PARTICIPANT MEMBERSHIP FOR COMMUNITY GAME

[Impartial Observer]

50 minutes ago, Marauder said:

I do support academies but not in their current form. They should go back to Inter town representative games linked to the local pro clubs, 

What is difference with your suggestion to what happens now?

Some non SL pro clubs can barely run their own 1st team let alone try to run other teams

[Death to the Rah Rah's]

11 minutes ago, Impartial Observer said:

What is difference with your suggestion to what happens now?

Some non SL pro clubs can barely run their own 1st team let alone try to run other teams

Expectation !

some of these lads get signed up for academies and the player, in most cases overly encouraged by the parents, think they have made it in the professional game.

by going back to inter town rep games you remove that obstacle while the player retains his link with his community club

[Impartial Observer]

5 minutes ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

 

by going back to inter town rep games you remove that obstacle while the player retains his link with his community club

Who runs the town rep teams?

[Death to the Rah Rah's]

Why can’t they be ran jointly?

why can’t a conversation be held with the community clubs, professional game, RFL etc and take view points, opinions and ideas from all areas of the game and try to find a common denominator  to grow the game!

or do we stay as we are with the ‘RFL knows best and the community clubs will do as their told’ attitude, as that’s clearly working eh !

 

[del capo]

They used to be called District Development Associations. They worked . And they didn't cost the £ 1 million pound + the Academy and Scholarships now do....... but it's not as if the game's short of money is it?

[Death to the Rah Rah's]

Have playing standard improved since the academies stepped up a gear?

I suppose we will see how much progression there’s been when the world cup is played at the back end of this year.

I don’t watch much Super League now, much prefer the NRL, the few SL games I have watched I’ve found pretty boring.

there are no stand out players or household names like we had in the 90s.

 

[Impartial Observer]

41 minutes ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

Why can’t they be ran jointly?

why can’t a conversation be held with the community clubs, professional game, RFL etc and take view points, opinions and ideas from all areas of the game and try to find a common denominator  to grow the game!

or do we stay as we are with the ‘RFL knows best and the community clubs will do as their told’ attitude, as that’s clearly working eh !

 

I am just asking as I have only known acadamies, where does a player go to say if he plays juniors in Bristol and there is no 'town team', How does he progress where today he may be picked up by a academy?   

[Death to the Rah Rah's]

1 hour ago, Impartial Observer said:

I am just asking as I have only known acadamies, where does a player go to say if he plays juniors in Bristol and there is no 'town team', How does he progress where today he may be picked up by a academy?   

I’m not for one minute suggesting o know all the answers, in the case of development areas such as Bristol why couldn’t it be regionalised rather than town teams?

surely that would give more players the chance to develop than just the odd player being picked up to fill a shirt at Academy level?

let’s be brutally honest here, out of every academy team the coaches really have an eye on 2, possibly 3 players who may make the transition to the full time game, the others are there purely to make up the numbers to showcase the other 3

in theory better coached junior players would help raise standards in their community side.

while I’m having a rant, one of the biggest issues I have is with the coaching qualifications.

a 4 day course does not make a good coach, so why isn’t there a full ongoing coach development programme with assessors going to clubs to help raise standards in coaching.

if kids are badly coached at junior rugby, those bad skills are very hard to eradicate 

[Impartial Observer]

5 minutes ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

 

while I’m having a rant, one of the biggest issues I have is with the coaching qualifications.

a 4 day course does not make a good coach, so why isn’t there a full ongoing coach development programme with assessors going to clubs to help raise standards in coaching.

 

I agree I guess it is down to funding so maybe some of the tax money can be used for CPD

[Marauder]

5 hours ago, Impartial Observer said:

What is difference with your suggestion to what happens now?

Some non SL pro clubs can barely run their own 1st team let alone try to run other teams

Firstly I'd stop academy coaches telling young players not to turn out for their amateur club (YES IT DOES HAPPEN) Secondly we don't have an inter town competition anymore. 

[Death to the Rah Rah's]

End of the day what do the administers of the community game know ?

They only have thousands of collective hours experience which obviously counts for nothing by the hierarchy at the RFL as they always know best ! 

[JMB]

The RFL don't want these individuals involved as they will rock the RFL boat, and stand up to them, that's why they only employ yes men and women. 

