Under 18's Academy

[Bomb Jack]

It's nice to see us up there in the Top 5 Teams again. Hopefully this will bear fruit towards a License for 2012-2015.

http://www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article.php?id=1906

Group A

St Helens +200

Wigan Warriors +168

Widnes Vikings +74

Leeds Rhinos +72

Hull Kingston Rovers +20

[Chris Taylor]

Have you got an Under 15's team?

Been to watch many reserves games and the Featherstone side would beat some of the 'Super League' Academy sides.

It's very enjoyable watching the skill and flair that these lads have to show.

[MamaKangaroo]

Why no points next to Crusdaers and Catalans?

[bowes]

Why no points next to Crusdaers and Catalans?

Catalans run theirs in French Academy and Crusaders run theirs in the National Youth League

[Vengeance]

The table is now split into three based on points difference, and the teams play home and away against the other members of their group:

Group A

St Helens +200

Wigan Warriors +168

Widnes Vikings +74

Leeds Rhinos +72

Hull Kingston Rovers +20

_______________

Group B

Warrington Wolves +6

Wakefield T Wildcats +2

Castleford Tigers -18

Harlequins RL -36

Bradford Bulls -40

_______________

Group C

Hull FC -115

Salford -139

Huddersfield -234

Catalans

Crusaders

I look forward to seeing Widnes' top quality u18s come through into our first team, and hopefully play SL rugby in our 'adequate' stadium sometime after 2012.

Edited June 8, 2010 by Vengeance

[MamaKangaroo]

Catalans run theirs in French Academy and Crusaders run theirs in the National Youth League

Cheers!

[WalesRLFan]

Crusaders will play SL academy football and be replaced in Gillete NYL by SW Scorpions u18s i believe

[BroncoFan]

A couple of Widnes players can consider themselves unlucky not to make the England u/18.

[Bomb Jack]

Here are some Tries from the Under 18's Vs Hull KR

http://vimeo.com/12345914

That big No 12 for us looks handy

[Crusade]

Seems to have a touch of the Sam Burgess about him. Similar style IMO

hope to see widness back in superleague soon. they were my team back in the mid 80's with jonathan davies, offiah and tait.

[Bomb Jack]

Apparently No 12 is Adam Lawton, and he is almost 17 !

[Vengeance]

Apparently No 12 is Adam Lawton, and he is almost 17 !

Shhh BJ! They will ALL want one!

[Bomb Jack]

Shhh BJ! They will ALL want one!

[Lobbygobbler]

There is no way an under 18's academy should be used solely a reference for SL decisions.

For a start in some towns, e.g. Leigh, the local amateur clubs are the clubs of choice for most youngsters at such a young age. Why should we be punished for this path being chosen. Would it be better to eradicate amatuer systems to push these academies?

Why not include the depth of talent on a broader level within each town, including amatuer Under 17,18,19's teams?

Also some clubs (e.g. Bradford, Wire) stack their under 18's academies with lad from outside their town because they have the money to snare them. How the hell is that fair?

[Viking Warrior]

the production line is up and running, what better way to spend money than in youth development, as opposed to the quick fix of artificial glory.

[Vengeance]

There is no way an under 18's academy should be used solely a reference for SL decisions.

For a start in some towns, e.g. Leigh, the local amateur clubs are the clubs of choice for most youngsters at such a young age. Why should we be punished for this path being chosen. Would it be better to eradicate amatuer systems to push these academies?

Why not include the depth of talent on a broader level within each town, including amatuer Under 17,18,19's teams?

Also some clubs (e.g. Bradford, Wire) stack their under 18's academies with lad from outside their town because they have the money to snare them. How the hell is that fair?

Ok, lets include u16 academies as well. Most championship clubs dont even have one. Ours is merrily beating the SL teams it plays against.

But seriously, how can the SL make a judgment on outside organisations? Theyd be here till doomsday with clubs claiming all sorts of feeder teams and streams of potential players and income. There has to be a cutoff somewhere and the logical place is the actual applicant club itself? In any case, as a side note, I'd say there is very little to choose between the amateur talent in Leigh, Widnes or for that matter, Barrow, Featherstone etc, so theres no real gain to be made by including it, except where there blatantly is LESS, like Sheffield for example.

[RP London]

Ok, lets include u16 academies as well. Most championship clubs dont even have one. Ours is merrily beating the SL teams it plays against.

But seriously, how can the SL make a judgment on outside organisations? Theyd be here till doomsday with clubs claiming all sorts of feeder teams and streams of potential players and income. There has to be a cutoff somewhere and the logical place is the actual applicant club itself? In any case, as a side note, I'd say there is very little to choose between the amateur talent in Leigh, Widnes or for that matter, Barrow, Featherstone etc, so theres no real gain to be made by including it, except where there blatantly is LESS, like Sheffield for example.

also its a case of having a structue in place.. for the club itself.. IIRC the academies have to be set up in a certain way as well, education the kids beyond just how to play RL, a case of getting them set for life after RL or if it doesnt work out etc which is a good thing..

but an u18 academy is not the sole reference for a sl franchise as a stadium is not the sole reference.. it is part of a greater whole.. if Leigh dont believe they need an academy becuase the amateur youth sorts it all out then that is absolutely fine its 1 point.. there are 9 others to aim for.. you ony need aabout 5 to be up towards the top of the tree for a liscence.. but the other bits need to be good. its horses for courses..

