The league table bears very little relation into how successful your YD is.

As has already been pointed out, Rovers were becalmed in the National League, rather than yo-yoing between there and SL. Also when Cas came up last time, they didn't have the spectre of relegation hanging over them, as Rovers did in 2007.

That said, Rovers should now learn from clubs like Cas.

Esders, if he is to have a future in SL at Rovers needs some games. He might not make it though. The attrition rate is always going to be high - see players like Matty Dale and Nathan Freer at Hull. Golden generations like that at Cas or Hull's of a few years ago are the exception rather than the rule. Finding one or two SL quality players, ready for that level each year is what we have to be aiming for. If Welham counts for last year, Wheeldon is cheating and I'anson is still a question mark, then I suppose that this year has been a slight disappointment in that respect. There was always going to be a lag phase, but hopefully it is coming to an end. Watts and Spaven are still young enough to be being brought along slowly and several of the Reserves and academy players have a chance, by all accounts. I'm hoping we exceed the minimum quota for home-grown players next year.



That is not the same as not having a strategy, rather it is executing an important element of it poorly. Making occasional mistakes is different to not being commited.

Good and fair post as usual from Mild Rover.

Just thought I'd check FC's youth players with first team appearances in our third SL season - quite interesting considering 1-18 was packed with average overseas players.

King 21 aged 21
Horne 25 aged 18
Cooke 17 aged 19
Poucher 12 aged 18?
Fletcher 9 aged 19
Plus 3 each for Last, Farrell, Parker = 93 first team appearances. Not too shabby.

To be fair though King, Cooke and Horne have realistically made it!

If only our overseas players were as average as those you had back then.

Fair enough, but it is more than the 'occasional' mistake.

One of the reasons Hull YD is so good is because of the continuity they have had in recent years.

Hull's recruitment of young lads is appauling compared to Rovers given what i was told last week by the father of a promising young player.

Craig is potentially World Class.. Id love him to sign for Rovers.

That would be great as far as Rovers were concerned provided they had the right coaching set up. Its not always how good the player is at Acadamy level is how good they become when given the opportunity and the right guidance.

The Hull amateur league is full of 'great' former acadamy players.

I agree in some regards.

Hull's recuitment of young players is based on picking out 3 or 4 potentially elite players and really focusing on them and to an extent neglecting other players. Say you talk to Danny Houghton about development at Hull and his experiences will be very different to some of the 'making up the numbers' players.

The clear paths that FC have to their first grade is to be admired but these paths dont get opened to everybody in their system though.

id take Craig Hall in an instant,
hes the kind of player who can make things happen, and knows where the try line is too, great versatility too.

Thought you came out of administration some time ago

The debate about Rovers' youth policy is something that goes round in circles.

Rover's were subject to a CVA until 2004 which prevented them from operating as effectively as a business, with the main concern making sure the bills were paid let alone funding a "youth policy". Meanwhile the "Gateshull Thunder Sharks" (no malice intended) were poaching youngsters like Scott Wheeldon and Danny Washbrook with their £1.25m hand-out from the RFL. They had the city to themselves - how could they fail?

FC fans preach about bringing through "local lads" like they are the only club to have ever done it whilst Rovers have produced more GB players than FC by a long, long way - even having FIVE GB CAPTAINS in the team at one point.

I'm please to see the progress of Rovers academy and reserve teams since our arrival into SL and hope that some players make the grade to play 1st team one day but only as long as they are good enough to progress this club to the top-spot.

Bringing players through is second to a successful club IMO because I've felt sentimental about players in the past until I saw my team get tonked too many times at places like Batley and it was at that point I realised I don't owe any of the players anything and they don't owe me anything - I mean, would they give a toss about my career same as I would for theirs?

When all is said and done, I want success for Hull Kingston Rovers at all costs (within reason) because that's where I believe this club should be having spent my formative years in the early eighties and my memories of Rovers winning everything there was to be won during their sustained period of dominance that even the great Peter Sterling couldn't prevent...

Probably just what he needs if we do let him go. Seriously mis-treated by Agar and disappointed personally with the lack of belief the club seem to have in him.

i personally dont rate him, didnt seem to out shine the players around him at a poor FC side (no digs intended) which suggests he isnt any better then we have now come up in our own ranks.

If we do get him and he produces the stuff for us i will happily eat my own hat though!

Says more about you than it does him

never seen him play much to be fair, but why would FC be shipping him out if he was good enough.......

.......or have a just answered my own question, hmmmmmm

A lot of folk slate Cullen, but maybe he may mould him into a decent player?

Thats if he can ignore the sound bites.

Like he did with Penny?

TBF Craig is in a different league to Penny in terms of talent. Penny is just very fast nothing else.

Fitzhenry to go imho hall is a far better option

Doesn't that say a lot about the lack of coaching at HFC ?

People like Tom Briscoe would argue.

Hmmm, Briscoe has come through pretty quick though. You could argue he already had the talent when he arrived from another club.

In any case only a fool could say fc haven't got a decent record of bringing young players into SL.