I was quite vocal in being against the merged academy when it was first announced. Most of us saw it for what it was, a cost-cutting exercise, and in the process we've sold part of the clubs identity & got into bed with a lower league club run by a bloke who has an innate hate for Hull FC and questionable morals.

This exodus to Cas is the first real tangible proof that the academy isn't working. It's time to cut adrift the poor relations & start funding the academy properly.

Unless we announce a new intake list with the top talent from Hull, mixed with some kids from Yorkshire, then this is a big wake up call about the failings of the COHA. Ok, results have been quite good, towards the top of their league, but this isn't a good sign

Is it, or is it that young lads feel they will get more of a chance at senior level under a coach like Powell? Both Hull and Rovers are awash with overseas players and generally when one leaves another comes in, we are all aware that the number of young local players who make it in teams is far from impressive.

To be honest even if we were in SL and I had a lad in the academy and Cas came calling I'd by him a car and a tomtom

We have 7 overseas players, Cas 6 (I think). Radford is as good if not better at bringing young players through as Powell, in Powells 3/4 years in charge how many players has he brought in from there academy to play 10 plus games a season.

It is a concern, but there is nothing to stop the signing for the COHA when they are 16 or either team when they are 18.

On another note I've seen a few teams announce on twitter which young players have signed professional terms, be nice if we could do the same.

Who has Powell brought through from the Academy? Cas, just from the top of my head, have Monaghan, Webster, Roberts, Millington, Moors, Sene-Lefao, Jy Hitchcox plus Springer from Catalan (and Larroyer). They have bought Hardaker, Eden in this season too - so where is their history of youth development? They are as "awash" with overseas players as us, perhaps more so

Compared to Hull - Shaul, Logan, Rawsthorne (albeit via Halifax but by no means a first team player with them), Fash, Matongo, Turgut, Bowden, Hadley, Downs, who have all had game time this year alone.

Maybe just how it seems but from that list of your players Shaul and Bowden have made it with Hull the rest will be shipped out probably never to return. Now whether that's them not being good enough or if just a perception of how it goes who knows.

There's also the matter of how much they are being offered as a wage, is it considerably better than they are currently getting paid.

The current under 17's age group ( first year of under 19's ) and above are ring fenced. All the under 16's and below are for the clubs to argue over

Interestingly, Netherton confirmed on twitter that 7 of the Hull lads that signed with Cas U15's were offered CoH scholarships and that there were various reasons for them doing so.

Sometimes perception isn't quite the reality.

There's no doubt that Powell is incredibly good at taking players in and improving them by moulding them to fit into his game plan seamlessly.

However, their record for bringing through youngsters isn't special under Powell. Milner & Holmes maybe, although both are 25ish and knocking around the 17 when Powell arrived. Maher? Other than that, a few youngsters have got a game here & there. I'd say a youngster has more change of game time under Radford than Powell based on the past few years.

If Hull are "awash" with overseas players, then I'm not sure what adjective to use for Cas' overseas contingent: Roberts, Moors, Hitchcox, Springer, Larroyer, Webster, Millington, Sene-Lefao, Monaghan. Hull have 7, fyi. Of course, not all count a Non-Fed, but this is a debate about youngsters & the blocking of their path to the first team.

Then look through the rest of the Cas team. Cook, McMeeken, McShane, Minikin, Hardaker, Gale, Eden - all brought in.

I'm not trying to criticise Powell or Cas, but I refute the statements that youngsters will have a better chance under Powell, and the assertion Hull have more overseas players.

the problem with academy players at fc is that you would have to be exceptional to get anywere near the first team, and with no 23s competition they want to play somewere, im sure if a future star emerges the hull coaching staff would recommend a good contract , the maybees tend to drift away and some late developers resign, it would be in fcs best interests to have their own academy at the moment,but with numbers down at youth level less likely to have many make it, surprised sheens hasn't given more game time to oakes/harris at the lower level, every game in superleague is a pressure game hence injuries only chance, it needs scrapping or reorganising so both clubs benefit

Scrap it. Now you're a lower league club again, there's no value having Rovers as a partner. We can go back to having our pick of what is a shallow player pool in the city, and you can go back to not having an academy/feeding off our scraps.

the initial idea was both chairmen wanted to save money, their faults entirely , not the fans of either club, im sure we all want the same , our own academies ,whether good bad or indifferent that's the general feeling from a keen supporter, as for the scraps no problem as long as you send the odd josh hodgson across that's fine