Hull FC CEO Richie Myler has referred to last season as a 'horror show' but insists that the young Black and Whites players that have survived a dismal campaign will be 'ten times better for' it'—especially playing alongside more senior and experienced players this year.

Winning just three of 28 games last season, Hull finished in a wretched 11th position. Parting ways with Tony Smith last April—eight games into the year—and putting now-assistant Simon Grix in interim charge, Hull chopped and changed their squad at a rapid rate, with several players released mid-season and youth playing out the year.

Despite the hefty challenges, some of that youth flourished, but for others it was tough as the team was largely uncompetitive and off the pace. But in being exposed to such a difficult scenario, Myler, appointed CEO last month, is adamant the experience will do the players good, with the knowledge they will, touch wood, not have to face anything of the sort again, instead rising to what the 34-year-old hopes will be the long-term future of the club.

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Speaking to the press at Hull FC's media day, including Hull Live, Myler said: "I think the lads who have survived the horror show that was last year will be ten times better for it. They'll be a lot more hard-nosed, but I don't think they'll ever face anything like that ever again. I hope to God that they never do.

"The lads who are still here, I really do think they will learn valuable lessons from what they went through last year. Again, thrown in there now with some really experienced pros who can still help further develop them, they will get better."

Aiming to bring through and nurture their own talent, with new senior players brought in to aid that process, Myler knows that, in a competitive market, the club is on the 'only sustainable' path for long-term success, with the likes of Denive Balmforth, Logan Moy, Lewis Martin, and Harvey Barron making their mark last year. That process is now set to continue this term, with Myler indicating that young talent 'may even' play in the round one opener against Catalans Dragons.

"It's the only sustainable model, especially with the NRL getting new teams," Myler explained. "All of our better players are going to leave. Unless the game does something on a bigger scale, it's just inevitable.

"We're already restricted on what we can bring over here anyway, so we have to produce a conveyor belt of players who are very talented. We're fortunate that we currently have the best amateur teams feeding into Hull FC. That needs to continue, but it's our top product that we need to fix alongside our academy department getting stronger year on year.

He continued: "Some of those players may even start in round one. We signed senior players to fix our problem. If we've got seven or eight of them not playing, then we're in trouble. If we have to put seven to eight young kids in again week in and week out, then our recruitment isn't right, and our club isn't being run right. Our senior players have been brought in to play, but equally, there needs to be a development plan in place for our young players so there are not many roadblocks in front of them."

Elaborating on that development plan, Myler used Ryan Westerman, Jack Charles, and Callum Kemp as examples. He added: "Ryan Westerman, a young centre, played the last game of the season. He's got loads of talent, but he's probably 18 or so months off playing and pushing for a regular starting shirt, but he hasn't got that many roadblocks in front of him. He's not got four to five centres in front of him. He's got the opportunity to progress.

"Callum Kemp and Jack Charles, you've got Cade Cust and Aidan Sezer in the starting halves, but the next ones in now are Callum or Jack. There's the opportunity there for them to go and play. That's got to be the model. There are not enough players with quota restrictions to bring in. You have to develop your own."