So we all know what our main downfall at the minute is. The lack of a number 7.

Was having a think and how many homegrown half backs have we actually produced who have gone on to play halfback in the last 15 years? Aside from Cooke & Horne that is?

The amateur game in Hull upto u16's level we have teams capable of being up there with the best in the country yet we rarely seem to be able to produce halfbacks? I'm not entirely sure why this is & certainly don't know what the solution is to this. As a club tho we have often being guilty of moving kids who have played halfback as youngsters into other positions, why is this? Maybe as there progression to 1st seemed to be harder if they remained in that role? Particularly converting halfbacks to hookers seems like something we've been obsessed with in the past 10 years.

Now more than ever we could do with a young halfback who can take up the challenge & be thrown in at the deep end like Horne & Cooke did. Until we start producing halfbacks this is going to be an ongoing issue.

Successive coaches needing an instant fix.
No-one for them (potentials coming through) to learn from, so buy a top player who might hang around for a short while (Sterling for instance) but doesn't give any feedback/help to upcoming players at all or for long enough to make an impact.
Lack of a speciality backs coach, would help if we had had some local talent in the last 40 years that might have been able to work specifically with the young uns.
Easier to develop forwards and outside backs.
It's very hard for halfbacks, you are effectively what makes a team tick, you're being relied upon to keep the structure of the attacking game pattern going throughout the match, that's a heck of a lot of responsibility. That kind of pressure most people can't handle or can shy away from when things get tough.
You have a howler or two as an up and coming and immediately you're worried at being binned off as not good enough which is how modern RL has been going for some time so I reckon many I'm sure err toward being a hooker or fullback instead.

Tommy Lee

iirc Danny Houghton and Andy Last both played there junior rugby at & 7

Others within the city, Matty Brooks (went to Bradford, came back to Rovers)

Marcus Vasikpopopoplopopoplus, played 7 at Leeds, played Prop at juniors

Johann Whindley

Colin Carter

Terry Smirk and Garry Chatfield - bit over 15 years ago

Now im struggling

Josh Wood coming through now for U18's and currently being played regularly at Academy Level. Excellent prospect and needs lots of nurturing. The club needs to ensure the likes of Josh are protected and coached and if need be, thrown-in (not yet) when the time arises. I'm sure the club are aware of this though.

Lasty was a hooker from the first time he pulled a shirt on. Marcus Vass was always a loose forward as a kid.

Chris "Toffa" Windass was meant to be the next big thing in the halves back in the mid-nineties. Got chucked out by Leeds after picking up a big suspension. Went to Cas then disappeared.
Mark Harris signed for Hull in a blaze of glory after turning down Wigan i believe. Didnt make a first team appearance i dont think.

Harry Tyson-Wilson is a top prospect in the halves. Lot of potential who has experience from Aus and has been monitored by Yawnion. Although he is a top half back I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up to be a fullback. Houghton was a top class scrum half back at junior level and Tommy Lee was considered to be one of the best in the country in the halves at 16's. It's not just half backs but there's some problem at scholarship level at 16's and beyond. Hull always produce top youngsters compared to other places. It's always Skirlaugh, East Hull and West that excel and feature in many Yorkshire/National cup finals.

How many top half backs have the club produced in the last 148 years? How many Hull born players have represented England/GB at scrum half (other than richard horne's disastrous game when long went home)

In 36 years of watching Hull I do not recall a decent half back other than Cooke from Hull area that has played for us. I mean truly decent. Come to think of it Rovers haven't had any decent ones either.

Hull have placed high hopes on him, great hands, kicking game and tackles well. Still very young though, currently playing open age with Wests.

How old is he? 16?? Hope the Wests forwards are protecting him!!

I know its fashionable to bash Horne on here but the fact he has collected more representative honours and made more training squads than Cooke would suggest he has been better or at the worst a similar level of player so your claim lacks sense. Whether either is truly decent you can debate. The sad truth is that the Hull area has always had a terrible record with regards to producing a top half. Then again the British game in general hasn't had many great domestic performers in the last 20 years and no international class ones since Schofield.

If Houghton played 7 at junior rugby, could he be a shout for the derby, with Heremaia at 9?

No

Kirk Yeaman used to be play number 6 when i played against him for Ideal - wouldnt have him near the half back role!

Nah.

16 I think and apparently more than holding his own.

It is not just half backs that we do not produce. As an area with a population that dwarfs Wigan, St Helens or Castleford to name but three small towns, why don't we produce players of SL quality that they all do ? Even in the glory days of the 80's our team had very few local lads. One theory is that we have a small number of junior "super teams" where it is too easy for the rising "stars" How good are our junior coaches compared to Wigan/Saints ? Andy Last has resided over the juniors for a lot of years with precious little success - is he as good as other SL coaches at that level ? I think we have let a lot of local lads go who did have potential - Josh Hodgson, Craig Hall, Danny Washbrook who would have been better than drafting in West Riding lads and aging Aussies. I was embarrassed by the Bradford postponement with only 3 local lads in the squad and the majority coming from the West Riding. Until the nucleus of the squad is locally produced we will always be in a state of flux relying on countless new mercenaries on an annual basis

That leaves a debate open as to whether Horne is a half back or not. Ok he has played most of his games there I believe, but is that really his best position? He certainly was not selected for GB as a HB all be it he may well have played there when Long took his beer back home on the plane.

He [iwas[/i selected as a HB. More than once IIRC. He also made the SL Dream Team at 7 in 2004.

Chris kitchen looked a great prospect and Never made, I always liked Hewitt, but just lacked pace.

Coming through we have 3 outstanding halfbacks in Tyson-wilson, Abdul and wood, it is up to the club to do the best they can with these so that at least one makes it.

You have a point, but the three you mentioned I have to disagree, at full strength non of those would get into our 17, they ave moved on done well, but I don't regret releasing any of those.

Hodgson, Hall and Washbrook would not improve the FC squad, as you say, were allowed to leave for good reason.

How many top class anything has Hull ever produced? The whole area is the epitome of under achievement

I think you need to learn a bit of local history.

Maybe I do if I have to go back 200 years plus to find people from Hull who have done anything of note