I don't think we'll be doing things quite like that (and impressive as it sounds, I'd worry a bit about hot-housing young lads). But the principle is right. Focusing resources, rather than spreading them as widely (i.e. thinly) as possible.

I know many fans identify with these teams (probably even more on the other side of the river, of late), but to me they're a means to an end, rather than an end in themselves.

Looking at the pure business side of things it would be interesting to compare the return on investment of each academy player which achieves 10 or more superleague games with that of the rest of the superleague clubs. That may be a good indicator of coaching, ability and quality.

Strange how so many Hull youth teams play in national/regional cup finals and yet local lads fail to make much of an impact after that!

Sad that the heart has been ripped out of both clubs as the juniors are the lifeblood, in what on the face of it appears to be nothing more than a cost cutting exercise. Although open minded to hear both clubs explanations and the pros and cons I genuinely feel the cons have it.

Sad day, redundancies and failed expectations i feel.

PS: I wonder if a certain Mr Peacock will think this is a progressive step? Now that would be an interesting answer!

I appear to be the only person in the world that likes this idea.

What both clubs have done so far hasn't borne many fruits since Hull brought through Cooke, Yeaman, Horne as top players.

We need to try something different.

Currently Hull's set up is better than ours,however, who have they produced over the last five year's? Lineham.

But look at football, the top clubs attract players, juniors from all over the world.

Rugby league is bigger than Hull, maybe we might be able to put together an elite youth development scheme.

If an when we unearth some gems, then, let's worry about how we divvy them up.

fair point but lineham was from York and didn't join us till he was 19,we have had a few who might make it abdull htw etc but like you am prepared to see how it goes

Abdul came through Rovers scholarship and U16's so hard for Hull to claim development rights on the lad.

Who?

People seem to think if it's a draft system and say rovers pick a player who supports Hull that it's going to be a problem and he won't want to play for us and vice versa but both clubs are already full of players who don't support the team they play for

Of course. And I'd disagree with Easty - Abdull is your product, just as Larrikin Liam Watts is ours. Imo. And according to the rules.

But who cares? None of them play for us now. I don't think about the young local colts halfback whose opportunities were curtailed by the arrival of Roger Millward in the 1960s. Actually, now I am, but you know what I mean.

It shouldn't be about scoring points off one another, or worrying about Minns being ahead of Hallett in the pecking order, because he might be... well, better.

I want to see good players in a successful Hull KR team. If they come through the academy, in whatever form, then great. If they're Australian, Polynesian, Melanesian or Lancastrian, that's fine too.

We've been too ready to swallow how Leeds, Wigan and Saints want to see themselves, rather than what they are, which when you boil it down is a rather less romantic recipe for success. They're selling a dream that is based on a very questionable premise, in which cause and effect are reversed. Again imo.

The one-size fits all tick box approach of licensing reinforced it.

This merger might not work and it'll certainly offend some fans' sensibilities, but to me it seems very rational for our two clubs, their current circumstances.

Lancastrian?

That's going too far.

The argument against elite junior programmes - Josh Mantellato - he never spent a day in an elite junior programme. He got himself fit enough to be an elite sportsman due to his job as a personal trainer at a gym and learnt his kicking skills in his backyard by himself. He got his break at age 23 after being a standout in a country football league, and after paying his own way to play for Italy in World Cup qualifiers.
But I suppose he is the one in a thousand who didn't come through an elite junior set up to reach the top these days.

NO I am with you on this goose has i have said on a post on this thread i will be happy for it to work i just have my fears it will not but if it does it will be no thanks to the RFL

I also had stated my positivity for this idea. I think there are clearly things that the clubs haven't yet disclosed, but in theory I am behind it. A couple of things though....

Name: Humberside does not exist, so not even a sniff of that horrible name. Hull and East Riding, (although the name of the Union club that used to frequent the circle) or Hull and East Yorkshire, or even Hull Thunder Robins, but not Humberside!

Colour: whilst I can see the merit of yellow and blue (HCC colours) we will clash with Leeds and wire, so an away shirt of red and black would be acceptable.

Coaching: are we to use a mixture of our current set ups? with all our current sides doing well and improving picking and choosing coaches may be a massive headache especially with the perceived best mate culture at FC

Director of Rugby: Was Jamie Peacock aware of this before he signed up, if not I wonder how he feels about it.

The draft system: this will, I believe be a bit more straight forward than imagined. However a good point made by another poster was if a club has real injury problems and the draft isn't while after u19, what happens then? Or is there a mini draft after u16?

Just a few thoughts at this early stage, I'm sure others will have their own thoughts on this but let's get them out there.