Hull Kingston Rovers hooker Shaun Lunt’s state-of-the-art Rugby League scouting system has been a big hit with Super League clubs.
The former Leeds and Huddersfield hooker set up HQ9 earlier this year, a player profiling website that allows aspiring young players to showcase their abilities to scouts across Britain.
Lunt came up with the idea in an attempt to “give something back to the game”, and to ensure that players away from the Rugby League heartlands, notably his native Cumbria, are seen by those in charge of spotting the best talents for the country’s top clubs, increasing their chance of earning a contract at a club.
The website launched several months ago, and Lunt revealed that he is very satisfied with its impact so far.
“It’s going really well,” he said.
“I was speaking to a Super League scout who uses the website. He told me how he went to go and watch a game, and he was impressed by a young player that he had originally seen on the website, so he knew a lot about him before he got there. He realised that he was playing out of position that game, and that was down to HQ9, because when you set up your profile you can designate your preferred position.
“It is getting the kids seen, and that’s all I wanted.”
Its early success has attracted almost every Super League club to use the website as a key scouting tool.
“Most of the clubs are signed up now and I’m getting a lot of interest,” said Lunt.
“It’s so helpful for them. It brings the whole of the UK to the computer screen, which can’t be done otherwise as they can’t possibly go around all the clubs.”
