Four Hull FC Academy players have been named in the Yorkshire Academy Origin side ahead of tomorrow’s clash against Lancashire in West Yorkshire.
Quartet Alex Gibson, Jacob Hookem, Davy Litten, and Nick Staveley have all been named in the 20-man squad by Yorkshire head coach Danny Wilson, who also coaches the players for the Black & Whites U19s side.
The four players have all been rewarded for impressive spells for the U19s so far in 2021, including their efforts in an impressive 24-10 Hull Derby victory over Hull KR U19s last Friday.
Both Litten and Hookem have benefitted from the experience of training the first-team squad for much of the 2021 campaign, while loose-forward Staveley has impressed since joining the academy from Warrington Wolves U19s earlier in the season.
Prop forward Gibson meanwhile has gone from strength to strength in 2021 having been rewarded with the U19s captaincy on occasions this season, featuring as a regular name on the teamsheet throughout the campaign so far.
The behind-closed-doors fixture will be streamed live on Our League from 11am tomorrow and will feature many of the game’s future stars, several of whom already have first team experience.
Academy Origin is part of the talent pathway between club academy competition and full England Academy selection. In recent times Academy Origin players have made rapid strides in the senior game, such as St Helens’ Jack Welsby and Wigan Warriors’ Umyla Hanley who both scored eye-catching hat-tricks in their side’s latest Betfred Super League games.
The sides will be coached by Danny Wilson (Yorkshire) and Shane Eccles (Lancashire).
Yorkshire squad
Denive Balmforth (Warrington Wolves), Lewis Camden (Bradford Bulls), Alfie Edgell, Levi Edwards, Oliver Field, Will Gatus (all Leeds Rhinos), Alex Gibson (Hull FC), Joe Hird (Leeds Rhinos), Jacob Hookem, Davy Litten (both Hull FC), Connor Moore (Hull Kingston Rovers), Matty Nicholson (Wigan Warriors), Tom Nicholson-Watton (Leeds Rhinos), Pat O’Donovan (Wakefield Trinity), Euan Parke (London Broncos), Jason Qareqare (Castleford Tigers), Kieran Rush (Huddersfield Giants), Isaac Shaw (Wakefield Trinity), Max Simpson (Leeds Rhinos), Nick Staveley (Hull FC).
Lancashire squad
Jake Anderson (Newcastle Thunder), Cole Appleby (St Helens), Logan Astley (Wigan Warriors), Luke Broadbent, Jack Darbyshire (both Warrington Wolves), George Delaney (St Helens), Zach Eckersley, Tom Forber (both Wigan Warriors), Daniel Ganson (St Helens), Leon Hayes (Warrington Wolves), Sam Haynes (St Helens), Tom Horton-Burnett (Warrington Wolves), Ben Lane (St Helens), Harvey Makin, Junior Nsemba (both Wigan Warriors), Taylor Pemberton (St Helens), Fenton Rogers (Huddersfield Giants), Alex Sutton (Wigan Warriors), Luke Thomas (Warrington Wolves), Tom Whitehead (Warrington Wolves).
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