From the Wakefield Express.



We have promoted 7 promising academy players to full time contracts.



Young stars, Danny Cowling, James Davey, Dale Morton, Russ Spiers, Matt Wildie, Kyle Trout and Matt King will start life as professional rugby league players after signing 2 year contracts.



Morton and Davey have already featured in the reserve grade, and have made their sl debuts v salford and hull kr respectively. Morton also scored a try against warrington last week.



And if im correct, Cain Southernwood is already on a full time contract with us???

You are correct, sir

Ny news on the Anekin kid, he seemed to be getting some good reviews.

Good news for both the players and the club. Clearly there is an element of fortune in getting a bumper crop like this, but the increasing focus on producing and retaining talent through the system has surely played a big part in this. From the players point of view, it would be amazing if most/all of these can progress, but they've made a key step in going from u18s to full-timers, and most importantly they have done this with Wakefield. Hopefully the team spirit they have developed coming through the ranks together should help them make the transition.

Good news and good luck to the lads.

Good work from the Wakefield academy structure.





In reality if you get two players from there to progress to be regular first team players the system will be doing it's job.



Just as an aside, Wigan have about six players who are still of academy age who are playing regular reserve grade.

www.wakefieldwildcats.co.uk/wild ... 06099.html

www.wakefieldwildcats.co.uk/wild ... 06099.html

That for me is the one notable absentee from the list.

Hope were still in negotitation.



However, we've got to be realistic and with our budget we cant expect to keep them all, as certain nearby clubs like nicking our talent.



And an academy table topping side wont go unnoticed by the blood hounds.

Maybe he's gone over to the dark side and signed with a union club.

So many jokes if/when this kid makes it.



I remember a while back the club were in discussions with 8 academy players, was he the eighth? I apologise for digressing from the good news of the 7 lads signing up. Hopefully the club will get this news on superleague.com and the television text services.

I considered posting to ask who wasn't on this list too, but thought it might seem a little negative.



From what I've seen of Annekin (only 3 games) he's an odd one to predict if/how he'll progress. He looks very good in his age group and is a big lad for his age in terms of build, but he isn't the tallest for a back rower.

what about blake? is he already full time?