Hull FC should have “the fear of God” in them after defeat to Salford says Tony Smith

Tony Smith was not impressed by his side’s defence as they lost to Salford Red Devils 60-14 this afternoon to the surprise of many.

He said that their “soft” defence was putting them in a bad place physically and mentally.

Speaking after the game on the OurLeague app, he said:

“We had a good start but we just got loose on the edges and made some poor decisions and we got softer and softer with our tackling and it’s hurting us, it’s hurting us to chase down field and made 80 metre saving tackles and then they spread the ball and you leak points and it takes away from your physical capabilities but also your mental capabilities, it is putting us in a bad place.

“It’s not until later in the game that we’re competing and throwing something back. When you defend like that you get very little of the ball and it becomes a snowball, we have to stop that snowball instead of having to push it back up the hill.”

He also said he hoped that the prospect of facing a hurting St Helens side will put the “fear of God” in his side to get them to put their bodies on the line:

“We have a bit of work to do. If that doesn’t put the fear of God in us, nothing would. They have had a couple of defeats themselves so the machine isn’t running as hot as the machine can run but we’re way way below that. I am not comparing us to them at all but hopefully the scope of the game puts fear in us and we put our nose to the grindstone and we put our bodies on the line for one another.

“That wasn’t the case throughout all that game but once the scoreboard goes on you you start pushing things. It was disappointing.

“We need a hard look at ourselves and we will.”