Hull FC 'plan' in sync as club look for desired youth and recruitment balance
Richard Tate is confident he can make the most of his new Hull FC Head of Youth role alongside club Director of Rugby Richie Myler, with the club striving to achieve the right youth development and recruitment balance.
Tate, who has been at the club for a decade across two different spells, was confirmed in his new position last Friday. He is also the current scholarship head coach and academy player manager, having had previous roles at the club and in its foundation.
Pointing out Myler as a ‘fresh set of eyes,’ there is a collective belief that Hull can bring through quality young players, as demonstrated by Jack Charles, Logan Moy, Lewis Martin, etc, with Myler tasked with finding the right blend of new signings to complement them.
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"Having Richie in is like a new, fresh set of eyes and a fresh perception of things," Tate said. "That can only benefit the club. He's got some great ideas going forward, and he knows how he wants them to look over the next few years.
"However, the main thing is that he believes in these young players coming through. He's experienced, and his first-hand knowledge of it all is well up there. We have regular conversations, and he’s really passionate about it. That's a massive bonus for us and will make my job easier having that support from our Director of Rugby."
Tate will also continue to work with academy coach Francis Cummins, who has made a positive impact since joining the club last autumn.
"Franny isn't just a fantastic coach; he’s a fantastic person as well," Tate explained. "He's helping to set the standards for these young players. I was fortunate to work with Franny at Bradford Bulls ten years ago, so I've already got that relationship. Our academy is in fantastic hands at the moment, and again, we are building off the work that people have done previously.
"The foundations are in place, and now we can drive this programme to be one of the best in the country. Franny's experience with players and cultures will help us become that better and more developed team."
Confident they have the right model to go on, Myler has brought said experience to the club, as demonstrated by the signings of Tom Briscoe, Ben Reynolds (on loan), John Asiata, Jordan Abdull, Zak Hardaker, and Oliver Holmes. Tate, meanwhile, is fully behind that plan, with the club aiming to continue their recent progress with youth development, adding to their squad as they see fit.
"That balance is paramount now to the club's success," Tate said. "You look at the successful top four of Super League, Wigan, Leeds, St Helens, and the key DNA to that success over the last 10-15 years is having that young, homegrown group who have that drive and that desire to come in and represent their hometown.
“It is massive going forward that we continue to do that. They'll always be that gem from overseas or elsewhere to bring in that experience, but I genuinely believe that the future of Hull FC is bright with these young Black and Whites coming through. That's what we've got to keep driving for now, and we’re confident we can make it all a reality."
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