[urlhttp://mobile.hullfc.com/News/Article/40674/hull-fc-hull-kr-announce-exciting-super-academy[/url

An absolute insult to both clubs histories!

You know what, it's good to see clubs collaborating rather than trying to beat each other down. Particularly for the Hull clubs, it's a remarkable step and one that in principle at least should be supported. It should mean access to a better standard of coaching and facilities.

The only concern for me would be the draft system. How would that work? Surely it should be on a market value basis? Both clubs have the same cap, so presumably the draft pick would favour the club that did worse the previous season. That is completely unsustainable for me. If one of the Hull clubs was consistently doing better they would lose the best academy products to the other Hull side?

That and the prospect of a club merger in the future.

1st step to a full merger ??

Tainting our future stars, scummy FC! Lol

We'll see how successful it is, if it produces more first teamers for both clubs then it's great. Been a long time since we both consistently produced internationals.

Let's face it, something needs to be done. It's ridiculous that we can't get a club out of Hull which consistently challenges at the top end of the competition. With FC's ground, their combined support, and the huge amateur scene, Hull has got to rank as the most consistently underperforming part of the RL heartland.

This is definately not the first steps to a full merger, as Neil Hudgell states plainly in the official statement. It would make no financial sense to do so. The best gate both clubs get is for the derbies. Removing that would be a mistake. Plus, the innevitable would happen with a relaunch of clubs with the original names in the lower ranks.

I don't stand on the terraces and shout Come on Rugby League, I shout Come on Rovers. If the club folded I would probably just give up watching the sport, after all, as a full time employed middle aged bloke, there's plenty of pressure already for me to do other things.

As for the merged academy? It may work and get more kids involved although the draft system is the big unknown.

I totally agree. If you have a youth player who grew up watching Hull FC to be then told he has to play for Hull KR, what would happen? You can't force a player to play for a club he doesn't want to.

Indeed, and what happens if say a promising hooker comes through the ranks (something we need as backup/interchange) but Rovers have the first pick, and FC then end up with say another 2nd rower that we don't really need and who won't get a game. You end up with the young players becoming disgruntled with the lack of first team opportunities.

Ridiculous penny-pinching behaviour that is surely against the RFL criteria for SL membership?

Worth noting that both of these clubs voted against bringing back U21s that has caused problems in developing players ever since.

A merger between the two clubs would make sense on the field, but this is a cost cutting measure and nothing more.

Yes you can. You build that part of it into the contractual arrangement of him signing for the academy in the first place. You can't stop them signing for an external side, but that would be covered by existing rules re. compensation.

I think some people are confusing the draft system. Under a 'normal' draft system the picks would be allocated, not the players. So if Hull came above Hull KR, Hull KR would get pick 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 etc with Hull getting 2, 4, 6, 8. The club with first pick then chooses the player they want. If Hull with pick 2 wanted a hooker, they could choose one, they wouldn't be forced into signing a player they didn't want.

All depends on how they format the draft. In America they allow all kinds of trading of draft picks.

It's something the sport could definitely look at. The big clubs have a massive hold over youth players. The likes of Salford, Warrington, Widnes, Cas, Wakey have always struggled to sign up even the players from their own towns because of the academy reputation of clubs like Leeds, Wigan and Saints.

I really can't see the benefit of this to Hull FC?

When he arrived at Hull FC, Adam Pearson made some big promises about "massive investment in the Academy structure" as part of revamping the club.

Just four years later, he's looking to cut costs in that very area.

He'll be full time at Leeds United as soon as he can find someone else to take Hull FC off his hands. It's the way he works. Come into a club, slash costs, sell on at a profit. Said as much when he first got involved.