[Death to the Rah Rah's]

Its all gone quiet on the Active Membership 'Tax' front other than an 'open letter' from Sally Lindsay who amongst other things worryingly stated that players and coaches will not be able to register to play the sport from 2022 without firstly paying the membership fee!

So, we are now in mid-June 2021, as of yet we are still to see sight of any game development plan, any list of so-called 'membership benefits', or any guarantees that the RFL have undertaken due diligence to ensure that the 'membership fee' will not affect participation numbers throughout the community game !

If the regional leagues decide to unilaterally not pay the fees what happens then?

Are the RFL going to block all participants from playing the sport?

Is there a procedure in place to have a vote of no confidence in the RFL's current board? 

Maybe our representatives on the Community Board, who no doubt frequently visit this forum should now be challenging these decisions on behalf of the members they represent. Messers Prior, Hunt, Taylor etc. should be fighting tooth and nail to ensure the leagues and club's voices are heard otherwise why have board representation if their voices go unheard despite having the largest membership !

Why aren't our community board reps arranging meetings with League representatives to get 'real life' feedback into these proposals to take back to board level?

If as we are continually told on this forum that BARLA is a spent force and that Sport England won't sanction a return to BARLA running the amateur game, then perhaps its time for the community clubs to ask for the RFL to set up a new branch under the RFL umbrella to specifically look after the community game without the distraction of the colleges, forces games, as their needs are completely different to the amateurs.

Something has to change, the game is in a total mess. Despite Super Dooper League sides running Academy teams for a number if years, they are failing to produce anything other than average professionals, we will be going into the World Cup with probably the weakest side we've ever fielded at international level. our top two professional leagues are both topped by French teams  ....need I say more !

[JMB]

How do the community board get feed back from the community clubs, who on the community board are actually involved personally and hands on with a amature club, i would bet none of them now. the community board should be made up of different individuals from each of the playing leagues, these are the individuals who work day in and day out with the clubs, these are the individuals who get the ear ache from clubs and coach's when they have a problems. 

[Marauder]

34 minutes ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

Its all gone quiet on the Active Membership 'Tax' front other than an 'open letter' from Sally Lindsay who amongst other things worryingly stated that players and coaches will not be able to register to play the sport from 2022 without firstly paying the membership fee!

So, we are now in mid-June 2021, as of yet we are still to see sight of any game development plan, any list of so-called 'membership benefits', or any guarantees that the RFL have undertaken due diligence to ensure that the 'membership fee' will not affect participation numbers throughout the community game !

If the regional leagues decide to unilaterally not pay the fees what happens then?

Are the RFL going to block all participants from playing the sport?

Is there a procedure in place to have a vote of no confidence in the RFL's current board? 

Maybe our representatives on the Community Board, who no doubt frequently visit this forum should now be challenging these decisions on behalf of the members they represent. Messers Prior, Hunt, Taylor etc. should be fighting tooth and nail to ensure the leagues and club's voices are heard otherwise why have board representation if their voices go unheard despite having the largest membership !

Why aren't our community board reps arranging meetings with League representatives to get 'real life' feedback into these proposals to take back to board level?

If as we are continually told on this forum that BARLA is a spent force and that Sport England won't sanction a return to BARLA running the amateur game, then perhaps its time for the community clubs to ask for the RFL to set up a new branch under the RFL umbrella to specifically look after the community game without the distraction of the colleges, forces games, as their needs are completely different to the amateurs.

Something has to change, the game is in a total mess. Despite Super Dooper League sides running Academy teams for a number if years, they are failing to produce anything other than average professionals, we will be going into the World Cup with probably the weakest side we've ever fielded at international level. our top two professional leagues are both topped by French teams  ....need I say more !

BARLA isn't a spent force, it does however require some out of the box thinking, new blood to implement the thinking and it's fair share of media propaganda which has been basically zilch for a lot of years (The last good PRO person got the sack by the present junta)

[Death to the Rah Rah's]

Sorry Maurader as much as I want to agree with you BARLA have been a spent force for years, I’m still not sure what BARLA do these days.

Can anyone enlighten me?

unfortunately it will take more than a few new faces to kick start BARLA 

[JMB]

The reason BARLA was formed was because the rfl hadn't a clue about running the amature game, and it looks like we are right back at the start again, but with the lack of motivation from Sue Taylor along with her hubby and merry band of yes were ok jack mob I'm not really sure what they could do.

