29 replies to this topic

[flyingking]

Brian McDermott confirms what was already widely suspected
http://www.bbc.co.uk...league/20393791

[tim2]

Good. Perhaps we'll start developing our own players and if the best of our best now choose to play in the NRL that can only help our international sides.

[RidingPie]

Whilst I agree this is a great time to focus on junior development throughout the club structure (I don't just mean the SL clubs), I do hope we don't just become a feeder league for the NRL and Union.

[The Parksider]

Whilst I agree this is a great time to focus on junior development throughout the club structure (I don't just mean the SL clubs),

Note McDermott does not advocate signing people for the sake of it.

Develop the game through the schools and amateur junior structure first......

Without that there's nobody to sign.

[dhw]

Good. Perhaps we'll start developing our own players and if the best of our best now choose to play in the NRL that can only help our international sides.

Losing ESL's best players to NRL is not good for RL in Europe and in some ways would have a detrimental effect on International squads.

[Griff]

The current strength of the Australian dollar doesn't help, either. Or the weakness of the Great British Pound - whichever way you look at it ...

The dollar was worth about nine bob last time I went - now it's more like 12/6.

[keighley]

This was a predictable development but still they want to cut their developmental teams and farm the rest out to the feeder clubs. Go figure.

[roughyedspud]

instead of blowing money on aussies i'd use some of it to send the best academy talent to australia for a season...invest in our talent!

[RidingPie]

instead of blowing money on aussies i'd use some of it to send the best academy talent to australia for a season...invest in our talent!

The only problem in that is what happens if they don't come back?

I'd rather we invested in our youth system enough that it was a similar standard to the TC over there.

[barrowraiderskid]

Losing ESL's best players to NRL is not good for RL in Europe and in some ways would have a detrimental effect on International squads.

If we have plenty of internationals with the players in the NRL on show I don't think it'll be a problem and will only help our game.

[RidingPie]

If we have plenty of internationals with the players in the NRL on show I don't think it'll be a problem and will only help our game.

The problem comes about if SL is seen as a feeder league for the NRL and/or Union. That significantly devalues our competition and will lead to us getting less money from our sponsors etc. Also it might not be that great for England as a team either as the Aussies tend to like the best playing for them. Usually we've seen them mostly taking kiwi's or tongans etc but you can bet they'd start looking to poach our players if they were over there in enough numbers.

[roughyedspud]

a true englishman would never play for australia

[RidingPie]

a true englishman would never play for australia

If they were good enough and wanted to try their hand at SOO as well... suspect they might (I hear they are paid very well for representative honours in Aus)

[foozler]

If I have understood correctly, he's looking for a centre to replace Ablett but says Ablett has been playing brilliantly in the centres and it would require a top drawer NRL player to replace Ablett. In other words, recruiting a centre isn't really a priority so this is a non-story?

Other than getting in cover for Ablett should he get injured, can't he just keep Ablett in the centre and maybe look for another prop or second rower, positions I understand Leeds to be in greater need of covering?

If it's really that bad, and they need to spend more, surely he needs to get Gary H a longer pair of arms that reach all that loose coin in the bottom of his pockets. I'm sure there's plenty in there to spend.


Anyhow, Darren Lockyer seems to think it a good thing the journeymen are no longer coming over from the NRL as he thinks there is plenty of talent coming thru over here, it just needs game time at the top level.

Edited by foozler, 19 November 2012 - 03:12 PM.

[TheChief]

Brian McDermott confirms what was already widely suspected
http://www.bbc.co.uk...league/20393791

[TheChief]

And all this comes at a time when the RFL overhaul the scholarship and Academy system, effectively limiting the chances of developing young players in our own competition.

Bearing in mind, all the changes have been approved by SL clubs.

Great timing.

[HKR AWAY DAYS]

Losing ESL's best players to NRL is not good for RL in Europe and in some ways would have a detrimental effect on International squads.

I disagree, I think it is really positive that the NRL are looking more actively at the SL for our talent. If this means that our best players go and try their hand over there then great but if someone says that it devalues the SL then maybe we should do something about that instead.

[Rascal Bongo Stork]

have the RFL and Super League Europe chip in together to buy the NRL's Titans. Fill that team with British talent (French as well if needs be) both established and younger players for experience. Keep players there for a season and then rotate them back to SLE clubs. If a player is good enough and wishes to remain in the NRL or another NRL club wants them then just keep them at the Titans rather than them returning to Super League. If the RFU comes sniffing around English talent then send 'em off to the Titans with a better deal.To sweeten the deal for the NRL, sell the rights to all Titans games to Sky, or whoever,for considerably more than whatever peanuts they've had from Premier Sports
Crackpot idea? Maybe! Still, I bet the England team would become a greater force

[roughyedspud]

the titans are £25-30million in debt

[Wiltshire Rhino]

Good. Perhaps we'll start developing our own players and if the best of our best now choose to play in the NRL that can only help our international sides.

100% agree