RFL Strategy - aims for 2019

[Smudger06]

For every batch of 100 players that graduate the academy system 15 could get into SL Squads; 20 could get into Championship Squads with every chance of developing into SL quality 1, 2 or 3 seasons later and then maybe 15 join League 1 with ambitions to move up the player register either through promotion with their League 1 Club or scouted and signed by a Championship Club. Unfortunately for the other half (50 players) it's the end of the adventure, their journey is over. 

If 250 players graduate academy each year, maybe still only 50 continue with RL careers, instead of 50 players coming to the end of their journey, 200 are.....the 50 moving into the Leagues are of a better standard because theyve been selected from amongst a much larger talent pool and another plus is there's a lot more decent talent around should the bottom half of the Championship and the league 1 clubs find themselves with bigger player budgets because the sport is going from strength to strength. 

The main point is a larger pipeline will eventually spur a larger junior and youth game. 

 

[Damien]

1 hour ago, GUBRATS said:

" It's certainly no excuse for lower league clubs to not develop players or the game in their area's " , I have suggested in my posts that they should do exactly that , but the ' finishing school ' is better done by a limited number of clubs IMO , you may disagree , now as it seems I'm repeating myself then perhaps this discussion is over , I'd suggest you just won't answer a simple question , so in a way you are also just repeating yourself 

All the best 

I have answered your question. I think every club should do their bit and not offload responsibility for developing players to other clubs and should not receive large amounts of funding just to be a retirement home for ex Super League players. If the argument is that the bigger clubs do it better then that could apply across the board and we may as well not waste any money on lower league clubs. I don't agree with that train of thought and think that lower league clubs are a vital part of the pyramid and they should be offering a pathway at a lower level. Players develop at different levels and there are many players that make it that are not signed up by the big clubs at 16. I would much rather Leigh not waste circa 70k on a Gareth Hock and instead have an Academy.