West Hull best U16s team, all their best players are at Castleford academy. That Hull academy was definitely not doing its job

The joint academy is coming to an end.

That’s why imo it’s a good opportunity for John if the salary is right. He gets to create a new academy from scratch.

Though your point is valid when it comes to players. If Ethan Ryan goes there he’s stupid. He’s good enough for superleague but signing for them he’ll just end up playing in the same division as us next season. Only for a smaller club.

It may be that John Bastian had ideas for further youth development projects and / or improvements that when put to AC - they were rejected.

They may have been rejected due to lack of finances.

HKR (Hudgell) seems to have more money to back JB up?

As JB knows all the current and possibly future best youth talent - I expect the newly formed HKR setup to be aquiring some of that talent at some point.

Then again - I may be wrong - time will tell.

Hull KR aren't getting relegated.

That's probably correct, but they are in the mix and I certainly wouldn't put money on it - either way.

Yes we are in the mix, and we are only 6pts off a playoff place. Apart from saints and wire it is a very unpredictable super league. We are getting bodies back and have some very winnable home fixtures left. Glad to have John Bastian onboard but from what i have seen of Ethan Ryan on tv you can keep him. All the best for the rest of the season and hope you come up with another Leeds performance and dick the wolfpack.

Hull KR won't go down, having watched a bit of London they seem to be bang in trouble.

I think London are still favourites to go down, but if they hadn't of put the queue on the rack/Wakey decided to start playing in the last 10 kind last week, KR would have been bottom of the table going into magic. They're currently in a fight to stay up.

They seem to be looking at James Ford for next season so that could be a good thing for Ethan Ryan.

Agree, I feel theres some unwarranted comments about KR here at the minute. A fully fit KR side firing is a match for the majority of SL for me. Not like when theyhad the likes of Vella, Newton etc but very competitive. I certainly don't think you have anything to worry about.

You are wrong on Ethan though, he was superb against Leeds very assured. The problem is you have seen him playing a position he is stll in the infancy of playing in the professional game. At the moment his full stregths lie on the wing and I don't think you currently have a winger with his finishing ability at all. I also agree that a move to KR would see him settle at that level in SL and finish his career out playing for a team trying to fight for play off rugby than competing (not necessarily meaning that will always be with you)

That said if he is to go if we could snare Dagger on loan for a year and maybe Shaw we would have adequate cover for what we have, although neither would hit the heights he has for us. If he is to go he goes with my full thanks, for everything he has done for the club and hope he can go to a side like Cas who I feel he would get a place at who will also utilise his full strengths giving him a great platform for the rest of his career

It's all its and buts coming from KR. The fact of the matter is they're in a relegation battle at the moment and until that changes then many will still feel that it's a side ways step for Ethan Ryan.

I'm not trying to disrespect KR. I really like their club and their fans. I always hope to see them doing well.

Agree mate, like I said I don't think KR's style will suit him either. He needs to be found in space to work his magic. Cas have been great at getting ther wingers a lot of try's which is why I said I think a move to Cas wouldn't be out of the question should he choose to leave.

Either way he has been sterling for us, he is also a very level headed lad so any decision im sure will have been well thought out and be the best for his career

Would not swap Dagger for Ryan. Dont get Rovers at all, we have two young wingers ,Wiil oakes and another good young un called Elliott Wallis and Craig Hall. Really dont see where Ryan would fit in. Saw him again today and haven't changed my mind.

My conclusion is that he is not a full back. Definitely a wingman.

TBF we attack with so little idea it's difficult to see how a novice at fullback could add much.

I remember from u19's games, Joe Brown is quick. When he came back here for Wigan, he scored a few against us as a support player.

He should be part of the attacking play at least.
I'm yet to see anything at FB from Ethan that suggests he has a long term future in that position. Great winger though.

Never mentioned swapping him permanently only a 12 month loan to give him a full season playing rather than shipping here and there dual regging.

I thought Ethan was excellent at fullback in the away win at Fax. Did you see his try? He was also very good indeed there in the wins versus Barrow and Rochdale. Against Leeds he looked good too.

The whole side has looked poor since the Leeds game so I think it’s unfair to make a judgement on Ryan at fullback at the moment. Who would you replace him with? Pickers has had many chances but doesn’t look any better. Brown maybe but it’s a bit of a stretch.

Was unaware Bastian had left immediately until seeing him at dockers on Saturday, already in KR shorts said he had to make a start and was weighing dockers up. Paul Fletcher plays for them think he was scouting him back too haha

John doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet.

Totally agree with all that mate. At the moment we have no better option there whatsoever. We know you could put Ethan at prop and youd get a totally committed and good display. It is also easy for people to say need to sign x and y but with a massive squad and probably no budget available

This concerns me a little, surely he had a contract until the end of the season at least? Are we seeing some gradual cutting of costs?

In the field he is in I would imagine that when a new job is acquired, it's best to let that person go straight away for a number of reasons. I don't think its cost-cutting as talk has already been about how he is going to be replaced, and an improved academy is to be developed.

Definitely. Although at the moment I struggle to see an improved academy without him.

Who else is renowned in youth development?

Wasn't that Barrow a good one, Medley?