203 replies to this topic

[The Parksider]

I noted Barry Eatons recent thoughts on the Hunslet-Leeds link up and found them to be a little more forthcoming accordingly.

Eaton doesn't dismiss the idea as "just four players on loan" but speaks of a dual "player production system" in which Leeds scout the young players and between the two clubs they develop them with the "better players" of course going to Leeds, but the best players who can't get an SL deal going (he hopes) to Hunslet.

Duality doesn't stop with registering players or the player production system, but Eaton says that RL supporters in and around Leeds can also be dual supporters too watching Leeds on the Friday and Hunslet on the Sunday.

Nice to get some plain speaking from Mr. Eaton, certainly any old rivalry is over (so Leeds haters in Hunslet will be the losers here) as is any idea of Superleague ambition for Hunslet.

Meanwhile we are reminded that independent Championship clubs are seething at the fact the dual registered players wages don't count on the Championship cap. This means that, the salary cap would be meaningless and effectively any club without a tie up could be outspent by clubs with a tie up.

It remains to be seen if in the fullness of time "feeder" clubs or "A Teams" or whatever this is best described as will come to dominate the second tier, if they do this will be quite alienating for the independent clubs. All this is fascinating stuff albeit it doesn't seem to do much for the unity of the game, The "game" seem to be a continuing power struggle.

[guess who]

Meanwhile we are reminded that independent Championship clubs are seething at the fact the dual registered players wages don't count on the Championship cap. This means that, the salary cap would be meaningless and effectively any club without a tie up could be outspent by clubs with a tie up.

This alone shows how wrong the system is.

[Ant]

Can clubs have more than one agreement? Ie can say Dewsbury link up with Bradford and Huddersfield?

[terrywebbisgod]

Can clubs have more than one agreement? Ie can say Dewsbury link up with Bradford and Huddersfield?

I know SL clubs can,Saints being a prime example.

[Ant]

So it's up to the championship clubs to make sure they can link up with a SL club then

Righto.

[terrywebbisgod]

So it's up to the championship clubs to make sure they can link up with a SL club then

Righto.

I would imagine Championship clubs would only want to link up with one SL club.

[Plan of Attack]

Meanwhile we are reminded that independent Championship clubs are seething at the fact the dual registered players wages don't count on the Championship cap. This means that, the salary cap would be meaningless and effectively any club without a tie up could be outspent by clubs with a tie up.

This is nothing but an attempt to BULLY the independant clubs into twinning . All this means is that clubs which have been independant for years will be selling thier future for a short term fix. Thier crowds will go down as fans grow dissalusioned(sp) with seeing a different squad each week and locals frozen out in favor of SL fringe players. This will set the game back 30 years

[saints10coach]

The system is a farce and a big mistake. Nothing more than a money saving exercise for the SL clubs, and nothing short of studiedness for the Championship clubs.

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

Honestly what is the point?????

So Hunslet or whoever win the tCC1 title on the back of their link up..... then what?????

They push for a SL licence?????

I don't thin.k so.

SL clubs are not in the business of helping clubs take their spot

Nope, I hope we at Oldham remain independant and show that we can do it without a tie up.

[longboard]

The system is a farce and a big mistake. Nothing more than a money saving exercise for the SL clubs, and nothing short of studiedness for the Championship clubs.

Well, it's a theory.

[barrowraiderskid]

I've already expressed my views on this subject but more and more detail is coming out and it just gets worse and worse. The rfl want 14 big clubs yet at least 3 clubs will never be big clubs. The exercise is too try and kill off independent clubs and support the big 14. If all CC clubs lose independence by twinning and some of the big 14 go bust and the rfl can't bust a gut to save them then what happens? I'm so glad my club doesn't want to twin.

[Dave T]

Has it been confirmed officially that these players will not count on the salary cap?

[PhilCarrington]

I noted Barry Eatons recent thoughts on the Hunslet-Leeds link up and found them to be a little more forthcoming accordingly.

Eaton doesn't dismiss the idea as "just four players on loan" but speaks of a dual "player production system" in which Leeds scout the young players and between the two clubs they develop them with the "better players" of course going to Leeds, but the best players who can't get an SL deal going (he hopes) to Hunslet.

Duality doesn't stop with registering players or the player production system, but Eaton says that RL supporters in and around Leeds can also be dual supporters too watching Leeds on the Friday and Hunslet on the Sunday.

Nice to get some plain speaking from Mr. Eaton, certainly any old rivalry is over (so Leeds haters in Hunslet will be the losers here) as is any idea of Superleague ambition for Hunslet.

