Why do we "have to" start playing homegrown players ?

They should only play if they're good enough

Don't wanna fall In to trap of giving average homegrown players Jobs for life just cause they're "hull born and bred"

My view is that you don't fully know if they're good enough until they get a few chances. It takes more than 1 or 2 games.
Nobody is asking for Jebson (as an example) in the 17 every week, its just a case of if Okunbor gets injured, then let's not just shoehorn Fash or Sao into the second row. Let's try Jebson who is an out and out second rower. We've had a philosophy for too long of playing safe and going with more experienced players even in the wrong position, 'Square pegs in round holes' and I understand why in certain situations. But we've heard a lot the last year about how good our youngsters coming through are but we need to start seeing some evidence of this paying off sooner or later. It's time to start throwing some of them in at the deep end when the chance comes up.

We need to get to the point where we have a culture at the club and systems in place similar to St Helens and Wigan so that youngsters know what is expected of them when they're in the first team what their role is. I agree we shouldn't just play players solely because they come through the academy, we've tried "club hull" before, it failed and just seemed to create a clique in the club, Hull born players need to be in the team because they're the best in their position, not just because they were born here

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/20 ... dical.html Unlucky for Volkman but looks like another bullet dodged by us

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/20 ... dical.html Unlucky for Volkman but looks like another bullet dodged by us

I've said it before, the only way to complete is t start producing your own players, mix that with some good overeas players in the areas of weakness. I remember when Saints released Coote and Fages, two very good SL players, but they were able to replace them with Welsby and Dodds, that we what we need to do.

Since SL started there has been only 4 teams able to dominate, all 4 where off the back of very strong academies.

The only exception could be Catlans, but they have the a few advantages in being able to bring players in. But they haven't managed it yet.

It's all very well saying we need to produce our own players, I don't think anyone disagrees. Our success in 2016 and 17 was on the back of a decent homegrown contingent. The problem is we have had a smaller catchment area than the big clubs and just haven't unearthed many SL quality players. We've invested more money and have cast a wider net but only time will tell whether we produce any stars.

As it is our squad has a massive chunk of academy lads in it. We will have no option but to play them once injuries start to mount. Just have to hope that some of them make the jump to this level and that our fans give them a chance before attacking them.

I think this crop of young players is the best we have had for a while, there genuinely seems to be belief within the club that a lot of them can make the step up to the first team, I can't think of a better bunch of young players since we had Houghton, Lee, Washbrook etc... all come through.

The thing is, in the last 3/4 years or academy have just about every year finished in the top, but for some reason we don't seem to make that talent transpire into the first team compared to Leeds, Saints and Wigan.

Hopefully that's changes with the new set up and players we have.

I'm convinced at least 8 or so players who are in our set up from academy to Reserve level would become good SL players at Wigan or Saints. Let's hope we can do that.

I think a lot of the current crop are good enough but a lot has to go right for a good kid to become a good adult. The lads promoted this year and last seem a better standard than those from previous years, especially the forwards.

Genuine question are kids still playing RL in big numbers in Hull? We've had Covid years with little to nothing happening and the sport isnt exactly giving off an image of long term career potential and big earnings at the minute.

We might see a boom in parents taking their kids down the pub to play on the dart board too

2016 and 2017 was largely on overseas players and Ellis

Take likes of carlos, fonua, Kelly, mini, Ellis, manu out we were nothing

Only homegrown who played any real impact were shaul, taylor and Houghton

Kelly was huge in 2017 biggest impact from a overseas player since Jason Smith and Swain

By homegrown do mean fed-trained (in which case, Sneyd) or club-trained (in which case, Taylor)?

Blore just signed for the Storm, shows how highly rated he is, probably best we didn't sign him, as he would have been here for a year max.

Looking at our options and what was available, think we have done just about as good as business as we could have.

Two regular NRL starters a NZ International and a big up and coming prop.

Homegrown ie from hull

The poster made out our 2016/17 success was down to our homegrown

Which us utter nonsense as apart from them 3 ( shaul, taylor and Houghton ) it was the others who played the huge part

Ellis and Kelly were huge in them days

Think you're doing home grown players Bowden, Green, Washbrook and Yeaman a huge dis service as they played a huge part in the 2016 season including the first win at Wembley not forgetting Hadley who also played his part in 2016. Notice you didn't mention Sneyd or Watts who weren't homegrown but weren't overseas players nor Thompson.
Take 5 or 6 of any of those out the 2016 squad and we would have been lacking and not an overseas player in the 8 mentioned.

I wonder if Tony Smith's strategy is not to always get the most able player, but to get the player that's the best fit for the club...if you sign a player that's brilliant ability wise, but has a bad attitude off the pitch, then they create the wrong culture at the club, set a bad example to young players and the young players struggle to make that transition from being a top academy player to a top super league player. If you get players who might not be the best ability wise, but are model pros, look after themselves, take time to mentor the young players, help to build a positive team spirit rather than a toxic one, this creates a better path for young players and helps them develop when they get into the first team. It might take a while but I think this is what tony Smith is doing...not panicking and bringing in a top player for a short term fix that's divisive, but players that bring about a culture change at the club...and i hope it works

Wasting your time Chris, as soon as saw his post, it was obvious he probably attending the final and that it in those seasons, to play down certain players like Bowden who was excellent during that time says all you need to know.

Those two cup wins and runs were down to every player in the squad that played.

seen on twitter this morning Catalan making an offer for Makinson for next season to replace Johnstone, Davies out of contract at the end of this coming season too, would like to think we are looking at Davies if we aren't keeping McIntosh

Davies would be a big upgrade, I hope we are in for him if he wants to come back to the UK. Wonder if makinson will go to Catalan or stay with saints

I'd go for Davies and let the other clubs clubs go for TJ.

Davies, Martin and Tindall as our wingers

Problem is, he's from Lancashire, I think, and the only reason to leave that lifestyle and weather is either if the player has peaked and is on the down, or homesick, in which case he'd be looking at Leigh, Wire and Sts, if Wigan don't want him. I think he is a very good player, better than what we have, although I think Tindall will be very good and we do need to give our youth a try, as you say, with Barron also in the frame with Martin.

You would imagine that Makinson will stay at St's unless he fancies the opportunity of a change of lifestyle in the South of France if the were to sign Johnstone. Its not like St's are a mid table team so unless he see's his place in the 17 under threat I just cant see him going..
If he did leave and go to Catalan then I wouldn't bet against seeing Davies end up at St's.

I'd hope we'd also be looking at Davies but realistically I think we'd have to offer a very good package to attract him to Hull, given our poor form the past few seasons.

Matt Shaw reckons rovers are keeping an eye on the Tom Davies situation...maybe makinson is in a similar position to Tomkins, won everything he can at his current club and fancies a change / the better quality of life in the south of France in the last few years of his career...Catalan look like a side that will continue to challenge for honours too so another good reason to go there

Of course the other scenario is that Catalans offer Davies a new deal regardless of the Johnstone/Makinson situation.

As for Matt Shaw reporting that Rovers are keeping an eye on the situation you'd expect most clubs to keep an eye on it as he's a quality player and would be a great signing for any SL club even more so being English. It wouldn't surprise me if Wigan put an offer to him.

Good player Davies , I hope with the club in a much healthier position financially next season , The club can start to throw their hat in the ring with these type of players again .