Head Coach Tony Smith is excited for his first competitive match in the Hull FC hot seat as they prepare to welcome Castleford Tigers to the MKM Stadium this Sunday.
Having overseen pre-season wins against Sheffield Eagles and Wakefield Trinity, the Australian coach will now get to see his players in competitive action for the first time when the Tigers come to town in Round One.
Smith, who boasts a wealth of coaching knowledge and experience, told the media in his press conference how grateful he is for the opportunity to lead the team.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to coach this club and I have massively enjoyed my time here so far,” he said.
“I’m excited for the season starting this weekend. We’ve worked really hard up to this point. I like this group. I like them a lot and they’ve worked really hard.
“As I keep telling the players, I still don’t feel that we will reach our peak for some time. We’ve only played two friendlies and we’re hopefully going to improve each week – that’s our ambition.
“In the two games I have taken charge of, that has happened. So I’m looking forward to seeing how that continues.”
Sunday’s meeting with Castleford will be no mean feat for Hull, though, given that the Tigers have claimed victory in their last three meetings with the Black & Whites.
However, Smith will be more than satisfied if his players apply themselves in the right manner.
“When you give it everything each week, I can’t ask for much more than that. And that’s what we’ll be setting out to do each week,” he said.
“We’ll be giving it everything in the way we prepare for a game and how we play each week.”
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