I fail to see any real positive from this move and can't see a way i'll be convinced otherwise. I want to believe in Pearson and have backed him from the off at FC, but here he's painful misguided. I think this 'venture' is bound to fail and will be abandoned as quickly as it has begun.

I listened to Hudgell's 'interview' keenly on Humberside at the weekend (which was just a PA exercise for Hull KR). Hudgell's final statement said it all for me. Something along the lines of 'please Rovers' fans, believe me when I say I wouldn't do anything that wasn't in the best interests of Hull Kingston Rovers, as that is my one and only concern'. I wouldn't expect him to say anything else, it's his club and passion BUT this attitude is what will break the agreement.

If it is to work the clubs needs set aside their singleminded attitudes and have a common goal, for unified success at junior level in Hull. Hudgell was only a few months ago smugly claiming 'Rovers will no longer sign FC players'....now he wants this linkup? After making a U-turn and backing the marquee player rule he the wants to jump into bed with FC's 'outstanding' academy, allowing more money for player signings. I don't trust him and can't believe Pearson does either.

West isn't East, Black isn't Red and FC will never be KR. The two clubs are defined by their differences and rivalries. Breaking these down to produce a system where we share players is going to be unworkable. The draft system (which is so ill-thought out) would be impossible to implement and i'm sure there will be underhand tricks being used to ensure one club gets the player they want. Surely having a weekly starting squad of 17 players, reduced from 34, is going to limit the progress of the players? It's easy to come on the Radio and say 'the new Academy will produce future GB internationals' but that's not guaranteed. FC's last big batch of top youngsters came in 1998....and that's because they were thrown into the team all at once. Get the players a decent coach and pathway to the first team and you'll see results.

I'd reluctantly accept FC sharing Bishop Burton with Rovers, and see benefits in sharing equipment, transport and resources etc, but this is too much. This 'plan' has left me feeling like FC's identity is being tarnished. In a few years the new academy will crumble to pieces and I'll gladly be one of the many fans ready to tell people 'i told you so'....

And if it works and produces England internationals, will you be one f the fans that says "I was wrong" or one of the fans that wishes it to fail just so you can "gladly" let everyone know "I told you so"?

Obviously a lot is to do with money, there isn't 40 players aged 17-19 that are good enough to play rugby at this level and will go onto to make SL players, of all the players that played on Saturday I'd bet only 5/6 wil make it. So you are paying 10 plus players plus taking coaching etc time who will never make it.

I'm still on the fench and will see what happens in the next year or so, I hope the clubs are true to their word and they spend big on a top youth coach, who is independent to both clubs.

Of course it will produce England internationals sooner or later, just as the current system has. That doesn't mean it's the best way to go.

Well it won't have produce many to match the current system.

You're probably right, but i'd also add that probably only 3/4 of the Wigan lot will make it too.

I reckon they will be more, but they have a bigger catchment as the recruit from everywhere in the north of England plus Wales.

They seem to be better prepared, although they have no need to rush players like us as they are very successful and can ease them in.

Care to name all the England internationals the current system has produced in the last 15 years? Pretty sure you can count them on one hand.

Is that the best you can do?

Of course it would be a success to produce England internationals but surely it's preferable for them to be exclusively a product of the Hull FC club? Our team at the weekend had a large number of academy products....did that fill you with pride or were you sat lamenting the fact they won't play for England this year? Do you rate an academy's success on the amount of international caps it produces?

Saints won the Grand Final last year, remind me how many England players they had playing in the Four Nations....

But there have been some. You asked if he would admit he was wrong if the new system produced England internationals. Well the old system has produced them too. How many (let's say in 10 years) would you be happy with?

And for the record:

Horne
King
Yeaman
Briscoe
J. Hodgson

Also a few guys have played for the Knights, and Jon Wlkin came through Rovers.