HULL FC coach Peter Gentle says his side must 'set things right' against Castleford tonight following a disappointing start to the season.
And Gentle claims the Black and Whites' players have adopted a siege mentality after a difficult week at the KC Stadium.
Dealing with the ramifications of both Hull's woeful display at Widnes and then the shocking news regarding Brett Seymour's car accident and depression, Gentle says his side have grown even closer over the past week.
The Aussie believes he has seen the real character of his side shine through at training this week, as well as a desire from them to get back on the field and prove their worth.
"We are a lot closer now as a group than we were last week. There is strength in unity," Gentle told the Mail.
"We have to get this siege mentality that we have to dig in and we need to start winning games.
"There is a real want to get back on the field and set a few things right.
"You face these tough times and already I feel like we are better for what has happened this season.
"It is in times like this you see the true character of people and I have definitely seen that this week.
"They have trained really hard this week, they've done double sessions and at the end of the day they're still on the field practicing extras.
"They know last week wasn't up to standard, now it is what we do off the back of it."
With just one win and a draw from their opening five games, Hull are desperate to kick-start their season in earnest this evening when they welcome the Tigers, and recent target Rangi Chase, to the KC Stadium.
Hull have won their last three meetings with Castleford, but welcome a Tigers team which looks revitalised this season under Ian Millward, despite their own tough start to the campaign in terms of results.
Following their loss to Widnes, Gentle is expected to make changes to his starting 13, although not the sweeping changes he had threatened in the immediate aftermath of the defeat.
Stand-off Daniel Holdsworth is set to return after a two-week absence through concussion, whilst prop Liam Watts will also make his first appearance of the season after returning from pre-season surgery on a broken thumb.
"After last week's game there is an opportunity to make some changes," added Gentle.
"I probably over-reacted a little bit last week after the loss, and it is not panic stations as this is only round six and we were going okay up to Warrington.
"I said at the start of the year there will be times when it is two steps forward and one step back, and what happened last week was a step back, albeit a sizeable step back. It is not panic stations, though.
"We know we are better than last week, the fans know we are better than that. It was a bad day at the office, it's as simple as that."
