DEWSBURY RAMS coach Paul March says second-tier sides should tap into the Super League ranks more regularly as the bid to make the game more financially stable continues.
Championship clubs last month agreed to implement a stricter salary cap for the competition from next season onwards.
It follows serious financial issues at a string of teams, with Featherstone, where March had a spell as assistant coach, not even taking part this year.
The 46-year-old, who has previously been in charge of York, Hunslet and Keighley after representing Wakefield and Huddersfield in Super League, is used to working on one of the Championship’s lower budgets at Dewsbury.
But he is pleased his hometown club are operating sustainably under long-serving Chairman Mark Sawyer and willing to go with a largely youthful squad supplemented by loanees.
Dewsbury, who have seven wins from 16 league matches after losing 42-30 at Sheffield, currently have a trio of Huddersfield players, centre Connor Carr, hooker Monty Lumb and forward Jacob Algar, on loan, as well as Bradford hooker Mitch Souter.
And March said: “Loans aren’t always ideal, but they are part and parcel of the game, and with a bit of thought and a few tweaks, they could be made to work to the benefit of everyone involved.
“I think younger players gain more from playing in the Championship than the Reserves.
“I’d consider scrapping that, raising the age at which players can play in Academy matches and encouraging Super League teams to send out players to the Championship, maybe for longer and fixed spells. That would help their development and help Championship clubs.
“Others may think differently, but it’s clear we have to find a way to deal with the game’s financial issues.”
Versatile back Bailey O’Connor has agreed a contract extension for next season.