A TRIO of York teenagers have taken a big step on the road to rugby league stardom after signing professional forms with Super League giants Hull FC.

Prop forwards Simon Wadsworth and Danny Holder and full-back Tom Dunmore, who are all under-18s, have signed for the Airlie Birds' academy from local amateur club York Acorn.

Wadsworth said: "Tom started at about under-8s, I started the year after and Danny started about three years after that, so we've played together for a few years now. It makes it easier that there's three of us going down together. I was a Leeds supporter but now I'm a Hull fan 100 per cent."

As for their aims, Wadsworth summed it up for the three of them in saying: "It's to hopefully become full-time and make it in Super League."

Elland Road is to stage the final of the Rugby League 2004 Gillette Tri-Nations Tournament, on Saturday, November 27.

It will be the first time Rugby League has been played at the stadium for seven years. Elland Road has staged several top RL matches and was home to Hunslet for a spell before their move to South Leeds Stadium.

Competing against Great Britain in the Tri-Nations Tournament will be Australia and New Zealand.

Gillette Tri-Nations Tournament - Oct 16: New Zealand v Australia (venue to be decided); Oct 23: Australia v New Zealand (Loftus Road); Oct 30: GB v Australia (City of Manchester Stadium); Nov 6: GB v New Zealand (Huddersfield); Nov 13: GB v Australia (Wigan); Nov 20: GB v New Zealand (Hull); Nov 27: Final (Elland Road)

Updated: 11:06 Wednesday, May 19, 2004