Yeah smith was really poor for you last season,im giving him the benefit of the doubt tho. Hopefully it was just an ajustment for him from being the star in probably every team he'd played in coming through the ranks and probably finding things too easy,to playing against seasoned pro's where you'v got to put 100% effort in for the full 80 mins. Could be the experience he needed. Im hope the leeds staff will be telling him he needs to up his workrate from what he showed for you.

think walker is pretty much first team now. he wont play academy anymore unless the're short or something. he is way too good for that level and will gain nothing playing there, if he is not playing in first team he will be loaned out, but reckon he is going to be in and around the first team squad permanently. Oledski as well played too much open age to go back down to academy level. expect him to be pushing for regular game time or dual reg at Fev.

Im not saying that will be the academy team,walkers clearly first choice for the first team going into next season. Its a team of who i think are the best talents we'v got in our whole system who are still young enough to play academy and younger.

Yeah no way Walker drops out of the first team squad now, and certainly not back to the juniors. the lad more than held his own in the semi and then a SL GF in front of 73k. I would say the shirt is his to lose from the first game of the season.

But realistically he's still got physical development over the next few years. If he plays 20 - 25 games a season for the next three years that will be plenty.

Yes i agree but the point is he is very much a first team squad member now.

Walkers first choice fullback to start next season without a shadow of a doubt imo,but wether he is or isnt,he's a fantastic talent thats still so young he's eligible for the academy next season,and this is the point i was trying to make,we'v got some unbelievable talent in system at the minute,probably as strong as its been for a decade or more. The 17 i put up has got some of the very best lads for there age in the country. Hopfuly someone can tell me that we'v got lads that i havnt mentioned who are just as good?

Im excited about how things are looking for the future,whilst the best teenagers dont necessarily become the best first teamers,id rather have the best ones than not.

Agree. And the benefit is that we have a more than able replacement in Golding to step in as needed. We don’t have to flog Walker and can enable him to have a week off if needed.

Yep if anything I would be getting another contract in front of him.

I'd wait until midway through next season. GH has shown he usually times upgrades pretty well, and second season syndrome isn't uncommon for star juniors.

Looks like the 19's and 16's have started the season pretty well. For those who have caught any of the games, which players have been impressing?

Have we got any highly rated u15's starting there first year in the 16's to keep an eye out for this year? Cheers

I thought Dupree and Trout were an handful last night. Liam Whitton at fb looks a good prospect as well.

Cheers. Like the look of trout, he got mom against widnes in the first game aswel i think. Havnt seen much of dupree but he looks a big lad that seems hard to deal with. We'v got a lot of good forwards with size coming through at present.

The halves in the under 16s look like the best young out and out halves we've produced in a while.

A message to anyone who coaches junior rugby, please stop 'coaching' skills in relay fashion with dozens of kids sat waiting for their turn, it's killing development and I see it everywhere including Leeds foundation events.