Hardly a "parade", was it? Just happy that Hull FC have provided 3 players to the national team including the captain with another in the squad too. Good evidence of progress for us in terms of genuine youth development as opposed to talking a good game for several years and delivering next to nothing . Any game v Australia we don't get hammered in is a positive regardless of selection filters you apply.

That's a relief, maybe when all these kids grow up you'll have a chance of catching England and NZ up at full international level

As Mrs B says, and was 'subtly' indicated by the congratulations to the 9 clubs with players in the England team, the score that really matters isn't 18-22 to Australia, rather Hull 3, Rovers 0.
We're now at the stage were Rovers youth development since promotion can be fairly assessed - and it's been nowt special. This is clearly indicated by the relatively small number of players playing SL with any regularity it has produced. I (predictably and 'just because you're losing' ), turned my back on England Academy selection as a meaningful metric after a few years of us getting no lads even in the large initial squads. It now almost provides a perverse sense of annual vindication that we have no representation. Until we do, of course, then I shall seize on as evidence that Rovers are doing better and/or finally getting the recognition their hard work deserves.

I've just looked at the squad and it's a worry that a lot of those seen to gave disappeared from rugby, neither mind not playing SL, what happened to Bell?

Interestingly two of those are at Rovers next year.

The main plus for me isn't beating Rovers 3-0, but having as many players in the 17, as the likes of Wigan and the other top clubs. Rovers really need to step up their youth system, so they can stop relying on loan players from other clubs and when injuries hit, they use they youth system to cover that loss. Your head of youth one reckons your academy is up there with the best, now it's time to start producing these players.

With SL having a salary cap, and many teams spending upto it, the onus is on getting as much value out of the cap as possible. A player brought through at the club is a lot cheaper than an equivalent player from elsewhere, so youth should be the focus (& complimented with some quality signings).

Take Leeds' side over the past 10 years for example, with Sinfield, Burrow, McGuire, Hall, Bailey, JJB etc etc. Or the great Saints team mid 00's, with players like Wellens, Graham, Roby, Cunningham. Wigan the last few years have brought through a ridiculous number of youngsters. (Warrington are to an extent the only exception).

That's the blueprint, and we seem to be trying to emulate it by investing in our youth over the past few years. There's was a clear drop-off in our production line between say 2009-2012, which we're lead to believe was due to underinvestment by the old board, hopefully we'll see that if financed properly we can produce the right players. Time will tell, but it's looking promising.

Yeah, I was just pretending to be horrid to Mrs B. I was curious about Bell a while back and looked him up on Twitter. From what I could tell he had a normal job and was doing okay. He did say to a friend of his that he missed playing, but was glad he got out when he did. Look like a massive stalker now, don't I?
I agree with your point about bedding youngsters in rather than bringing in loan players. I think we have struggled on a couple levels with that - having enough kids who are ready and having enough strength around them to ease their transition. But it's certainly a realistic target, whereas saying (like the poster after you) we don't match up to Leeds, Wigan and Saints is true, but has to be considered in the context that they have much more money to spend. Rovers could fund increased academy spending by cutting the first team budget, but that imitates Cas more than the big clubs. Rovers went that way a bit in 2012 - it wasn't a successful season, but it was certainly instructive, in terms of how often and quickly potential is fulfilled and how patient (or not) fans are.

Wow. Yes, that's all that matters Even by my standards, that's weird thinking. Now that Pete Grayburn is planning to deliver Wigan/Leeds style success imminently, you may have to rethink your positioning of youth development as a "nice to have" though.

Back to Turgut. Obviously behind Ellis, Mini, Thompson and Hadley. Hope Radford chooses to get him some gametime this year but at least we know if he's playing well enough he'll likely get the chance.

I don't think radford is bothered about winning the u19's beyond the benefits of developing a winning culture at the club. I'm sure he's sensible like everyone else and sees that the youth structures at any club is about developing first team players, not winning meaningless comps.

I've not really seen much of the rovers team at u19's. Who do you rate in there and what positions do they play? It would be good to see local talent finally coming through no matter which side of the river it's on

You've been saying this for years. In 2011 you said in 3 years time Beharrell and co would be climbing the steps at Wembley or something like it. Maybe you meant selling programmes. When you're doing a jig celebrating rlCampese'srl arrival as a 13th new blocker of homegrown talent that strikes me as partial acceptance of actual, rather than fictional/claimed, order of priorities. That sounded a bit like Zod, sorry. Where is he BTW?

Look, I've no idea whether any of the current crop at FC will make it. But surely the latest international picks and Radford backing up words with action in selecting the likes of Logan and Lancaster are simply good things for Hull FC that deserve some small acknowledgement.. Quite why Rovers moderators feel the need to belittle it, saying it's either meaningless or "our kids are better than yours" is unnecessary derailment.

Back on topc, which is England's U19s. Anyone know how Ash Golding of Leeds went? He looks top drawer.

To be fair blockers of homegrown talent (or fantastic pros with loads of experience they can pass on to the youngsters in the squad; whichever you prefer), can only be sensibly made as a nett measure. We've moved on roughly as many 'pathblockers' as we've signed. Not an ideal level of churn, but that's a different issue.
It'd be as churlish not to acknowledge the achievement of Jansin Turgut, Jordan Abdull, Jack Logan and Callum Lancaster, as it would be to use them as bicker bait. And clearly neither you nor I are doing either of those things. It'd be a most unbecoming, for middle-aged folk who really should know better.
So well done to them, genuinely.

Mrs barista and mild rover having a spat how strange as I like both of them because they generally have good balanced arguments. come together you two

Abdul had a very good game, but both Lancaster and Turgut were poor. I hope it was just a one off as they are both players who I tipped to have big futures in the game. Toby King was Englands standout player.