Until they meet the Saints academy

Watkins is the better long term prospect and Ratu would only block his progress

I think you mean the reserves as the academy is a un 18 comp in which we are at the bottom end of the league , but yes the reserves are up there !

www.sporthull.co.uk/hullkr/news/ ... ticle.html

www.sporthull.co.uk/hullkr/news/ ... ticle.html

That would indicate what the top academies were rather than are to be honest.

For example, Wakefield and Wigan/Bulls are in the academy GF this year, I think Leeds ran in 10th.

The reserve GF is Saints v Wigan after Saints beat Leeds at the weekend.

Looking forward to watching the reserve final at the JJB on Sunday, hopefully a decent crowd on.

The success of an Academy shouldn't be measured by where it finishes in the league table in any particular season, it should be measured on how many top class first teamers it produces for itself and other clubs.

Absolutely agree, but stands to reason that the better academy/reserve sides are likely to have better and/or more prospects in them.

I would imagine the Leeds team that produced McGuire/Burrow et al performed pretty well in their academy leagues - although I have no idea whether that is true or not.

Doesn't necessarily transfer into first team players though - Leeds won a Colts title (the old under 19 competition) back in the early 80s (84 I think) and IIRC only two of that side went on to represent GB - Roy Powell and Paul Medley.

Age group rugby gives you an indication of who the best players are in that age group, but not always how they will cope with the transition to open age.

Besides, with two junior competitions running side by side for the SL clubs, there is always a temptation to "fast track" the better players of the younger group up into the older group or even the fringes of the first team squad, distorting results all around.

I know Leeds went through a spell recently where the Senior Academy side had a load of kids in it who were still Junior Academy eligible, and not surprisingly they struggled for results against their older counterparts at other clubs.

I should have made my self more clear, I wasnt meaning the position of the side in the league, just the amount of ex Leeds/Saints/Wigan Acadamy players (i.e. come though the junior ranks) that are now first teamers of other clubs.

And with Ratu now going to HKR and Gibson off as well (likely cas or Salford) thats two more that have come through Leeds' Acadamy that I predict will be regular first teamers at the clubs they are going to.

Can't blame him. His choices were to hang around at Leeds being at best third/fourth choice or probably get a locked in spot at KR. I still believe Leeds shouldn't have signed Delaney.

Regardless of results our current crop includes 3 very young players who have already played 1st team rugby and look very comfortable in doing so, Allan, Jones Bishop and Watkins. If each season brings one or two of that standard its' fine and I could care less what results the Academy team produces.

In the nineties didn't we win something like 8 Academy titles in a row with very little 1st team success. I think those teams were a generation before McGuire, Burrow etc. I think it was the Marcus Vass, Kris Smith era.

I agree with you on that one.
It does seem a waste of an overseas spot on someone who is not going to set the place alight maybe like Soliola would have done.
I know people are saying that Bluey knows best and I am sure he does.
But for me I would have been happier with Ratu, Watkins and Coady to choose from.

have you seen delaney play?
are you writing him him off before you have?

coady,in blueys own words, is at least a season away from the first team.
watkins will replace senior, he looks far more comfortable on the left and will get more game time next season.
ratu i'm still not sure was good enough for a top championship chasing side.guess we will see next season if he was

Ratu will come good with this opportunity - which, after all is what it is all about, he will find a place in SL and grow from there as Gibson, Jones-bishop etc