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Academy funding cuts


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Didn’t know about this.  Isn’t it about time the relationship between these two was sorted out?

Excerpt from LRL website:-

Academy funding is being completely cut from 2022. Some clubs have already started to reach out to fans and sponsors stating that their academy must become self-financing with no help from the RFL or Super League. Although Super League still hold the purse strings due to the broadcast deal, they have refused to comment – instead passing the buck on to the RFL. It is another example of an issue getting stuck between the dual governance in rugby league at present.’

 

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Does anyone know what this means in real terms.  10 clubs were awarded Elite Academy Licenses for 2022 to 2027.  Did they get specific funding as part of this award process which looks like it will now be withdrawn?

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21 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Does anyone know what this means in real terms.  10 clubs were awarded Elite Academy Licenses for 2022 to 2027.  Did they get specific funding as part of this award process which looks like it will now be withdrawn?

One reason I posted it is that I thought someone could clarify if the cuts where on Clubs who hadn’t been given elite licenses.  

It could be that.  If it is, that wasn’t made clear when those announcements where made.  This could be why SL has shoved it back to the RFL as the audits where their undertaking.

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5 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

One reason I posted it is that I thought someone could clarify if the cuts where on Clubs who hadn’t been given elite licenses.  

It could be that.  If it is, that wasn’t made clear when those announcements where made.  This could be why SL has shoved it back to the RFL as the audits where their undertaking.

The funding comes from SL via the TV contract not the RFL. The same for the Foundations.

S L  clubs clearly deciding where to spend their monies.

As for that ' No players no Sport ' comment from Man of Kent,  the Academy system to an extent and the Scholarship one without doubt has been the single biggest contributor to the decline of what was once a great conveyor belt of talent from the Community game.......

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36 minutes ago, del capo said:

The funding comes from SL via the TV contract not the RFL. The same for the Foundations.

S L  clubs clearly deciding where to spend their monies.

As for that ' No players no Sport ' comment from Man of Kent,  the Academy system to an extent and the Scholarship one without doubt has been the single biggest contributor to the decline of what was once a great conveyor belt of talent from the Community game.......

It’s not an either/or thing, chief. They start in the community game but become professional players through Academies with professional coaches.

Not sure what the alternative is. Given the physical demands of the modern game, is it realistic to expect a lad to be at Wigan St Pats one week and play for Wigan Warriors the next?

 

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11 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

It’s not an either/or thing, chief. They start in the community game but become professional players through Academies with professional coaches.

Not sure what the alternative is. Given the physical demands of the modern game, is it realistic to expect a lad to be at Wigan St Pats one week and play for Wigan Warriors the next?

 

I agree the issue is not Binary.

At my own  Community club  , pre Academy etc,  the likes of Edwards , both Gregory's , Lydon , Joynt, Platt , Fieldhouse ( before going into a hundred more ) seemed to make the transition without the route you advocate ,  All went into the first team within their respective Pro  clubs plan.

Would you be uncomfortable putting any of them into a current SL team?

 Michael Maguire 's first port of call was at my club to ask who were the best local youth coaches. He then just ' professionalised ' them . No value added- just paid them for what they were already doing.

 Scholarships are a disaster, Academies less so as at least for the moment the kids are all on  paid contracts.

Reserve grade  though is essential.

You ask for alternatives.

Finances  are bringing the SL clubs to a brutal truth. They now seem to be having to cut £80k each from their kids budget.

 My answer is simple - Stop biting the hand that used to feed you and do something about it.......

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11 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

One reason I posted it is that I thought someone could clarify if the cuts where on Clubs who hadn’t been given elite licenses.  

It could be that.  If it is, that wasn’t made clear when those announcements where made.  This could be why SL has shoved it back to the RFL as the audits where their undertaking.

It could be a case of funding was there for a handfull however after the little kick off from the useless academys there isnt enough to go around?

For me Academys should be funded by the clubs who benefit from the players.

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2 hours ago, yipyee said:

It could be a case of funding was there for a handfull however after the little kick off from the useless academys there isnt enough to go around?

For me Academys should be funded by the clubs who benefit from the players.

Not sure exactly how they funded atm, but it already costs clubs a significant amount.

With a reduced number of academies, more clubs than the host club would benefit from the players produced.

How are the host clubs compensated for the costs of developing these players?

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7 hours ago, del capo said:

The funding comes from SL via the TV contract not the RFL. The same for the Foundations.

