welshmagpie Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 Unsure if others have picked up on this but this year I’ve noticed more and more ex-League One players are dropping back into the community game in non-heartland areas. I noticed a couple of ex-Thunder players in the north east grand final yesterday in addition to this Archie Snook and Rowland Kaye have appeared for Bridgend in the South Wales league as the latter seeks first team minutes and the former comes out of the semi-pro game. Daf Jones ex-Halifax, Salford and Crusaders trialist has also been instrumental in the reestablished north Wales league this year. This can only be good in raising standards in these regional amateur leagues and thus further attract interest, spectators and sponsors. Above this it’s proving League one’s value in developing actual rugby league players who see the sport as their sport away from the traditional areas. It’d be a real shame for L1 to be hurt or hindered in the new structure being proposed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Frisky Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 Agree league 1 has been a great comp over the past 5 years. We need to keep 3 leagues so everyone has something to play for and so we don't have the smaller (new ish) clubs getting Steamrollered in a large championship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubby Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 £75k per club per season is a steal for the brilliant development work that goes on there. Not only do you get expansion in the semi-professional market, but also the youth and community game and the women's game. Newcastle are a clear example of being allowed to find their feet in League 1 and grow. Their community game footprint is now off the charts compared to others - and everyone playing there has a focal point. Same with Coventry, Wales and others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 Out of all the leagues I think League 1 serves a perfectly good purpose as it is. It is a great tool for expansion clubs to enter the professional system and also allows heartland clubs to play at an appropriate level. League 1 doesn't even cost that much in the grand scheme of things and it would be crazy to get rid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fighting irish Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 Half of our lungs, grow in the fields and the forests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 When you consider that funding for League 1 at its greatest extent was around what between 2 to 4 top Championship clubs were/are getting from the central funding pot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo5 Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 21 minutes ago, Tommygilf said: When you consider that funding for League 1 at its greatest extent was around what between 2 to 4 top Championship clubs were/are getting from the central funding pot... Given the sharp decline in participation numbers announced recently,surely we need to continue the current funding which really isn’t a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 2 minutes ago, Davo5 said: Given the sharp decline in participation numbers announced recently,surely we need to continue the current funding which really isn’t a lot. Indeed. League 1, as long as they stick together and don't stab eachother in the back, is a relatively small pot of money that should be relatively safe. Handing out just as much to 2 or 3 clubs at the top of championship however seems like something far easier to cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackroman Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 League 1 is Rugby League's inclusivity and diversity show piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Route66 Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 43 minutes ago, Tommygilf said: Indeed. League 1, as long as they stick together and don't stab eachother in the back, is a relatively small pot of money that should be relatively safe. Handing out just as much to 2 or 3 clubs at the top of championship however seems like something far easier to cut. I could never understand the logic behind the sliding scale funding based on league position that applied in the championship over the years. League 1 has been fantastic and is still wide open now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 28 minutes ago, Route66 said: I could never understand the logic behind the sliding scale funding based on league position that applied in the championship over the years. League 1 has been fantastic and is still wide open now. Indeed, it seemed like an approach to suit a couple of Championship clubs so that they could be full time and dominate the rest. It certainly was not fair and was an approach that was completely at odds with what was seen in Super League and League 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blind side johnny Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 16 minutes ago, Route66 said: I could never understand the logic behind the sliding scale funding based on league position that applied in the championship over the years. League 1 has been fantastic and is still wide open now. That was because of the eights, now thankfully abandoned. Sport, amongst other things, is a dream-world offering escape from harsh reality and the disturbing prospect of change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clwydianrange Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 I’ve been watching league 1 since it’s inception. At first it was derided but it’s got better each year. This season the competition is brilliant and I’ve seen some amazing rugby. Leave it as it is it’s doing a grand job of developing players and entertaining the public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 17 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said: That was because of the eights, now thankfully abandoned. That still makes no sense. Clubs that finished 3rd and 4th got less than half that clubs that finished 1st and 2nd got. The system was grossly unfair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubby Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 Don't underestimate the power of League 1 to help struggling heartland clubs dust themselves down, rebuild and go again. Whitehaven have proved it can be a stepping stone and currently Workington and Barrow are in a bit of a feelgood renaissance period. This shows it is not the abyss some are making it out to be. For clubs like Crusaders, Keighley, Hunslet and Rochdale they are able to live within their means and operate in a competitive environment. It is basically a feelgood bubble in League 1, operates for all the right reasons - and it extremely competitive! Cutting an artery of central funding to that could be one of the dumbest decisions the RFL ever make! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OriginalMrC Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 Agree with all of these comments and really wish the powers that be agreed. However SL clubs don't feel the same way and consider the approx £700k funding should be divided between them. I hope I am wrong but this week we'll hear about central distribution being slashed to about £150-200k for the whole of league 1. The RL press are strangely quiet on this issue and the implications this could have for the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo5 Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 32 minutes ago, Scubby said: Don't underestimate the power of League 1 to help struggling heartland clubs dust themselves down, rebuild and go again. Whitehaven have proved it can be a stepping stone and currently Workington and Barrow are in a bit of a feelgood renaissance period. This shows it is not the abyss some are making it out to be. For clubs like Crusaders, Keighley, Hunslet and Rochdale they are able to live within their means and operate in a competitive environment. It is basically a feelgood bubble in League 1, operates for all the right reasons - and it extremely competitive! Cutting an artery of central funding to that could be one of the dumbest decisions the RFL ever make! It certainly has benefited Haven & probably Town also,both clubs when in the Championship filled their teams with DR & loans in a vain attempt to stay there.Going down to League 1 allowed them to plan ahead,recruit a develop a more local based squad away from the pressures of the Championship and now they both seem to be on the up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubby Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 5 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said: Agree with all of these comments and really wish the powers that be agreed. However SL clubs don't feel the same way and consider the approx £700k funding should be divided between them. I hope I am wrong but this week we'll hear about central distribution being slashed to about £150-200k for the whole of league 1. The RL press are strangely quiet on this issue and the implications this could have for the game. Yet the RFL will plaster good news stories about Coventry, South Wales and London all over its social media and websites. It is currently the only development work going on around the UK and a lot of it is self funded. Development officers are now an expensive inconvenience now the Sport England money has dried up. The importance of a professional club as a focal point for development cannot be underestimated. Having those junior and community finals as curtain raisers to a semi-professional game, at a good stadium, can be life changing for a adult/kid who is relatively new to the game. I was lucky, I was born in the heart of it and it was on my doorstep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 28 minutes ago, Davo5 said: It certainly has benefited Haven & probably Town also,both clubs when in the Championship filled their teams with DR & loans in a vain attempt to stay there.Going down to League 1 allowed them to plan ahead,recruit a develop a more local based squad away from the pressures of the Championship and now they both seem to be on the up. And this to me is what the lower leagues should be about. Clubs should be looking to build sustainably and recruit and build up their local patch. The lower leagues can be vibrant competitions in their own right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glemiln Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 32 minutes ago, Damien said: And this to me is what the lower leagues should be about…. Exactly, and what Rochdale Hornets is doing admirably under Matt Calland, despite a horrendous catalogue of injuries since early season, along with Covid issues. These players are gradually returning, along with a few young loan players, for the build-up to the play-off positions, for whatever the future format. I am not on Hornets’ doorstep, but the positive vibes and excellent local community/social activities being engendered by Andy Mazey, his Board and ‘helpers’ are changing the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JF1 Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 7 hours ago, Scubby said: Yet the RFL will plaster good news stories about Coventry, South Wales and London all over its social media and websites. It is currently the only development work going on around the UK and a lot of it is self funded. Development officers are now an expensive inconvenience now the Sport England money has dried up. The importance of a professional club as a focal point for development cannot be underestimated. Having those junior and community finals as curtain raisers to a semi-professional game, at a good stadium, can be life changing for a adult/kid who is relatively new to the game. I was lucky, I was born in the heart of it and it was on my doorstep. I was at a meeting recently.We were told that each League 1 club would receive at amount no greater than £30,000 each,possibly even zilch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubby Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 7 minutes ago, JF1 said: I was at a meeting recently.We were told that each League 1 club would receive at amount no greater than £30,000 each,possibly even zilch. Thanks for the info. That is pretty depressing and short-sighted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUBRATS Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 Because there are RL clubs in it , good ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yipyee Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 The RFL should pay for league 1 not SL. SL should pay a fee to RL for administration instead of giving half a mil a year to elstone who acheived what?! The RFL should also raise money through the national team. Should play 5 home tests a year minimum, the opposition doesnt matter people go to events not games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 1 hour ago, yipyee said: The RFL should pay for league 1 not SL. SL should pay a fee to RL for administration instead of giving half a mil a year to elstone who acheived what?! The RFL should also raise money through the national team. Should play 5 home tests a year minimum, the opposition doesnt matter people go to events not games. The RFL have always got a share of the TV money for administration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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