HULL FC: Changes were necessary - Horne

RICHARD Horne admits a major change in playing staff was needed to rejuvenate Hull FC's fortunes.

The 27-year-old stand-off is now the club's longest-serving player after seeing Paul King's career at Hull effectively ended.

And despite seeing his brother Graeme join a host of players released by the club during the off-season, he acknowledges a cull was necessary.

Horne told the Mail: "There has been big changes this year, but we needed it as a club and I think I needed it too.

"New faces were needed as we needed to do something after two years where we have underachieved.

"The changes are right, we've brought good players in, we have promoted some really good young kids and there is a great mix now of youth, experience and quality."

After breaking into the first team as a 16-year-old, Horne emerged from a successful youth set-up alongside King, Andy Last and Paul Cooke.

But with Last now on Hull's coaching staff, King set for pastures new and Cooke plying his trade at Hull KR, Horne says being the last of the 90s academy graduates left at the KC is weird.

"It seems a little bit strange to be looking around and seeing so many new faces," he said.

"I think back to people like Kingy and Cookey breaking into the first-team squad along with me and I'm the last one left now of that group of players.

"I'm the only survivor and that feels a little strange, but it is exciting too.

"We are all excited to see how we will go this season with a new side.

"There has been a lot of changes in and out of the club, big changes too, and that's exciting."

Horne's testimonial match against Rovers on January 17 will be the first run-out for the new-look Hull side.

With just one more match at Sheffield a week later before the start of Super League XV, the game will represent an opportunity for Hull to see how far they have come since a disappointing end to the 2009 campaign.

After starting last season in impressive fashion, Horne acknowledges his form dropped off as the trials and tribulations of 2008 finally caught up with him.

After returning from a career-threatening neck injury and diabetes diagnosis in 2008, last season proved to be a great learning curve.

But he is expecting to be much stronger next year as a result.

"It helps massively to be in full training from the start of pre-season and I know I will feel the benefit of that physically when the season starts," said Horne, who had pre-season interrupted by injuries in recent years.

"I started strong last year and then I dropped off.

"I had a lot going on and it took its toll a bit. But I've learnt a lot of lessons for this year.

"I know what to expect and I am hoping for a really big year from myself."