S L  clubs clearly deciding where to spend their monies.

As for that ' No players no Sport ' comment from Man of Kent,  the Academy system to an extent and the Scholarship one without doubt has been the single biggest contributor to the decline of what was once a great conveyor belt of talent from the Community game.......

I think the OP says that really DC but SL have decided to push it back to the RFL.  But I would agree to a certain extent with the last paragraph as we managed when the Colts system existed.  

I am not 100% on how clubs ‘manage’ their academy teams these days.  By that I mean how much they liaise and interact with the parent club plus, how they continue to mentor fringe academy players who continue to play at the parent club.

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38 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

It is just another example of how desperately poor this sport is, both managerial and financially.

Yet people jump up and down with joy as Toulouse come in and suck out even more cash from the game. Those who point it out are branded Luddites, I call them people who can read a balance sheet.

RL is dying at every level yet posters on here and those who run the game still cocoon themselves in the ridiculous fantasy first perused when SKY wee splashing cash in the nineties.

people need to grow up and face the truth. Within ten years we will be importing the dregs of the Aussie game to what’s left of SL because we have too, there simply won’t be enough British players available.

Frankly I think it’s already to late to save the game.

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1 hour ago, Wholly Trinity said:

Not sure exactly how they funded atm, but it already costs clubs a significant amount.

With a reduced number of academies, more clubs than the host club would benefit from the players produced.

How are the host clubs compensated for the costs of developing these players?

They shouldnt be if its a feeder academy, if not then a siging on fee should be paid, including to the amateur club

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14 minutes ago, yipyee said:

They shouldnt be if its a feeder academy, if not then a siging on fee should be paid, including to the amateur club

No club signs all their graduating academy players every year. Maybe 1 or 2.

Where do the rest go?

If you don't sign them,  you can't prevent them from going anywhere they want for free, how can you expect any reimbursement?

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7 hours ago, del capo said:

I agree the issue is not Binary.

At my own  Community club  , pre Academy etc,  the likes of Edwards , both Gregory's , Lydon , Joynt, Platt , Fieldhouse ( before going into a hundred more ) seemed to make the transition without the route you advocate ,  All went into the first team within their respective Pro  clubs plan.

Would you be uncomfortable putting any of them into a current SL team?

Going from an amateur environment to a very part time one  in the 80s is a completely different kettle of fish to this day and age though. You also had proper A teams to help in that transition too.

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8 hours ago, del capo said:

I agree the issue is not Binary.

At my own  Community club  , pre Academy etc,  the likes of Edwards , both Gregory's , Lydon , Joynt, Platt , Fieldhouse ( before going into a hundred more ) seemed to make the transition without the route you advocate ,  All went into the first team within their respective Pro  clubs plan.

Would you be uncomfortable putting any of them into a current SL team?

 Michael Maguire 's first port of call was at my club to ask who were the best local youth coaches. He then just ' professionalised ' them . No value added- just paid them for what they were already doing.

 Scholarships are a disaster, Academies less so as at least for the moment the kids are all on  paid contracts.

Reserve grade  though is essential.

You ask for alternatives.

Finances  are bringing the SL clubs to a brutal truth. They now seem to be having to cut £80k each from their kids budget.

 My answer is simple - Stop biting the hand that used to feed you and do something about it.......

I agree with you (again) del Capo !

Reserve grades are essential and cause much less damage to the community game than the Academy structures. Let's be brutally honest here, 90% of lads who sign as academy players don't make it as a professional. The 90% are there to make up the numbers to showcase and develop the other 10% who might make the grade.

A Reserve side might sign 3 or 4 players a season from the amateur ranks, and all will have been identified as having the potential to play professionally leaving the other lads to play at their community club with their mates. 

The amount of clubs who can't rise a team of 17 fit players has become an embarrassment in recent seasons.

Pre-academy days the cream of the top amateurs always rose to the top, one look at any BARLA team of the 70's 80's and 90's is littered with lads who went on to play at the Great Britain level and most didn't sign pro until 18-20 years of age and already had the potential to make the grade as a professional.

The emphasis should go back to developing players at regional level within the amateur game by educating community coaches and working alongside the local professional clubs. The example you highlighted about Maguire 'professionalising coaches' by paying them is the same scenario as a man off the street becoming a 'qualified coach' after completing 4 one day training days.

