Squad size

Quote: Dave K. "The signing of the Wakey lad opens up a grey area in the joint academy.

How old are the players when the draft system comes in?
I know both clubs have ring fenced players for the next few years, but does this player count in that?
If because he has signed a FT first team contract with the club, what's to stop you or us in the future, signing players from the academy at 16 on first team contracts thus avoiding the draft system.'"

It's an interesting point and I can imagine tensions in the future.

However, scrapping the club-trained rule has simplified things considerably. I don't think the draft will work. I reckon Rovers or Hull, or indeed Cas or Saints (etc and vice versa) will just offer graduates of the academy contracts and it will be up to the players to choose. The 'ownership' of young players and 'protection of investment' associated with club academies, while understandable, isn't always best for the players and by extension, developing homegrown talent. Josh Hodgson kicking on with us or Jordan Abdul developing rapidly at Hull being examples of how free movement can be a good thing. Being player-centric rather than club-centric is one of the potential advantages of the new system, IMO.

That said, clubs need an incentive to invest, and the opportunity to offer a full-time contract to an academy-contracted player, before he 'graduates' should give Hull and Rovers a good chance of securing the best local talent. If we both want him, then it'd just be up to the player.

That's if it lasts a few years, which is a bit of a rarity in RL.

Specifically on the lad from Wakefield, as it was a Hull KR announcement rather than an academy one, I assume that he is old enough to be part of the ring-fenced cohort or has signed a senior pro deal - though I'd guess not at just 16. Edit - actually reading around a bit, it does look like he's got a senior contract.

There's nothing to stop either of us signing players ft (once they're old enough). And it'd avoid any draft - if one or both clubs think they're ready then great. I can see a flurry of signings immediately before a draft, which is part of the reason I don't think it'd work.