Couple of England internationals coming up in early December, we have 3 players in the 20 (Abdul, Lancaster, Turgut) so hopefully some FC representation but as importantly great experience for all 3. They've been training this week at St George's Park, pleasing for the club to see recognition at that level. I don't see much of the academy players other than when they're in pre season games, but went to the Leeds play-off. Their full back Ash Golding looks a special talent so not surprised to see him in the squad also. www.englandrl.co.uk/teams/academy

Couple of England internationals coming up in early December, we have 3 players in the 20 (Abdul, Lancaster, Turgut) so hopefully some FC representation but as importantly great experience for all 3. They've been training this week at St George's Park, pleasing for the club to see recognition at that level. I don't see much of the academy players other than when they're in pre season games, but went to the Leeds play-off. Their full back Ash Golding looks a special talent so not surprised to see him in the squad also. www.englandrl.co.uk/teams/academy

Deffo heading to the first test match to support the Hull boys and also to the Leeds Academy match. Am off shift for the Cumbrian game so planning to head up there but the wife may yet veto that mid week trip!

It is always a strong Australian team but this years team is really big and powerful, there are a couple of Greg Inglis clones and and big Islander boys.
England will have to match them in the forwards to get anywhere near them.

All 3 play tomorrow, great news. Congratulations especially to Turgut on being awarded the captaincy. 9 clubs represented in total, good news also. www.totalrl.com/england-academy- ... choolboys/

All 3 play tomorrow, great news. Congratulations especially to Turgut on being awarded the captaincy. 9 clubs represented in total, good news also. www.totalrl.com/england-academy- ... choolboys/

Quote ="Mrs Barista"All 3 play tomorrow, great news. Congratulations especially to Turgut on being awarded the captaincy. 9 clubs represented in total, good news also. www.totalrl.com/england-academy- ... choolboys/'" Great to see three Hull FC players in there and what an honour for Turgut who I think we'll see feature in the first team at some point next season. Well done to the nine clubs who have had players selected.

Quote ="Mrs Barista"All 3 play tomorrow, great news. Congratulations especially to Turgut on being awarded the captaincy. 9 clubs represented in total, good news also. www.totalrl.com/england-academy- ... choolboys/'" Great to see three Hull FC players in there and what an honour for Turgut who I think we'll see feature in the first team at some point next season. Well done to the nine clubs who have had players selected.

Fantastic honour for Jansin Turgut, I haven't seen him play apart from some match highlights so what are peoples thoughts on him, strengths/weaknesses etc ?

Very strong runner, scores alot of trys, I haven't seen to much of weakness in his game, so as long he can transfer that from from under 19's to SL and keep himself level headed there is no reason he shouldn't make a good SL player, I'd expect him to make his debut next season.

When was the last time we had 3 players in the starting line up for England at this level, the same amount as Wigan and only one less than Leeds, also Jack Logan in the squad and HTW must have been close to selection also.

Easily the most exciting group of young players we have ever had.

You can listen to the match [url=http://mixlr.com/live-sports-fm/here.[/url

1st time I saw turgut I thought he stood out a mile as a definate future 1st team er.
Physically impressive already for his age n has a knack for trys. Physically and style wise he reminds me of anthony whatmough. Hopefully be as good ☺

The final score was England 18 Australia 22.

Jordan Abdull scored a try and a goal.

I was checking back on Rovers consistent failure to get to ever get any players in the England academy squads (never mind teams) over the years. I'd rather lost track. Somewhat deliberately. It wasn't the most thorough search, but I got back to an announcement from 5 years ago for the 2010 season and one-time great Rovers hope Kristian Bell.

Anyway, Hull had Jack Briscoe, Reece Lyne and Ben Crooks in that initial squad of 29. Since then I only noticed Cunningham and Bobby Tyson-Wilson.
It's interesting to see how some have really flourished from that 2010 team - George Burgess and Tommy Makinson for example. There's a fair few who are still seen as promising - Sam Powelll, Matty Russell and Brad Singleton. There's a good proportion playing in the lower leagues (Ryan King at Rochdale, Cain Southernwood at Whitehaven, to name a couple) or on the outer fringes of SL squads (Fullback Jack Murphy was still number 39 at Wigan last year), and a fair few seemingly out the game altogether, like Bell.

His physique is really impressive I agree.

Not a bad result that, presumably the Aussie boys have had more gametime as a unit, so not too shabby. All three will have benefitted from the experience.

4 tries each today. sets it up nicely for the second match

Jansin Turgut's player profile on the official site says he is 92kg's.

The Australian forwards all weigh in between 102-115kg's, that is a massive difference at any level and shows what a tough task he had so well done to him.

The Australian squad had a week in camp in Canberra before the tour and have had 3 warm up games over 3 weeks, so they have had a month together.
Not wanting to rain on anyone's parade, but this is only the Australian schoolboys squad, and most really good 18 year olds have either left school early or choose not to play for their school, so it isn't really the best squad possible.
All the Newcastle Knights kids in the squad, Cogger, Lamb and Robson, are all Catholic school boys, so probably have to play for their school, but right now we have better 18 year olds training with the firstgrade squad and 3 boys attending the "emerging Blues" camp in Sydney, which is supposed to be for future SOO players.
If every 18 year old player were available, I'd say only about a quarter of the current side would be picked, and some guys who have played firstgrade this year like Sione Mataútia from Newcastle and Gutherson from Manly would be in the side.
They probably have it right though. The schoolboys side is still a very strong side, and the tour games always seem to be competitive.

