Jordan Lane has admitted that the Hull FC squad are lucky that relegation isn't on the agenda - conceding many would be facing unemployment if it was still around. After an abysmal defeat to London Broncos, the Black and Whites are now level on points with Super League's basement club with five rounds to go.
In previous years, that would have left the club battling to secure Super League status going into the closing rounds. However, the introduction of the IMG gradings system has essentially ensured Hull FC's top-flight status is preserved, regardless of where they finish on the table.
It's a natural relief for the club and the players, but also a scant consolation, with Lane admitting to being embarrassed by the team's current predicament.
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Cutting a devastated figure following the game, Lane told Hull Live: "I'm embarrassed. It's hard, none of us want to be in this spot and the results we're getting, well we're sat at the bottom of the league.
"We're on the same points as London now and we might be above them on points difference but we are bottom of the league. Luckily there's no relegation because half of us would be out of jobs. We're lucky. It's a hard pill to swallow and we deserve to be at the bottom of the pile because of what we've been throwing out there.
"The last five games we have nothing to play for other than not finishing bottom. We have to play for personal pride, pride in the badge, pride for the fans and pride in the club. The club does not deserve to be where it is and it's only down to us why we are there."
Lane refused to make any excuses after Hull FC's performance at Elland Road, a game in which errors and penalties totalled a staggering 26.
"It just wasn't good enough, plain and simple. We lacked intent, we lacked desire, they were just more urgent in everything they were doing and one step ahead of us. It just wasn't good enough.
"Nobody goes out there to play bad, but you watch it back and it looks like we play with no desire. I'm not saying that we don't, but it looks like we don't, and you can tell by the results. It's not good enough, we need to be better.
"We can't keep falling back on that reason (injuries), whoever comes in has to do a job, we all get paid to play well and get a good result. It hasn't helped that we've had players in and out but that is what it is at the end of the day."
Focus will slowly turn to next season, one in which new coach John Cartwright appears to have a massive job on his hands.
"Going on next year, we have players coming in and out and a different coach with ways of doing things, we just have to get behind him and whatever he brings and wants us to do, we have to do it. He'll be watching us now and he's probably embarrassed too. He'll know what needs changing and to be done to get us back up there."