I just wish the powers that be would utilise the experience within the amateur game

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8 hours ago, del capo said:

I agree the issue is not Binary.

At my own  Community club  , pre Academy etc,  the likes of Edwards , both Gregory's , Lydon , Joynt, Platt , Fieldhouse ( before going into a hundred more ) seemed to make the transition without the route you advocate ,  All went into the first team within their respective Pro  clubs plan.

Would you be uncomfortable putting any of them into a current SL team?

 Michael Maguire 's first port of call was at my club to ask who were the best local youth coaches. He then just ' professionalised ' them . No value added- just paid them for what they were already doing.

 Scholarships are a disaster, Academies less so as at least for the moment the kids are all on  paid contracts.

Reserve grade  though is essential.

You ask for alternatives.

Finances  are bringing the SL clubs to a brutal truth. They now seem to be having to cut £80k each from their kids budget.

 My answer is simple - Stop biting the hand that used to feed you and do something about it.......

Sounds like you want to go back to the good old days of win bonuses and semi-professionalism. Maybe we are….?

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1 hour ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

Yet people jump up and down with joy as Toulouse come in and suck out even more cash from the game. Those who point it out are branded Luddites, I call them people who can read a balance sheet.

RL is dying at every level yet posters on here and those who run the game still cocoon themselves in the ridiculous fantasy first perused when SKY wee splashing cash in the nineties.

people need to grow up and face the truth. Within ten years we will be importing the dregs of the Aussie game to what’s left of SL because we have too, there simply won’t be enough British players available.

Frankly I think it’s already to late to save the game.

I liken it to a very poorly patient, next step is HDU followed in the not to distant future by Intensive Care.

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1 hour ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

Yet people jump up and down with joy as Toulouse come in and suck out even more cash from the game. Those who point it out are branded Luddites, I call them people who can read a balance sheet.

RL is dying at every level yet posters on here and those who run the game still cocoon themselves in the ridiculous fantasy first perused when SKY wee splashing cash in the nineties.

people need to grow up and face the truth. Within ten years we will be importing the dregs of the Aussie game to what’s left of SL because we have too, there simply won’t be enough British players available.

Frankly I think it’s already to late to save the game.

Why bring Toulouse into this? We need more Toulouses. 

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7 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Sounds like you want to go back to the good old days of win bonuses and semi-professionalism. Maybe we are….?

Not at all.

Full time professionalism should be the aim for the very best clubs just as in all other sports.

But it's not a case of 'back to the good old days '  the vast majority of our pro clubs are still part time and yet provide an enjoyable watch.

The issue here is ' Does the game get value for money ' for the millions it has spent on the current set ups , or is there a better less expensive way of acquiring the product.

For me there is / has to be -  but turkeys and christmas springs to mind for starters.....

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1 hour ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

Yet people jump up and down with joy as Toulouse come in and suck out even more cash from the game. Those who point it out are branded Luddites, I call them people who can read a balance sheet.

RL is dying at every level yet posters on here and those who run the game still cocoon themselves in the ridiculous fantasy first perused when SKY wee splashing cash in the nineties.

people need to grow up and face the truth. Within ten years we will be importing the dregs of the Aussie game to what’s left of SL because we have too, there simply won’t be enough British players available.

Frankly I think it’s already to late to save the game.

And how has your club benefited the game after “sucking” cash out of it for years.

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1 hour ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

Yet people jump up and down with joy as Toulouse come in and suck out even more cash from the game. Those who point it out are branded Luddites, I call them people who can read a balance sheet.

They don't suck cash from the game any more than any other club.

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2 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

Sounds like you want to go back to the good old days of win bonuses and semi-professionalism. Maybe we are….?

Best system there could be is performance related pay, it makes a massive difference to player's attitudes instead of knowing they get paid the same win, lose or draw, it was great watching how the 'minders' would protect their star player's whilst the opposition tried to get them off the field, we have enough player's today who would relish that style and attitude but alas in today's sanitised game and multiple substitutions it wouldn't work.

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1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

Best system there could be is performance related pay, it makes a massive difference to player's attitudes instead of knowing they get paid the same win, lose or draw, it was great watching how the 'minders' would protect their star player's whilst the opposition tried to get them off the field, we have enough player's today who would relish that style and attitude but alas in today's sanitised game and multiple substitutions it wouldn't work.

Are you saying players don't get bonuses/incentives in their contracts? Seems unlikely.

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