's to his name and the highest points scoring forward in NRL history, is one player desperate to show his pedigree while according to a few of his team mates, fellow Australian debutant Mark O'Meley is certainly hungry for a game after getting a little frustrated at not being able to put the big hits in on the training field!

Nevertheless, the spotlight will only be on one man this weekend and that is the charismatic Sean Long.

One of the games most decorated players begins the next chapter of his illustrious career when he runs out at GPW Recruitment Stadium on Saturday, the place where he spent over 12 extremely successful years.

Clearly, there was little thinking to be done by the SKY programmers when it came to the opening fixture of the new season for both sides, but for Hull coach Richard Agar, it is a good start for both teams.

"It is a terrific yardstick for us and I am sure they will see it the same way," said Agar.

"There will be some areas we know will get better over a few weeks, but in terms of preparation for this game we think we will be alright and we have enough experience to handle this game properly.

"Some have suggested it is a good time to play them and I don't necessarily agree, they can use that as a bit of motivation and they will be keen to show they are still one of the best teams in the league and one of the sides to be reckoned with."

He added, "We have trained well, practiced well and we feel we are in a good position. The players, the club and the fans have managed to create a bit of momentum for ourselves and we want to get on the back of that and go in all guns blazing."

For Sean Long himself it will be quite an occasion and a pretty immense home coming after swapping red and white for black and white, but the former three times Lance Todd Trophy winner, is focused on treating it just like any other game.

He said, "It will be weird heading out there in Black and White, I know all the boys and things, but I am paid to do a job and that's what I will be doing, there will be quite a lot of emotions flying around, but I will be going out there and playing my normal game.

"It's going to be a tough game, not many teams go to Knowsley Road and win, so it will be a good game for us, we are all a bit rusty as it is first game of season so it is a good time for us to play them and it should be a good game," said Long, who has admitted he has been a little overwhelmed by life at his new club.

Following his arrival at the KC Stadium towards the end of 2009, he has been nothing short of impressed with his new team mates, coach Richard Agar, the club itself and more than anything the passion of the fans.

"I didn't really expect the passion of the fans, I knew they were good, but they are unreal; 16,000 fans at a friendly, all be it not that friendly, is just amazing!

He added, "Once I spoke to Hull and signed I kind of had to get my head around the fact I was coming to such a great rugby club, in fact, I had to hold my feelings back a bit because I was still playing at Saints obviously, but was really excited about the opportunity.

"I have really got on with the boys since I got here, in fact, after a week I felt like I was really at home and we seem to have a bit of momentum, in the city and at the club and we need to get on with it on the pitch now.

Away from the romantics of the occasion and a perfect storyline for the press this week, the other headlines have been dominated by one or two selection dilemmas for coach Agar.

Hull FC's head coach has some tough decisions to make ahead of the match, probably for the first time in his one and a half year spell at the KC Stadium.

After two horrendous seasons, that culminated in the Airlie Birds missing over 13 first-team players at one point last season, Agar now has to pick from a group of fit players, all buzzing with enthusiasm and all with a reasonable case to claim a place in the side after a productive pre-season.

Mark Calderwood is the only absentee after slight knock, but Aussie international hooker Shaun Berrigan does make a timely return from a long-term shoulder injury.

With just about a full-strength squad to chose from, with right-centre and right-wing looking like the most hotly contested positions with Richard Whiting, Craig Hall and Jordan Turner all vying for a place in the side after good runs in the warm-up matches, it's a pretty difficult to call for Agar.

But whoever he opts for, the head coach knows he has the men to do the job.

"We are looking forward not back and we will have some real headaches this week," said Agar.

"But if we are honest, the real test comes over the season, all the players will get some game time at some point, so don't you worry about that, that is what happens and they will get an opportunity."

Agar continued, "At the same time, there will be some disappointed players this weekend and likewise there will some hefty responsibility for the boys who are selected to make sure they keep their shirt, but this is a really united bunch, they understand how important it is for them all to pull together, because everybody's chance will come."

Despite such strong competition for places in his fully fit squad, with a number of in-form players pushing for starts, Agar has openly admitted that Saints are still the favourites going into the tie.

Recent seasons have highlighted St.Helens stranglehold over Hull, with only a handful of victories for the Black and Whites at Knowsley Road in the last 20 years. Couple that with defeats in the 2006 Grand Final and the 2008 Challenge Cup Final, they have not been the best of opponents for Hull FC in recent times.

However, it hasn't been all one-way traffic, with one or two classic Hull victories living long in the memory for most people.

Immediately the Challenge Cup Semi-Final of 2005, the year Hull marched on to lift the trophy, comes to mind. It was one of the greatest cup performances from the Black and Whites of all time, dispatching Saints 34-8 at the Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield.

A year later there was another great tussle between the sides, when Hull picked up a rare away win over their opponents at Knowsley Road, edging a thriller by a point in a game that finished 26-27.

Granted, the World Club Challenge has once again prompted an early start to the season, but for many people, this is when things really gets underway and there aren't many games bigger than Saints v Hull FC.

Squads

Hull FC Squad: Berrigan, T Briscoe, Cusack, Dowes, Fitzgibbon, Hall, Horne, Houghton, Lauaki, Long, Manu, O'Meley, Radford, Tansey, Tickle, Turner, Washbrook, Whiting, Yeaman.

St.Helens Squad: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Soliola, Pryce, Eastmond, Fozzard, Cunningham, Graham, Puletua, Wilkin, Flannery, Roby, Hargreaves, Moore, Clough, Wheeler, Fa'asavalu, Lomax.

Previous Match
St.Helens 38-18 Halifax - GPW Recruitment Stadium, Fri 22nd Jan
Sheffield 18-46 Hull FC - Don Valley Stadium, Sun 24th Jan

Last Meeting
Hull FC 6-30 St.Helens - KC Stadium, Jun 5th 2009

Head 2 Head
Home: played 13, won 6, drawn 0, lost 7, for 288, against 278
Away: played 13, won 1, drawn 0, lost 11, for 248, against 471
Total: played 26, won 7, drawn 0, lost 19, for 536, against 749

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