Danny Houghton is fully focused on the mental components of Hull FC this season. The Black and Whites may have a new coach and a new way of playing, but it's the desire and drive that the team is prioritising this year.
For new boss Tony Smith, those components are huge. They are the basic fundamentals of rugby league, and whilst there's a lot of anticipation to see how Hull FC are going to play under their new head coach, getting that desire to stand up tall and dig in for their mates is the biggest thing.
To get that, Hull need a buy-in from everyone and this year they've got it. For Houghton, who is entering his 17th season as a professional at his hometown club, it's been exactly the jumpstart the squad needed.
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"It's been a breath of fresh air," Houghton told Hull Live. "Tony's brought a different way and a different look on things that some of us haven't been through before, but everyone has taken to it really well. It's something the club has needed, really - everything is positive and everyone is mucking in and having a good crack so it's been great.
"Tony has different ways to go about the game - defensive methods on how to defend and the expansive side in attack, but also keeping within a structure and backing our skill. He trusts us and puts things in place to make sure that we trust each other so that we can come up with the right answers.
"The main thing that he has brought is a real positive feel around the place. He wants everyone to express themselves, go out there, and remember why we play - we play because we love the game and he wants to get that smile back on everyone's face and enjoy doing all that stuff, but also the hard graft that gets you a result."
Wherever Tony Smith has gone, a perception has followed. Words like fancy and expansive come to mind. People assume that it's an all-or-nothing attack with not much regard for defence, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
For Houghton, it's all welcome. A former Man of Steel and with over 400 games for Hull under this belt, the hooker knows exactly what a strong defence can do for team spirit and desire.
"Tony's sole focus is defence and defending well," Houghton explained. "His motto is if your defence is as good as it should be, then you can be a little more expansive. But also without taking it out of context, just throwing the ball about and slinging it out of your backside for the sake of doing so, that's not what he's about either.
"There's a real balance in there but he's all about expressing yourself and enjoying playing rugby league, but also having that steel and that want to defend for each other. That's what he's brought to the table and that's the sole focus of any successful business really - having that togetherness and that want to perform for each other and work as hard as you can for the mate next to you. I know going back five and six years ago when we were successful and we had those good years, that was our main focus.
"We had a family feel around the place. The club was tight as one. That's what we need to get back and that's what Tony is striving for. He's putting those things into place now - we've already done a few events with all the family involved and getting that atmosphere back. That not only sits well for now but also for the future."
That family feel was in abundance for the Challenge Cup winning years in 2016 and 2017. There was a genuine togetherness with everyone pulling in the same direction.
It was there to see at club events, at training and most importantly on the field come game day. It's something Hull lost in the years to follow with Houghton putting his own lid on it.
"Personnel is a big one," Houghton revealed. "We lost some big personnel in big Frank (Pritchard) who drove a lot of the overseas boys into buying into it all. He was a big loss. Fetuli (Talanoa) was the same.
"We lost the older heads in Kirk (Yeaman) and then with Gaz (Ellis) retiring. That seniority we sort of lost, but that drive as well from within the club went. It only takes a couple of people to drift away and things not to be put in place to keep that going for it all to fall away and for people not to carry it through anymore. It becomes false if that makes sense, a fake buzz and atmosphere rather than people wanting to be there and wanting to do it.
"I think that's the main thing really, losing big personnel that were a big part in that culture and bringing family together, but also the drive from within, but that has come back with Tony having a big emphasis on it."
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That drive is the number one thing for Hull FC this season. Get that, then there's the sense that performances and results will come. For the supporters, it's the number one thing to tick off.
"If you can walk off the field and know you've given it everything and everyone can look each other in the eye, then you can't be disappointed," Houghton added. "We know we're not going to win every single game, we're going to lose some games, but for the fans, that's a none negotiable really isn't it that everyone gives their all and they are 100% committed to the task in hand.
"That's another thing that Tony is really driving for. He's been there and done it. He understands that everything doesn't go great every single game and sometimes you lose but the more times you put the effort in the more times you will get over the line.
"We have crumbled in the past under adversity and when things have got tough, the scoreline suggests that we're not putting that effort in and digging in for each other, but now with the drive that we've got, and there's going to be times when we don't perform, however, it won't be through a lack of effort and lack of trying.
"As a professional sports player that's all you can ask for; that we give our all every game. If that happens we won't go too far wrong."
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