Even though he loved playing Rugby League, he went and got a full-time job and still played a little bit but only on the side. He developed on his own and he developed even more as a person. “He was missed in all of the systems and nobody picked Will up. You sometimes just have to wait until they have developed in this physical sport. We consider Rugby League to be a late maturation sport – sometimes it can be really hard to get a read on the players at a young age. “Will’s pathway is totally unique to anything I’ve ever seen before. I think we can be a real force moving forward by using this model. “We have a lot of great kids in the area that we can get down to work with, and also draw in some youngsters from out of town and blood them into being a Hull FC representative. That stands them in good stead when they make the step up to the first-team. “The lads in our system all know what it means to identify as a Hull FC representative and understand the feeling of the passionate fans here at this club. We want to put the pathways in place to help the youth of Hull and those that come through the club’s youth system work their way up to play for the first-team,” Shenton said. The model of the club moving forward in terms of improving its youth programme is now showing that it works. “I think it’s great news that we’ve been able to keep hold of these lads. Speaking to for a feature-length interview, Shenton shared his thoughts on how the club is bearing the fruits of moving forward with their youth programme. Meanwhile, Gardiner joined Hull FC’s system as late as last year, when he was scouted for the Reserves team having impressed for local National Conference League outfit West Hull. Shenton coached Staveley and Jebson in the Academy in 2022, giving them all of the necessary support to make the step up to train with the first-team squad on a regular basis. The club’s Head of Emerging Talent is currently halfway through his second season with the Black & Whites, having enjoyed a playing career that spanned almost 20 years with Castleford Tigers and St Helens. Centre of Excellence News Wednesday, Michael Shenton believes the contract extensions recently signed by Will Gardiner, Nick Staveley and Zach Jebson is proof that Hull FC’s current youth programme is in a good place.

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