Meanwhile we are reminded that independent Championship clubs are seething at the fact the dual registered players wages don't count on the Championship cap. This means that, the salary cap would be meaningless and effectively any club without a tie up could be outspent by clubs with a tie up.

It remains to be seen if in the fullness of time "feeder" clubs or "A Teams" or whatever this is best described as will come to dominate the second tier, if they do this will be quite alienating for the independent clubs. All this is fascinating stuff albeit it doesn't seem to do much for the unity of the game, The "game" seem to be a continuing power struggle.

Dual registered players ARE included on the cap.
If those players are Under 21 then the costs don't count, but that's the same with players that are signed directly.
That's no different to what's happened before with loan players.

[southstand loiner]

Can clubs have more than one agreement? Ie can say Dewsbury link up with Bradford and Huddersfield?

i think its one official linkup with a super league club but of course they can still take players on loan from any other super league club if they want .
as to wether loan signings would count towards the salary cap well thats another question

[Ant]

Huddersfield have announced the link up with Huddersfield, obviously the Giants get to use Batley to play some fringe payers and players recovering from injury.

Batley - or more importantly the Batley players get access to the medical facilities and treatment of a Super League club, they will me provided medical insurance by the Giants and training facilities.

In reality it is formalising a relationship thats been in place for some years, and more importantly making sure the Batley club and players get something out of it.

Seems like a good deal to me.

[davewd]

duel reg players are ok if a team has them for months at a time . This playing 1 game in 3games out and then back for 1 more game is a farce.

[Marauder]

I noted Barry Eatons recent thoughts on the Hunslet-Leeds link up and found them to be a little more forthcoming accordingly.

Eaton doesn't dismiss the idea as "just four players on loan" but speaks of a dual "player production system" in which Leeds scout the young players and between the two clubs they develop them with the "better players" of course going to Leeds, but the best players who can't get an SL deal going (he hopes) to Hunslet.

Duality doesn't stop with registering players or the player production system, but Eaton says that RL supporters in and around Leeds can also be dual supporters too watching Leeds on the Friday and Hunslet on the Sunday.

Nice to get some plain speaking from Mr. Eaton, certainly any old rivalry is over (so Leeds haters in Hunslet will be the losers here) as is any idea of Superleague ambition for Hunslet.

Meanwhile we are reminded that independent Championship clubs are seething at the fact the dual registered players wages don't count on the Championship cap. This means that, the salary cap would be meaningless and effectively any club without a tie up could be outspent by clubs with a tie up.

It remains to be seen if in the fullness of time "feeder" clubs or "A Teams" or whatever this is best described as will come to dominate the second tier, if they do this will be quite alienating for the independent clubs. All this is fascinating stuff albeit it doesn't seem to do much for the unity of the game, The "game" seem to be a continuing power struggle.

I wouldn't call it a power struggle simply because the RFL have it all, I'd call it bullying and driving wedges.

[Keith T]

A few weeks ago I asked the question about the integrity of the Championship competition with regard to the salary cap. I gave 2 scenarios whereby in one an independent club struggling with injuries signed another Championship player to get through their fixtures but in doing so exceeded the salary cap and would therefore probably be fined and have points deducted. In the other I asked if a linked Championship club struggling with injuries found themselves able to play the SL clubs top player returning after injury, how this could be allowed under the salary cap.

The response I got from Jonathon Roberts of the RFL was that each SL club player would be given a "value" for the purposes of the salary cap. I see this as another can of worms where clubs will dispute "valuations" of players and so on but how they can say that the integrity of the competition is maintained is beyond me!!!

[Padge]

People look at this stuff in a club finance way, that is not what its about.

Its about the game as a whole finance thing.

The game as a whole brings in a certain amount of money, that money as a whole can finance so many players, coaches, physios etc.

Like all businesses RL as a business needs to cut costs.

The game as a whole cannot afford every club to carry a full complement of people for every function, the RFL are looking at the Rugby League business as a whole and helping clubs (departments in a business sense) to spread costs by sharing staff.

[The Parksider]

Dual registered players ARE included on the cap.
If those players are Under 21 then the costs don't count, but that's the same with players that are signed directly.
That's no different to what's happened before with loan players.

Your answer is to Dave's question and Keith also has asked a question in connection with it and got an RFL answer.

RL World quotes Darryl Powell "clubs involved in link ups were now spending more money on a smaller pool of their own players............you could put half a £million worth of players in a championship team when our cap is £300K" .

I interpreted that as meaning that the SL players don't count on the cap, which could give championship clubs tying up with SL clubs more scope to bid for the better championship players. I take it that Powell is wrong to a point?