Wow 10 in the last 5 years well done. How many of them are still with you and have gone on to be first-choice first teamers?

Obviously maths isn't your strong point but it's been four seasons 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Go on then in the same timescale how many players have played for both Hulls Academy and the first team then we know just how far we are behind you?

Whats the point your trying to get accross ?

Initially 10 foreigners in a first choice 17 is shocking, now 1 player who came through your academy in your first choice 17 is shocking.

Why is it ?

Because the development of the English game is more important than any one team trying (and failing) to get a massive advantage by exploiting every loop hole in the world.

To grow Rugby League we obviously need the wider public to take a greater interest a great way to get that is by having a winning England team - it was obvious what England RU winning the WC did for them in terms of publicity. The England football side is faltering as is the England RU, RL has a decent chance to step up to the plate.

I'd also personally like to see my country win against Australlia. While I don't think Justin Morgan should care been an Aussie and a big Aussie lover you'd hope that the ones in charge at Hull KR could see how poor it is for them in the long term. It's so short sighted it's unreal, in the last 5 years the best teams have arguably been Hull, Saints, Wigan and Leeds all of which have the best academys, just look at the succesful Saints/Leeds teams who had a massive English core not a few Aussie rejects.

So it's Hull KRs fault england/GB have been crap for the last 40 years

The fact that you think Hull Fc have been in the top 4 teams (notice the word is teams not clubs) pretty much blows your objectivity (sp) out of the water bye bye.

The clubs look after themselves at the end of the day and if the powers that be say its ok then its the clubs perogative to sign the best players they think are available to them.

The problem is the RFL and its lack of bottle in applying rules in any facet or form


Hull haven't signed Westerman to benefit England much like they aren't after Rovelli to weaken England

That hasn't been the choice that has faced us though. Bringing through youth takes time and we had to build a SL team pretty much from scratch. If we could have magicked the spine of from a standing start you think we'd choose not to? Aussies are not just a quick fix - they are the [ionly[/i quick fix. Now we need to start (or rather complete the process of) producing a decent player or two a year to get us up to SL standards (the standards that give us now chance against Australia, sadly).

Oh I agree, I see why people do it don't get me wrong, it happens in every sport in England. When was the last time Man United brought through an England international from their academy? Now compare it to the last time Barcelona brought a Spanish international through theirs. It's one of the reasons why we aren't the best at football and rugby (league or union)

Like i said Maths obviously isn't your strong point, the last 5 winners of thew Challenge cup have been

2006 - Saints
2007 - Saints
2008 - Saints
2009 - Warrington
2010 - Warrington

As you will know we have a fair few players who come through our academy at Hull and its probably the reason why we are pants. I bet you , yourself would rather we went to the NRL and got a half back rather then try our arm at one of our academy scrum halfs.

I suppose you have a problem with us signing the likes of Fitzgibbon and O Meley, despite the fact that there professionalism and guidance have undoubtley helped our younger players just get better and better. Houghton would be nowhere near the player he is today if he hadn't have played under Berrigan.

Just selecting English players for the sake of it will not make us have a stronger English team especially when they are average at best. To be the best we need to learn from the best so if any NRL star is willing to come over here and it will improve our competition as well as the intensity in every game that it is for the better. Because what English players we have out there will benefit hugely from it.

The problem on the international front is not jst the fact of the lack of talent, but the poor coaching many academy clubs get and to an extent some first teams get. We play too many games and too many games that don't have enough intensity in them. I reckon every top 8 NRL side would beat England at the moment, thats not down to the lack of English talent its down to the fact they play in a better competition and recieve far better coaching. Not only that they have less games and bye weeks which means they rest players and also gives players longer pre seasons to improve the game.

I fear for our youngsters we have at the moment, people like Tomkins, Briscoe and even Graham play in seasons that not only contain 27 regular rounds and a play off series but the challenge cup as well. They then go off to play with England for 6 weeks and after there break they end up missing alot of the teams pre season, a time which should be used to improve players.

The simple answer is not just to fill every squad with home grown players because that will damage our competition more rather then improve it. I don't buy the whole if England win it will boost our games coverage and audience, considering the whole tournament isn't exactley common knowledge to every person walking down the street.