[del capo]

2 hours ago, JMB said:

How do the community board get feed back from the community clubs, who on the community board are actually involved personally and hands on with a amature club, i would bet none of them now. the community board should be made up of different individuals from each of the playing leagues, these are the individuals who work day in and day out with the clubs, these are the individuals who get the ear ache from clubs and coach's when they have a problems. 

There are 2 non executive members. Both have a bit of knowledge of the grassroots.

The other members of the Board are all put there by their own constituents , usually by a yearly vote.

Trevor Hunt  ( the NCL Chair ) represents Tier 4 , Stuart Prior  ( narrowly recently defeated for the post of Chair of Barla ) looks after Tier 5 . Jan Robinson again recently elected by the Youth and Juniors  to look after them and from the much vaunted North East development area - so it goes on

Be under no illusions. The Community Board members are well tuned in to the needs of their clubs. They work 24 / 7 as volunteers. Trevor for instance was with Mike Denning on the golf course today between them  giving Ralph Rimmer an earful on this very topic.....

[Death to the Rah Rah's]

Meanwhile on the coal face the grass roots community sides feel totally let down by the RFL and the Community Board in particular as they don’t feel It represents them, or that any of their concerns are listened to or addressed.

proof being this active league membership which is being forced through against clubs wishes on the promise of ‘things are going to change and we will work for the community clubs benefit’

well they’ve  had since the early 2000s to improve the game, but playing standards have gone backwards, we have no high profile BARLA tours anymore, we aren’t producing players like the Farrels, Edwards, Gregory’s etc.

The time has come for a change at the top, I’ve no issue with the Hunts, Priors or whoever being in charge of the community game, but what’s the point in them being there if it’s just for a box ticking exercise to say they are represented?

[del capo]

12 hours ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

Meanwhile on the coal face the grass roots community sides feel totally let down by the RFL and the Community Board in particular as they don’t feel It represents them, or that any of their concerns are listened to or addressed.

proof being this active league membership which is being forced through against clubs wishes on the promise of ‘things are going to change and we will work for the community clubs benefit’

well they’ve  had since the early 2000s to improve the game, but playing standards have gone backwards, we have no high profile BARLA tours anymore, we aren’t producing players like the Farrels, Edwards, Gregory’s etc.

The time has come for a change at the top, I’ve no issue with the Hunts, Priors or whoever being in charge of the community game, but what’s the point in them being there if it’s just for a box ticking exercise to say they are represented?

I like to think of myself as ' a glass half full '  type - you clearly are with the ' glass half empty ' brigade.

' The time has come for a change at the top ' you say.

Please share with us one or two names that might make a difference

I had the privilege of sitting amongst giants of the amateur game. Tom K. , Bob Beal , Jackie Reid  even Jack Senior  etc -  the list goes on.

 Over to you to pitch in anyone  of that ilk.

Meanwhile I notice that the BARLA website is itself carrying Sandy Lindsay's message on the membership proposals......

[Marauder]

14 hours ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

Meanwhile on the coal face the grass roots community sides feel totally let down by the RFL and the Community Board in particular as they don’t feel It represents them, or that any of their concerns are listened to or addressed.

proof being this active league membership which is being forced through against clubs wishes on the promise of ‘things are going to change and we will work for the community clubs benefit’

well they’ve  had since the early 2000s to improve the game, but playing standards have gone backwards, we have no high profile BARLA tours anymore, we aren’t producing players like the Farrels, Edwards, Gregory’s etc.

The time has come for a change at the top, I’ve no issue with the Hunts, Priors or whoever being in charge of the community game, but what’s the point in them being there if it’s just for a box ticking exercise to say they are represented?

Having spent 15 years on the coal face/tunnelling I can officially say it's hard graft - Your Priors are now like a trade union delegate without a union, what needs to happen is the clubs to give backing to Prior (Whoever) by voting with their feet, it's no good whinging if a stand is required.

