Hull FC are delighted to announce the new signings who will form part of the club’s Academy team for the 2025 season.
Following a third consecutive season where Hull FC’s Under 18s qualified for the play-off semi-finals, the club has now signed fifteen players to join the Academy programme at the Centre of Excellence for 2025.
Twenty players to have progressed through Hull FC’s youth programme have featured for the club’s first-team squad during the 2024 campaign, including the likes of Jack Charles, Will Kirby, Ryan Westerman and Callum Kemp – all of whom were still eligible to represent the Academy this year.
Thirteen of the fifteen recruits for 2025 have progressed from the club’s Scholarship programme this year, with two more set to embark on their Hull FC journeys for the first time in the coming months.
The Academy proudly forms part of Hull’s Centre of Excellence, a hub for developing Rugby League talent and fostering inclusivity in the sport.
Alongside our Academy sides (U17 & U18), the Centre of Excellence programme also features our Scholarship (U15 & U16), Reserves (U21), Hull FC Sports College (U17-19 Development), Girls (U14 & U16), Women, and Disability sides (LDRL, PDRL, Wheelchair) – the entire Category 1 ‘Outstanding’ rated Centre of Excellence programme is based alongside the first-team at the University of Hull.
The fifteen new recruits signed their registration papers and were presented to the crowd at half-time of Hull FC’s match against Catalans Dragons at the MKM Stadium on Saturday.
Included in the pool of players to have signed for the Academy for 2025 is Josh Horne, the son of Hull FC Hall of Fame star, Richard Horne.
Jake Staveley, the brother of first-team player Nick Staveley, will also don the Black & White colours of Hull FC for the first time in 2025.
From further afield outside of the city, the attraction of joining Hull FC has whetted the appetite of Preston Ward, a former junior with London Broncos, as well as Jackson Smith from the club’s West Cumbria Talent Hub.
Hull FC Head of Youth, Richard Tate, is excited about the promising group of youngsters who’ll be stepping up to represent the club at Academy level in 2025.
“It’s a really exciting group of youngsters who have already made great strides in terms of their own youth development through our Scholarship programme,” he said.
“Through the conversations that I have held with the players, I am really encouraged by their drive, determination and ambition to continue their development as they look to work towards forging careers as professional Hull FC players.
“At the Centre of Excellence, our Academy players are in the best possible hands with our youth development staff, alongside the brilliant facilities provided by the University of Hull.
“I’m really looking forward to continuing to work with Francis Cummins as our Head of Emerging Talent to help nurture this group of players over a big two-year period in their careers.”
The new signings to join Hull FC’s Academy in 2025 can be found below:
Ellis Chapman – East Hull | Archbishop Sentamu Academy
Thomas Cheshire – Cottingham Tigers | Hull Trinity House Academy
Finlay Davies – Myton Warriors | Malet Lambert School
Vincent Donnachie – West Hull | South Hunsley School
Tyler Eccles – Myton Warriors | Winifred Holtby Academy
Leon Hayward – Cottingham Tigers | Cottingham High School
Josh Horne – Skirlaugh | Ron Dearing UTC
Rio Kassim – Skirlaugh | Ron Dearing UTC
Zak Nelson-Hewitt – Skirlaugh | Malet Lambert School
Kirils Prigorkins – Cottingham Tigers | Hessle High School
Jackson Smith – Hensingham | Energy Coast UTC
Jake Staveley – Oulton Raiders | Crawshaw Academy
Preston Ward – Elmbridge Eagles | Howard of Effingham School
Finley Wilson – East Hull | Winifred Holtby Academy
Rhys Yorke – Myton Warriors | Malet Lambert School
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