[bowes]

What I don't get about the Under 18s is it's about 10 games but they're set to overlap with the National Youth League. Either it should be a full season OR it should be a short season with players going back to their clubs, giving players a choice between just 10 games or messing about their club by playing just the first half of the season really isn't on

[Saint Toppy]

if Leigh dont believe they need an academy becuase the amateur youth sorts it all out then that is absolutely fine its 1 point..

No it isn't

If they dont have an Academy then they have to demonstrate to the RFL that they are the ones who are developing these kids who play with the amateur teams.

Maybe Lobby can enlighten us as to how exactly Leigh are developing these kids in a way that matches the level of development they would receive from playing in an Academy ?

Oh and Lobby, before you give us chapter & verse about how Leigh has the best amateur teams in the country go and check the results as to which town has the best youth team (U16's in the county) - i'll give you a clue, its NOT Leigh !!!

[Lobbygobbler]

also its a case of having a structue in place.. for the club itself.. IIRC the academies have to be set up in a certain way as well, education the kids beyond just how to play RL, a case of getting them set for life after RL or if it doesnt work out etc which is a good thing..

but an u18 academy is not the sole reference for a sl franchise as a stadium is not the sole reference.. it is part of a greater whole.. if Leigh dont believe they need an academy becuase the amateur youth sorts it all out then that is absolutely fine its 1 point.. there are 9 others to aim for.. you ony need aabout 5 to be up towards the top of the tree for a liscence.. but the other bits need to be good. its horses for courses..

Not sure if Leigh still have an academy but they did have one for a long time. Nevertheless not all young lads in Leigh want to play in the academy, BECAUSE the set-up at the amatuer clubs in Leigh are superb. Leigh RLFC are working with those amateur clubs now, but the pro club won't be able to "claim" these youngsters as part of franchising even if they are born and bred in Leigh and Leigh RLFC have played a part in the schools set up etc

On the other hand moneybags Wire could come in, snare a good young Leyther up from Leigh Miners with

[RP London]

Not sure if Leigh still have an academy but they did have one for a long time. Nevertheless not all young lads in Leigh want to play in the academy, BECAUSE the set-up at the amatuer clubs in Leigh are superb. Leigh RLFC are working with those amateur clubs now, but the pro club won't be able to "claim" these youngsters as part of franchising even if they are born and bred in Leigh and Leigh RLFC have played a part in the schools set up etc

On the other hand moneybags Wire could come in, snare a good young Leyther up from Leigh Miners with

[Lobbygobbler]

i'm sure not all young lads want to.. but thats not the point.. academies dont always have the best kids in them becuase kids develop at different speeds etc.. but it is something very important to ave in place it also allows kids who may need to normally leave school and just get a job to continue and further their education something thy may not have had the chance to do.. its more than just the rugby at these academies..

as for the moneybags.. it happens in football as well.. money talks and that is just the way that it goes sadly thee is very little you cn do about it..

Saitn Toppy: i could have sworn it wasa franchise point for having an acadmey structure up to standard xyz but i may well be wrong..

I know what you are saying, but I feel a full range of academies at Leigh could either bankrupt the club and could also disrupt amateur youth set-ups

Perhaps academies at all 30-odd clubs should be protected funding with sky money?

[RP London]

I know what you are saying, but I feel a full range of academies at Leigh could either bankrupt the club and could also disrupt amateur youth set-ups

Perhaps academies at all 30-odd clubs should be protected funding with sky money?

probelm is wth "protected funing with sky money" is that if you protect x amount then that is just simply x amount that clubs are given for the acadmey rather than being allowed to spend it on what they like.. which is fie and makes sure that academies are funded but it wont save the club from bankruptcy becuase if it worries you that diverting x amount wto the academy will bankrupt the club then all you are doing by "protected funding" is saying you HAVE to divert x to the academy but now you are getting funding-x from sky for the rest of te club.. so it goes bankrup.. if they cannot survive with out the money that an academy costs then it doesnt matter if it is protected funding or not you still go bankrupt.it would be the same moeny but you would be forced to move it around rather than doing it by choice.

disrupt amateur youth set ups.. does it everywhere else there is a youth academy? maybe it does i dont know but i would be suprised.

[mick wilson]

Apparently No 12 is Adam Lawton, and he is almost 17 !

What part of Furness is h from exactly

Good video, thanks.

[audois]

I understand that both the Catalans and the Crusaders will participate in the C Group playing home and away - 8 matches - against Hull FC, Huddersfield and Salford starting from next month. The Catalans played four friendly matches last year at this age group so real progress for them here.