It's odd how you trumpet promotion of academy players into the squad as if Rovers have done something exceptional. It's a requirement to increase the number of homegrown players, so if you're releasing I'Anson and Spaven, you've no choice but to promote academy players, those are the rules.

That is perhaps true. However Justin, being the astute coach that he is, made sure that he had other irons in the fire and quickly wrapped up their signitures. Only time will tell if the two that we signed turn out to be better buys.

Spaven 1, Cooke 3, I' Anson 7. A grand total of 11 games for the 6 players you mentioned thats not even an average of 2 games per player.

The difference now though is that we are promoting youngsters from one of the best Academy sides in the country.

Missing out on them isn't the reason. The point is that the 2010 Top 5 are nailed on for the play-offs next season, Bradford will have a decent coach next year and have strengthened, plus chuck in Salford's very impressive recruitment and Crusaders building momentum and there you have it.

And whats to say where not replacing those homegrown players with better homegrown players. Testament is to the season our U18's had playing with a large amount of players that could feature in the U18's comp for 2 more years.

What's to say they are? A lot of players fail to fulfil their academy potential at SL level. Until they do and you get more than Kris Welham playing regular first team football, it's all just fancy talk.

Clutching at straws springs to mind.

With 10 of your 17 being overseas players, plus Briscoe, Fox, Colbon, Cockayne, Murrell and Wheeldon in there, I'd say it's your "promoted" academy players who'll be straw-clutching.

Might have missed this but when has Spaven been released, I always thought he looked a good hooker, wouldn't mind seeing Hull go for him for a year.

Rovers have so far done great business got rid os some top earning players who didnt really play, and replaced them with soem potentially very good players in much needed positions (a bit like our recruitment last year).

If Rovers can keep their squad pretty healthy especially Dobson you should challenge the top 4 this year IMO.