3 replies to this topic

[Keith T]

It was recently announced that there is to be a tie-up between Leeds and Hunslet starting in the 2013 season. SL clubs have already discussed doing away with the Under 23's and Under 20's academies and having just an Under 19's. To give fringe players game time they are looking to link up with a Championship club and it is said that up to 6 dual registration players plus 4 loan players could be available for Championship clubs from 2013 from such a link-up.

Besides Leeds and Hunslet, there is already Wigan & South Wales Scorpions and it's rumoured that Wakefield will link with Doncaster; Huddersfield with Batley, Bradford (if they survive) with Dewsbury and so on. Both the coaches at Featherstone and Sheffield are bitterly opposed to the idea and it is fair to say that this is the thin of the wedge of Championship clubs becoming nothing but feeder clubs for SL.

We already know some of the difficulties dual registration can bring with player unavailability when the SL clubs demands and the unrest it has caused at some clubs with locals having to sit out in order to play the dual reg players. We have a link up from before this idea came about with Hull KR but there is talk of them and Hull joining forces at academy level so is our link official or are we about to be left behind?

Championship club representatives haven't yet held a meeting to discuss this matter, and I believe they are due to meet sometime in September but it certainly seems as if the SL clubs and the RFL have made their minds up that this will happen. If we don't have a link then we could be playing against teams with up to 10 SL standard players next season!!!!

[DavidM]

Location again will go against us to.It's all very cosy but will give the league an artificial look, as the best teams will be the ones with the most successful link up! It's a crazy antidote to teams being motivated enough to produce their own strength in depth and it pretty much stinks. Why not just call it Super League 2. Parachuting players in block to win isn't my idea of achievement.

Edited by DavidM, 27 August 2012 - 08:08 PM.

[DavidM]

It's sensible that the structure is simplified . There should be a SL side and an NYC like in Oz , and it should be u19 not u20s. Your adult at 20- look at the kids in the NYC in Oz!!!
But... In Oz the middle ground is made up of feeder teams playing in the Queensland / NSW Cup , fully affiliated to the NRL teams. Now the danger is that our Championship becomes like that. Obviously that's what these link ups could lead to. Independence is at stake. The simple thing would be for SL teams to retain fewer players. If you only have two teams you need fewer. Don't keep a huge roster and dualreg them... Release them onto the open market , and other clubs can get them as their own.

[shaun mc]

Most of the SL clubs are strapped for cash - not just Bradford.
The top 4 especially are looking for ways to increase income and reduce costs. This is another way of offloading some costs like the u-23's. If it disadvantages the Championship clubs, well they don't care, therefore again weakening the CC clubs position, standing in the community and player development.

We are supposed to be developing as big a talent pool as possible to unearth talent to be the top RL nation. This is the opposite. It may not help clubs like Dewsbury for example with a SL club on their doorstep, but it may help Cumbria as more local players will be in their squads due to location plus 1 or 2 dual reg instead of up to 10 of them at Dewsbury.
Its more important than ever that we sign the best talent in Cumbria.