Grading Hull KR

Craven Park: how it could look

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Teams

• Hull K R

With clubs being asked to put their bids in for a permit to take part in the competition from 2009, every week Angela Powers will be out and about seeing how the candidates meet the necessary criteria.

Hull KR are the latest team to come under the spotlight and things don't look straightforward for the team that have done so well since their promotion to Super League two years ago.

Craven Park is an old-style stadium which doesn't meet the standards of a premier competition, but they are planning to expand to the required capacity of 12,000 and they pick up a further point for operating at 40 per cent full.

Even though their average gate has risen from 3,000 to more than 8,000 in recent years, it still isn't enough to earn the point for attendances of more than 10,000.

The Robins have had some rocky financial moments in recent years, but with hard work they've managed to turn the club around and can now say they are solvent. Although they are not there yet, they also claim that they are on course to turn over more than £4million, but do not earn a point for that yet.

Despite their good start to life in the top flight, they have not been in Super League for long enough to pick up a point for contributing to the competition, they do not meet the requirements for junior development and with local rivals Hull so close by, they do not earn a mark for geography.

With no salary cap breaches they pick up only four points in total and by our calculations they would earn a C Licence, which would not guarantee them a spot in Super League.

Paul Lakin, Hull KR's chief executive said: "I'd like to think our actions have spoken a little bit louder than our words over the last three years.

"We've made it into the competition, we've survived and we're consolidating our position now.

"We're developing our infrastructure, bringing in international players, bringing the kids through, developing our facilities so it's not words it's deeds.

"We are delivering on our promises and my open expectation is that the RFL will understand, acknowledge and recognise that and see that us as a club will develop into something fantastic over the next three years."