I think in every highlight reel I have seen this season Waka has being a stand out, looks a handful for defenders. Tough to judge with only seeing short clips but to me Martin looks more of a better prospect than Barron.

Find it strange that the reserves is the only format where there is no Play-offs, but I guess that's the RFL for you

Another win for the 18s at the weekend away to Castleford. Roman Dawson has had a great season

Just watched the highlights, Dawson looks an unbelievable runner, so quick and strong, only first year in the academy too. Played wing, centre and backrow.

Academy lads make the tough trip to Saints this Sunday for their Semi Final, good luck to 'em.

Won't be bringing any into the first team for this weekend then

Just seen it as well. It's too early to tell but he looks like he's got all the attributes to go all the way to the first team.

With Clifford back, there isn't the need to bring anyone from the academy for this game.

https://twitter.com/hullfcofficial/stat ... 7zC5g&s=19 End of a good campaign - no shame in losing to Saints.

https://twitter.com/hullfcofficial/stat ... 7zC5g&s=19 End of a good campaign - no shame in losing to Saints.

We certainly have some promising young lads coming through.

I thought you said that the club was rotten to the core?

Don’t take this the wrong way, well you can as you normally do, you seem to just pick the faults of a certain few posters and their comments - your opinion is never humble , in my humble one.

There is no better person, than Shenton, to mentor young Dawson in modern centre play, maybe he'll be our Ben Crooks, of 2013, version for 24, but whatever, the club is certainly nurturing the young talent now more effectively than in recent years. Even if they don't make the grade, they'll be better people for their experience.

However tempting it might be, I wouldn't play the kids against this team, of all the teams in SL. They'll be aiming to rubber stamp their credentials ahead of what could be an historic 5th GF in a row and will not show any mercy, so this wouldn't be the game I'd choose to blood them in. Would be nice to think some of our departing players will sign off with a rousing , gutsy performance and it would help quell a bit of the unease among supporters if we turn up and have a real dig. I'm flying out to Turkey to meet a few old pals and get my teeth fixed, so I won't see the score until Sunday. Hoping for a nice surprise, who knows? Stranger things have happened, or have they, but we may just give it to them?

Who from the Academy are getting first team contracts next year do we think? Harmon and Armstrong seem likely. Anyone else?

Harman, Armstrong, Hodgson and potentially Wainhouse are the four I can think of.

Think those 4 are definitely, maybe Moy and Medforth too.

Year after will be Charles, Dawson and Hutchison.

Always one or two surprises too.

Isn't Wainhouse 17? Might be a bit young for a prop.

Hodgeson is 18 but I think he could still play academy next year. I'm not certain how that works.

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2023/09/ ... and-final/ Looks like Wigan got a bit giddy on the old interchanges

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2023/09/ ... and-final/ Looks like Wigan got a bit giddy on the old interchanges

Four over the the eight. Most of us have made that mistake.

One positive story today !!! Our Academy has just been graded Outstanding by the RFL .

It's very good news though the proof is of course in the pudding and the quality of talent that establishes itself in the first team.

Pretty good guess, between us mamaged to name 7/8 with the suprise player being Bursell.

One thing I like is that 6/8 are pivot players, if we can start to fill the most important positions with local players (like Saints) who have had 1, 6,7, 9 and 13 with ex academy players then we can use our quota spots very wisely l.

With the news that another Div 1 team has gone out of business i would have thought instead of trying to think of a way to keep Div 1 running that S/L clubs who want to have a meaningful Reserve grade weekly fixture list enter a team for 2024 in div 1.
Seems that there are only six or seven teams including ourselves capable of or wanting to produce a decent reserve side so it would be beneficial to both the S/L clubs and to the RFL as it gives then a lot more time to think about what to do with Div 1
I am certain that S/L clubs who opted for this could fulfill the scheduled so called reserve fixtures with academy players given the games this season seemed to be every two weeks or even cancelled.

Not a bad shout that to be honest, as the RFL really need to come up with something better in terms of the reserve league as having some teams cancel shouldn’t be acceptable.