U23's

[LeeF]

Looking at 2015 start for an U23 league, mainly for the Champ & Champ 1 teams

[chasetheace]

According to the RFL there are 8 teams interested in running a reserve grade from the championships (accross both divisions). Any less and it wouldnt be worth running , so if any drop out (which will happen when they realise cost etc) it will impact on the reality of this happening.

 

The key here is that there is very little appitite for watching reserve grade championship rugby in a meaningless comp.   Superleague is a diffent issue as people would turn up to watch and it would pay for its self.

 

In any case the reserve grade players would be on "terms and conditions" agreements and would be able to continue playing for thier community club .

Also , champ & champ 1 clubs would not pay any match money to these players .  Its not an attractive package for any player over 19/20 imo

[bowes]

Guessing that would see Sheffield switch from the CL South. It is a more appropriate place for then but may leave the league with too few clubs to run.

[bowes]

Category C academies may well see the end of the higher divisions of the U17 and U18 leagues depending on how widespread they are. But guess community clubs could enter either alone or in partnership?

[terryg]

Back in my playing days all pro clubs had an A team and Colts (U19)

Some occasionally used amateur players as trialists to make up squads.

 

Big question is are the academy coaches better qualified than the the volunteers at our amateur clubs? Or are they classed as better because they are paid.

 

If the answer is no, then the players should only leave to sign part time or full time pro when they are ready

[casyorkie]

So those clubs say no

The way I understand it now that the NCL has signed with the RFL the clubs can no longer vote against DR. The clubs thou can decide to not accept DR players which I hope they do if pro clubs start saying they will only send their players to certain couple of clubs (which I know is there right).

 

Personally I would like to see lads go back to their old amateur club if they cant get a game at the pro club but understand it isn't that simple.

 

Other clubs may also decide to accept DR players as if the rumours are true and some clubs pay players we are already not playing on a level amateur playing field.

[bowes]

This will be Dewsbury, Featherstone, Keighley, Leigh, Sheffield, York

 

Will be interesting to see if Yorkshire clubs are affected more than Lancashire ones by this though a pretty small division. In particular be interesting to see Dewsbury run U23 and 4 NCL clubs

[Michael Bubble]

The amateur game is already dying and is, I believe, beyond repair - well certainly at open age level.  The Embed the Pathway makes all the right noises and ticks all the boxes in theory, but is just another nail in the coffin for the amateur game in general.  Typical greed from the pro clubs.  Willing to put a bit of money into running U-14s/15s - but not prepared to put money into the amateur clubs for running the very same kids from 6 years old up to the level the pro clubs want to take them from us.  The lack of investment into the amateur game by the RFL and SL is shameful.

 

Within the next few years the number of Under 16s and 18s coming through to the open age ranks will have deteriorated still further.  Open age clubs will suffer, many will disappear - and with them the availability of people who were previously prepared to run/help fund clubhouses that could run up to 12 youth teams - and all for the benefit of the RFL/SL.

 

After being involved in the game for many years, I'm now totally disheartened at how quickly the amateur game has being shaken to its core in just the few short years that the RFL have had control.  To be honest, I was convinced that summer rugby was the way to go and I've tried for three years now to embrace it.  I feel I've been robbed of my love of the game and the energy I need to keep pushing it.  Roll on the start of the season!!   Please let my enthusiasm return!

 

Bowes - aren't you with Coventry?  If I'm correct, you won't have any cause for complaint of course because your club has and is now benefitting from plenty of funding from the RFL/SL.   Even before Coventry went in to the Championship you had more funding than NCL clubs.   

[bowes]

I think the NCL is stronger than it was in the lower divisions but only because of the strength of many of the new clubs. There are issues lower down the pyramid though the NW hopefully looks like settling down this season.

I think the pro clubs need reserve sides due to the lack of dual registration options but that brings problems of its own so no easy solution.

We got a bit more funding as it was calculated based on travel distance. We indirectly got more up to the end of 2012 as we had RFL employees who also were involved with us plus obviously there was more development funding in those days. I do have bigger problems with the way things are done by pro clubs at U16s though as it disrupts the season but they don't take the players on for the full season just odd games.

[Wilber]

As Chair of the NWML I will say that things are settling down but there will still be a few surprises before the start of the season that I can assure you!

 

Issues will arise if the pro game sets up a Reserve league although I suppose it will  only impact on a few clubs but highlights, for me, the root of the problem, why after signing lads at 16 are they not super league ready at 20 that you then feel the need to give them potentially another 3 years to develop and all the while neglecting the very mouth that feeds the Pro game the player?.

 

Lads are signed at 16 and that creates a cascading effect which unfortunately vastly reduces the numbers at under 18's and further more the transition into open age, how strong was the NW under 18's last season and how many Under 16's didn't complete the year? A young lad at 16 who does not get signed thinks its all over, ask me I can say honestly I've had two lads on scholarships and didn't quite make it and its me now pushing them to continue. Now both the lads may just get picked up again for another couple of years, for who's benefit? but would they be more determined had they not been cast away at 16 & 17, I think they would have?

 

Now I am not against a reserve grade but if you are going to do it scrap signing lads at 16, sign them at 18, you could still run a scholarship to up to under 18's, and give the community clubs chance to retain lads who do not get signed. This should create a stronger youth system and a better stream of players transferring to open age.

 

If we continue to mess around at the critical age that will have a detrimental long term effect on our sport and taking extra players in the middle is just not viable with the number of players we have registered.

[Defender1]

We got a bit more funding as it was calculated based on travel distance. We indirectly got more up to the end of 2012 as we had RFL employees who also were involved with us plus obviously there was more development funding in those days. I do have bigger problems with the way things are done by pro clubs at U16s though as it disrupts the season but they don't take the players on for the full season just odd games.

So now we know why you are always pro RFL, well the 16s format is supposed to be going 14 games with the pro club being the owner of the player, have you not read the RFL documentation, another nail but as you like the minority clubs with the biggest voice have been well looked after by the RFL it will be ok till it affects you, or like the guy running Yorkshire Juniors, was the quote the other night " well if there was a vote and it had been for, it would not have been passed anyway" but what is the saying " the strong will survive"