I dont think that are many Hull fans laughing at Rovers, most I've read have been in support of Rovers and Cas.

I Agree with that I don't know any who are laughing just lamenting once again the inadequacies of the RFL! Its just a catalogue of mistake after mistake, born out of self interest and talking down to the fans (their customers). the arrogance shone through last night in Rimmers interview. I know a lot won't concur with this but for me you can see how the owners of Super League Clubs, a group of business men used to running viable and profit orientated organisations in the commercial world outside the game, want to distance themselves from such chaos can't you?

Any academy is only as good as the talent they have to work with.
The real issue is the actual number of young people playing the game.
We are constantly being told that Hull is a hot bed for RL yet my experience from watching my son progress from the age of 6 to open age does not tally with that image.
At the age of 6 to 8 there where about 10 teams in total in Hull, Beverley and Holderness. By the age of 14 that was down to 4 teams with the odd friendly against one club who couldn't regularly raise a team.
That's a maximum of 90 to 100 boys playing the game at that particular age group. I would suggest if we want to create an Australian style conveyor belt of talent then we desperately need to increase the playing pool. 100 boys is hardly enough to feed one SL club let alone two.
The RFL and SL clubs themselves have to share some blame for this. The community game for as long as I can remember has been financially on its knees with little or no help from either SL or the RFL, either financial or the promotion of this great game.
The game at this level survives because of parents and volunteers.

It also has to be said that the behaviour of my club and HKR to wards these young people is scandalous. From a pool of around 100 boys they are going to have pick a significant number just to create a team, many of which I would respectfully suggest have little or no hope of ever becoming a full time professional RL player. They are persuaded for the clubs own selfish reasons to go down the academy road and chase an unrealistic dream. At 18 the inevitable happens and they are released missing out on an Apprenticeship or University. Disillusioned they are usually lost to the game.

Perhaps efforts should be channelled into creating greater participation numbers and an academy system that allows the vast majority of the young men to also carve out a career outside RL.

dont think watts played for cas academy, he was a featherstone lions junior and came to kr at 16, stand to be corrected

And now the RFL are trying to push through a £20-£30 'membership fee' that every player, coaches and even volunteers have to pay directly to them on top of the subs to their community club.

And now the RFL are trying to push through a £20-£30 'membership fee' that every player, coaches and even volunteers have to pay directly to them on top of the subs to their community club

Wow......Staggering arrogance and misreading of the situation, they talk about a Westminster Bubble !!

Quote supersport="supersport"dont think watts played for cas academy, he was a featherstone lions junior and came to kr at 16, stand to be corrected'" Was at Cas from 15 to 17. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/8536725/ ... all-corsa/ Wasnt easy to find.

Quote supersport="supersport"dont think watts played for cas academy, he was a featherstone lions junior and came to kr at 16, stand to be corrected'" Was at Cas from 15 to 17. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/8536725/ ... all-corsa/ Wasnt easy to find.

It’s the same in football, only on a much bigger scale.
The obvious point to make about all this is that, even if everyone of the players came through to the highest level. Professional RL is not a big enough sport to give them all a career. So it makes sense to limit the number you take on and ergo, the number of academies you have.

Quote Dave K.="Dave K."Was at Cas from 15 to 17. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/8536725/ ... all-corsa/ Wasnt easy to find.'" corrected

Quote Dave K.="Dave K."Was at Cas from 15 to 17. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/8536725/ ... all-corsa/ Wasnt easy to find.'" corrected

With all due respect, you don't appear to know what you are talking about.

There are people on these boards who will know the figures better than me but I do know that participation us up in our region. Up by 40% rings a bell. Certainly I've never known a time when we have only had 4 under 14s sides.

When players join Academies they either stay in full time education to work towards a qualification that allows them to go to university or they undertake an apprenticeship. They don't just train a few times a week and spend the rest of their time on their X box.

Wow that comment is exactly right on the money, Hull is not a hot bed for rugby, both K.R and F.C.
In the last 10 years the teams have produced 10 players that have made it in the game