Houghton wants fresh start for Hull FC in 2016

Danny Houghton says Hull FC are excited to get the new season underway, in the hope to quickly put 2015 behind them.

The 27 year-old is entering his tenth year in the Airlie Birds’ first team since his debut in 2007, but has yet to experience success in terms of trophies with the club.

The Hull born hooker, who has over 200 appearances for his hometown club, says that the whole squad is excited for the new season and their want to improve on 2015’s mediocre finish.

“We do all the hard work in the off-season and the reward is to get big, strong and fast for this time of year. Everyone is looking forward to getting stuck into their first game,” Houghton told the Hull Daily Mail. 

“It’s a clean slate, we can brush aside what happened last year and set new goals and look to where we want to be. Last season is last season, this year we need to set our destiny by doing what we talk about every day and every week in training.”

Houghton is of the belief that the Black and White’s can challenge further up the Super League table, and says the recruitment in the off-season has given the club a renewed sense of optimism. 

“We will hit our goals if every individual player hits theirs. It’s about doing your own job, we are all looking forward to the Salford match and getting off on the right foot,” he said.

“We always have a really good buzz around camp, but the players that we have brought in this season, especially the Islanders, they are always smiling and bouncing about.”

It’s these signings and the depth of the squad means that Hull FC are capable of upsetting the odds and push themselves into the playoff picture in 2016.

“I think the competition will make us a better team. Last season we probably didn’t have so many players vying for spots,” he said. 

“We didn’t have that option to drop a few players if they weren’t pulling their weight. This year if a couple of the guys get injured or lose form there are seasoned professionals waiting in the wings.”