Going back to this players tax (Don't let them kid you it's a membership fee) I was sat thinking about it the other day and it's no different from me giving the kids some pocket money and the ex-wife taking it off of them to buy fags,

[del capo]

46 minutes ago, Marauder said:

Having spent 15 years on the coal face/tunnelling I can officially say it's hard graft - Your Priors are now like a trade union delegate without a union, what needs to happen is the clubs to give backing to Prior (Whoever) by voting with their feet, it's no good whinging if a stand is required.

Going back to this players tax (Don't let them kid you it's a membership fee) I was sat thinking about it the other day and it's no different from me giving the kids some pocket money and the ex-wife taking it off of them to buy fags,

Moves are afoot Marauder to make sure the ex -wife doesn't get to spend the pocket money on her fags.

[Death to the Rah Rah's]

2 hours ago, del capo said:

I like to think of myself as ' a glass half full '  type - you clearly are with the ' glass half empty ' brigade.

' The time has come for a change at the top ' you say.

Please share with us one or two names that might make a difference

Reading your comments and constant defending of the RFL and the community board, you seem to think that ‘what we have now’ is as good as it gets, so maybe you are others like you are part of the problem.

Don’t take that as a personal attack as I have no idea who you are, but you can’t honestly tell me that the game is in a good place and that the ‘membership (stealth tax) won’t have a detrimental affect on player numbers!

The names of old administrators you mentioned no doubt did a sterling job 20+ years ago, but times and needs change and as I keep repeating, the community board does not appear to represent the views of its largest membership, if it did they would no doubt back these proposals, but they don’t!!

Communication to regional leagues from the community board is non existent, so why would we think for one minute that things will improve?

if the game is to prosper things have to change and that change has to start at the top.

You have previously highlighted that the community reps voices are ignored on the community board, so do you, even with your RFL rose tinted spectacles not see that the current set up Isn’t working !

[del capo]

12 minutes ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

Reading your comments and constant defending of the RFL and the community board, you seem to think that ‘what we have now’ is as good as it gets, so maybe you are others like you are part of the problem.

Don’t take that as a personal attack as I have no idea who you are, but you can’t honestly tell me that the game is in a good place and that the ‘membership (stealth tax) won’t have a detrimental affect on player numbers!

The names of old administrators you mentioned no doubt did a sterling job 20+ years ago, but times and needs change and as I keep repeating, the community board does not appear to represent the views of its largest membership, if it did they would no doubt back these proposals, but they don’t!!

Communication to regional leagues from the community board is non existent, so why would we think for one minute that things will improve?

if the game is to prosper things have to change and that change has to start at the top.

You have previously highlighted that the community reps voices are ignored on the community board, so do you, even with your RFL rose tinted spectacles not see that the current set up Isn’t working !

Nothing personal at all Rah Rah. I find these Boards refreshing and the exchanges enlightening.

The moment people decide I am part of the problem then I will certainly move aside. I too face my electorate ( 49 of our finest amateur  clubs ) every year and they seem to continue to trust me to try to get the best for them. The RFL accept me as a  ' critical friend ' and believe me I treat the  'critical ' bit very seriously.

It is a brutal world and the harsh reality is that we have no option but to support the RFL  - there is nothing else. That's not to say they do everything right because they don't - communication for instance being a constant failing. And I hate the Academy system for starters as it has brought nothing to our sport.

It's not all bad out there though - NCL playing numbers has exceeded 2800 for the first time this year.

Change for the better however is always to be welcomed. How would you do it ?

[Deep Heat]

37 minutes ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

Reading your comments and constant defending of the RFL and the community board, you seem to think that ‘what we have now’ is as good as it gets, so maybe you are others like you are part of the problem.

Don’t take that as a personal attack as I have no idea who you are, but you can’t honestly tell me that the game is in a good place and that the ‘membership (stealth tax) won’t have a detrimental affect on player numbers!

The names of old administrators you mentioned no doubt did a sterling job 20+ years ago, but times and needs change and as I keep repeating, the community board does not appear to represent the views of its largest membership, if it did they would no doubt back these proposals, but they don’t!!

Communication to regional leagues from the community board is non existent, so why would we think for one minute that things will improve?

if the game is to prosper things have to change and that change has to start at the top.

You have previously highlighted that the community reps voices are ignored on the community board, so do you, even with your RFL rose tinted spectacles not see that the current set up Isn’t working !

The `Largest Membership as you put it are RFL run Leagues who I think fall under under Tier 5