Cop out answer.

Cox and green are regular members of the squad particularly green and both have squad numbers in the 20's, (ex players numbers like Vella and Chester have been cited before as reasons) will that do for you????

I preferred it when the FC fans used to go on about crowds. Oh hang on, their crowds are down 3,000 in 3 years.
I preferred it when the FC fans used to go on about league position. Oh hang on, their big top 4 club could only manage 11th.
I preferred it when the FC fans used to go on about trophies. Oh hang on, they haven't won anything in years.

1865 should stick to his own forum and worry more about what the Allams are going to do next.
He could even try and find out why they have had to move from YPI and used the U19s as cheap
labour to try and get county road finished in time. I don't ever feel the need to comment on the FC forum.

G'Day, I am new to this forum and am new to Super league. I may well be the newest Hull KR fan. I do have a dumb question. These numbers that the players are given, are they the numbers that they will play in all year. eg, If number 26 is chosen in the starting team in round 5, will he wear number 26?

Yes, in the ESL squad numbers are given for the year. Think it was used to increase shirt sales etc, if your a fan of say Dixon and you buy a shirt with Dixon 1 on it then he'll wear 1 regardless of if he plays wing or fullback.

Why does it bother you so much?

I love this line.

The forum names are an indication of the topic of discussion you can expect, in this case the topic up for discussion is Hull KR. 1865 is talking about Hull KR, your the one bringing up Hull FC

. The forum names don't mean only fans of that club can write on there

Thanks for that, I can see how it would work from a marketing perspective. I'm sure there will be other little differences between the ESL & NRL that I will have to get used to. Cheers.

Quite correct.

So, 2...possibly?

Great argument.

The question should be why does it [inot[/i bother you?

Ok then, players we have who will play a number of games (10+) I would reckon Cox, Green, Welham, Salter, Ollett and Robinson.

Hallet looks a real talent, hopefully he'll get some time in the team this year and Esslemont and Gudzek will also play a handful of games.

A lot of this will depend on form of themselves and others in the team but in all likelihood I don't think it'll be far wrong.

If we're comparing ourselves to your team which is no doubt the angle you're taking then when was the last double winner or for that matter title winner that came through your academy, so yes we are producing, but we need to look to hang on to them a bit better.

Let's see who's system works the best this season. I am more interested in success. If that comes on the back of giving young local lads a chance, all the better. But only finishing 11th but being able to brag about blooding x amount of local youngsters is not my bag. I would settle for a top two finish or a cup over how many local youngsters we have any day of the week.

I know squad numbers have to be given and they may be irrelevant to how we line-up, however if the squad numbers are Chessy's current thinking for the team, it does throw up a few really interesting ones:

Dixon at Fullback - He could be devastating in broken play, but does he have the defensive and organisation skills to play there?
Blair at Standoff - He seems to be the incumbent, although Chester has said that it may change when Campese comes over. Competition in the halves is good, but a settled pairing ASAP is my preference.
Even if Blair is at standoff, no place for Welham at centre - As much as he may be training the house down, he will have to play himself into the team which can only be a good thing.
The pack lines up as expected, however I had assumed that Burke or Donaldson would play loose forward rather than McCarthy. Again the pack is interchangeable based on form and injuries, but that choice seems interesting.

Even though I think it will be a real struggle to make the 8 this year, I am missing rugby and am looking forward to next season.

yet still have larger fan base then you, also get bigger gates on a regular basis.


neither clubs have had anything to boast about in the League over passed few seasons.


yet won more trophies then you in the past 20+ years

so even though we've been going through a lot of upheaval and transitions, you're still out done by the black and white army

Isn't the point though that no side in the last 10 years has achieved what you say you'd settle for above, without bringing quality youth through to the first team? It's been dominated by Wigan, Saints & Leeds.

Sides need to make the most out of the cap, and home-grown players are a lot cheaper than a player of similar quality brought in from Aus or even another SL club. That's the reason academies are so important in a league with a salary cap.

Those teams wised up to it years ago. Huddersfield and Warrington have woken up in the last few seasons. Cas have a great record too, placing an emphasis on youth too, albeit I imagine they're working to a lower cap level than the others.

It's time both clubs sorted themselves out.

Humongous bite, well done that man.

This whole how many academy graduates in the 17 do you have is becoming nonsensical now. As is the who will play 15 games comment. How do we know who will play when with form, injuries and our permanent residency at Red Hall to contend with.

This farcical holier then thou attitude of FC fans is 1, why not a lot of people like you and 2, a little bit hypocritical. Perfect opportunity for a young much maligned half back to step up to the plate this year...that's worked out well. Do you genuinely think Abdul will play 15 games this year to use your benchmarking? I'm dubious.

Fans of both teams are lying through their teeth if they say they would rather have a team full of kids instead of success. Yes a balance has to exist, which both clubs are working hard to rectify but if a kid coming in from West Yorkshire or west Sydney who is better then a kid from hull and improve the teams chances of winning then he plays every time for me. If Leon pryce scores the winning try in your cup final ( which by the look of last year was the pre season friendly ) are you going to be disappointed because it wasn't a Hull born player scoring or elated you won?

To go over it again and again is tedious and a non starter. Gone are the days of 17 hull born lads, unless you fancy trips to Rochdale, York and Workington. Winning is winning, end of.

Yes your right what you say but I was just wondering if he spends as much time on all the other super league clubs forums worrying about there squads chances are he doesn't which makes him a troll

do you think we're that bothered

And to add to the arument further, give me ANY of our new players over Welham, a home grown player who doesn't cut it. The same as Hall, local but originally FC of course. Salter is good and will play, but the simple fact is thst we have better players. If the board are willing to invest in purchasing players that are better than local lads, why stop them? Are we really bothered Hull (City) Tigers don't have many local lads? It's a shame, yes, and we will still look for local talent, but why set any limits?

Me I do not give a toss about who plays for HKR has long has they give 100% but if we had a team who were all local I would be a lot happier if they all gave 100%

Hull City don't compete in a salary capped league where value for money is massive - awful comparison. It's not about 'local' players as such, but players brought up through the ranks, they don't have to have been born in Hull, that isn't the point. Hull had Briscoe (Featherstone), Leeds have Sinfield & Watkins (Manchester-ish).

Signing a better player is fine in the short term, and it might help get you a few places up the league, but long-term if a club really wants to compete for trophies regularly, quality youth products are needed.

Problem being that academy players are only cheap for a short while, once the're any good they'll want paying as much as any bought in uk player. Southern hemisphere players are generally more expensive but unless its a constant churn it wont work.
Lets be honest if any of our local players look like being world class then they'll be off either to Aus or union for a lot more money or to a Wigan, Saints or Wire to win something. The only players either Hull club have produced in recent years good enough are Briscoe and Taylor and they've both moved. Shaul is the only other one I can see developing into that type, will be interesting to see if he hangs around long.

Bang on the money, they won't accept it though, because we're FC fans.

They don't realise that it's the exact way we've been trying to do things until the last couple of years since Pearson took over.