Callum Kemp's Hull FC step up just reward as teenager's encouraging skill laid out
Composed, level-headed, and tough. Those are just three of the words Francis Cummins used to describe rising Hull FC half-back Callum Kemp.
The academy star, who turned 18 years old on Wednesday, has been named in Simon Grix’s 21-man squad for Saturday’s final Super League game against Catalans Dragons, capping a fine first year at under-18s level for the former Hull Wyke junior.
Graduating from the club's scholarship system, Kemp, alongside his twin brother Lloyd, have looked the part in Cummins’ academy side. As telepathic as you'd imagine, that link has blossomed all season, with Callum, who has been training with the first-team for several weeks, now in contention at senior level.
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And for Cummins, who has taken charge of both Hull's academy and reserves this season, it's no surprise. This is a player who forced his way into reserves, took his chance, and kept his spot, with a place in the provisional senior squad for the final game of the season his latest reward.
"He's been great," Cummins told Hull Live. "He has shown a lot of maturity in his game, and physically, he is tough as well. We're really pleased for him. Sometimes, and especially with the first-year players, you just try to ease them in, but he's found his feet to the point where he was getting in the reserves team ahead of the lads who moved up from last year.
"He played his first game a few months ago, and he did really well, and that was it. He impressed in the academy, and it was time for him to push on. He then jumped in and did enough to keep his spot. He reads the game really well, and he takes the ball to the line really well, too.
"It's more about his composure, though, for such a young man. Both the twins have got it; they're very composed within the game, which is something that normally comes a bit later and with more experience, but Callum is very composed, very level-headed, and rarely gets too excited. He doesn't fluster, which is a tremendous strength to have. When you're put in a situation where you're playing against bigger people or first-team players, it's tough, but he handles it all. He defends very well too; he's very strong, and he's brave."
Slotting into the halves with Lloyd at full-back, the Kemp twins have impressed all year, taking inspiration from the likes of Jack Charles, who has shown, even through necessity at times this year, that there is a path to Super League. That, in a nutshell, is Hull's aim—to develop their own players, with Cummins excited at what's to come.
"Both twins are very good rugby league players," Cummins continued. "Lloyd is predominantly a full-back, but he played at centre in the academy semi at St Helens and was one of our standout players again as a first year. He's got very similar characteristics as his brother. He is very composed, and he's a tough thing."
Cummins added: "We all know the first team has had a tough old year this year, but I've enjoyed the academy as I can just see what's coming. We've had a great year, and there's lots of competition. The club has invested in the last little while, and it will repay them.
"It's just unfortunate at the moment in a tough first-team environment given injuries, results, and everything else, but the likes of Jack Charles have done a great job, and he'll be learning from it all and he'll benefit from it too. There's easier times to come for Jack, but the young lads below him aspiring to be Jack, he's dragging them through. There's a really good conveyor belt coming through. It's an exciting time for the club."
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