Hardly a "parade", was it? Just happy that Hull FC have provided 3 players to the national team including the captain with another in the squad too. Good evidence of progress for us in terms of genuine youth development as opposed to talking a good game for several years and delivering next to nothing . Any game v Australia we don't get hammered in is a positive regardless of selection filters you apply.

That's a relief, maybe when all these kids grow up you'll have a chance of catching England and NZ up at full international level

As Mrs B says, and was 'subtly' indicated by the congratulations to the 9 clubs with players in the England team, the score that really matters isn't 18-22 to Australia, rather Hull 3, Rovers 0.
We're now at the stage were Rovers youth development since promotion can be fairly assessed - and it's been nowt special. This is clearly indicated by the relatively small number of players playing SL with any regularity it has produced. I (predictably and 'just because you're losing'

), turned my back on England Academy selection as a meaningful metric after a few years of us getting no lads even in the large initial squads. It now almost provides a perverse sense of annual vindication that we have no representation. Until we do, of course, then I shall seize on as evidence that Rovers are doing better and/or finally getting the recognition their hard work deserves.

I've just looked at the squad and it's a worry that a lot of those seen to gave disappeared from rugby, neither mind not playing SL, what happened to Bell?

Interestingly two of those are at Rovers next year.

The main plus for me isn't beating Rovers 3-0, but having as many players in the 17, as the likes of Wigan and the other top clubs. Rovers really need to step up their youth system, so they can stop relying on loan players from other clubs and when injuries hit, they use they youth system to cover that loss. Your head of youth one reckons your academy is up there with the best, now it's time to start producing these players.

With SL having a salary cap, and many teams spending upto it, the onus is on getting as much value out of the cap as possible. A player brought through at the club is a lot cheaper than an equivalent player from elsewhere, so youth should be the focus (& complimented with some quality signings).

Take Leeds' side over the past 10 years for example, with Sinfield, Burrow, McGuire, Hall, Bailey, JJB etc etc. Or the great Saints team mid 00's, with players like Wellens, Graham, Roby, Cunningham. Wigan the last few years have brought through a ridiculous number of youngsters. (Warrington are to an extent the only exception).

That's the blueprint, and we seem to be trying to emulate it by investing in our youth over the past few years. There's was a clear drop-off in our production line between say 2009-2012, which we're lead to believe was due to underinvestment by the old board, hopefully we'll see that if financed properly we can produce the right players. Time will tell, but it's looking promising.

Yeah, I was just pretending to be horrid to Mrs B. I was curious about Bell a while back and looked him up on Twitter. From what I could tell he had a normal job and was doing okay. He did say to a friend of his that he missed playing, but was glad he got out when he did. Look like a massive stalker now, don't I?
I agree with your point about bedding youngsters in rather than bringing in loan players. I think we have struggled on a couple levels with that - having enough kids who are ready and having enough strength around them to ease their transition. But it's certainly a realistic target, whereas saying (like the poster after you) we don't match up to Leeds, Wigan and Saints is true, but has to be considered in the context that they have much more money to spend. Rovers could fund increased academy spending by cutting the first team budget, but that imitates Cas more than the big clubs. Rovers went that way a bit in 2012 - it wasn't a successful season, but it was certainly instructive, in terms of how often and quickly potential is fulfilled and how patient (or not) fans are.

Wow. Yes, that's all that matters

I was actually pleased that we had provided 3 U19s to the national squad including the captain and that London had representation. Let's not make this about Hull KR's inadequacies please. They are well documented elsewhere including (allegedly) in the publication of your squad numbers. As much as you try to belittle it, it's good news for Hull FC and the players involved. Congratulations to all.

Even by my standards, that's weird thinking. Now that Pete Grayburn is planning to deliver Wigan/Leeds style success imminently, you may have to rethink your positioning of youth development as a "nice to have" though.

Back to Turgut. Obviously behind Ellis, Mini, Thompson and Hadley. Hope Radford chooses to get him some gametime this year but at least we know if he's playing well enough he'll likely get the chance.

Was interesting to read Pete Grayburns comments in the HDM and the different philosophies that our 2 clubs appear to be employing next season. The end goal is the same obviously but it will be interesting to see which bears fruit. I hope they both do. Both sides were mainly under 17s and 18s last season so most of them are still available in 2015. I think that Rovers have the better players but I guess I would say that.

My apologies.
I assume then that the 'talking a good game for several years, while delivering next to nothing' was an attack on Hull FC's years of underinvestment?
I was thinking the other day that if we could post back in time we'd all be considered trolls.

I don't think radford is bothered about winning the u19's beyond the benefits of developing a winning culture at the club. I'm sure he's sensible like everyone else and sees that the youth structures at any club is about developing first team players, not winning meaningless comps.

I've not really seen much of the rovers team at u19's. Who do you rate in there and what positions do they play? It would be good to see local talent finally coming through no matter which side of the river it's on