Re: Reserves no more! : Sun Oct 20, 2019 8:53 pm  

It's fair to say its a massive slap in the face for coaching staff, players and volunteers.
The vast majority of players gave their time for gratis. The most upsetting aspect regarding the squad is that some players for certain have turned down options to move onto these other SL reserve grade set ups, with an option of better financial options because they believed more in the Halifax ethos. Some of these lads may now be left with proverbial pee making its way into their tents.

I wish all the lads who have given their all the very best of luck in finding a new home. It's a very fickle sport RL and not one you should plan your life around unless you have the very very luckiest of breaks and you there right time, right place.

Re: Reserves no more! : Mon Oct 21, 2019 12:47 pm  

chris_smith wrote:

I actually wholeheartedly agree with the decision that the BOD have taken. Let's be honest, the reserves is a lovely option to have if the competition was valued by the whole of the RFL. The trust has say raised in excess of £250k to fund the team over the last 5+ years. What players has the reserves actually produced from the scholarship, through the reserves and into the first team that are good enough and in the team week in week out.... None!! Rawsthorne was on trial, RM wouldn't sign him and we lost him to Hull, Butler was picked up after losing faith in the game after rejection from several SL clubs, Moore was signed from Cas, JWH was a product of London as he was rekeased to pursue his Education at Leeds Uni... The reserves has never produced a Maguire, Edwards, Murrell for that matter since the club had a proper scouting function in SL when we unearthed and developed the likes of Chris Chester, Danny Tickle etc... The club still has the pathway from Calderdale College and if your good enough, your old enough, just look at Siddal product Morgan Smithies. In all honesty anybody with any promise will be scouted by SL in their early teens....

I think the club needs to get it right both on and off the field but the 1st team must now take priority. I'd rather people come together for a truly fans sponsored player recruitment programme, similar to squad builder in Fax1. If you were to theoretically blend the Trust and Fax1 together you have the perfect Supporters Club as both attract different fans to them.... I know this ad a founder and former Chairman of The Trust. Both do a great job but both can still contribute greatly to the club if communicated with properly.

Well done Fax for taking a tough decision but it's absolutely the right one for the club right now as I think the money spent on the reserves in hindsight couldve been spent better elsewhere.

I agree 100% with Chris! Which is a first.

Re: Reserves no more! : Mon Oct 21, 2019 6:55 pm  

burybabe wrote:

I'm not suggesting it is a secret just not a totally level playing field.

It is a level playing field though. If Bradford run a Reserves they will get no central funding to help. There's a difference between Reserves and Academy....

Re: Reserves no more! : Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:56 pm  

But the Bulls did run an academy https://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/match/league_table (change the drop-down to "academy") which is why they get funding for a reserve team. Or am I reading it all wrong?

But the Bulls did run an academy https://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/match/league_table (change the drop-down to "academy") which is why they get funding for a reserve team. Or am I reading it all wrong?

Re: Reserves no more! : Thu Oct 24, 2019 3:23 pm  

[quote="freddies wig"]

With no way to develop young Calderdale players there is now a disconnect with the youth of the area - they have nothing to aim for with regards to Halifax RLFC - and our crowd gets ever older in its average age and the first team fills up with journeymen with little connection to the club.

Besides, every sporting club should have development programmes in place. [quote]

They'll come to Bradford, won't they. Then we can sell them to Huddersfield....

Re: Reserves no more! : Thu Oct 24, 2019 3:30 pm  

Every year, the same clubs are in Div 1 of the age groups junior Yorkshire league. Siddal are always one. A magnificent junior club. I don't know what else you can do to maximise your take from Siddal

Re: Reserves no more! : Thu Oct 24, 2019 8:04 pm  

Highlander wrote:

Every year, the same clubs are in Div 1 of the age groups junior Yorkshire league. Siddal are always one. A magnificent junior club. I don't know what else you can do to maximise your take from Siddal

Nothing as pretty much all the players get picked up at SL level, we can only wait and see if some drop out due to travelling etc.

Re: Reserves no more! : Thu Oct 24, 2019 11:43 pm  

HX Sparky. Could the reason That team who played at Odslum get reserve funding is:
The EX (but still) Fat Controller has outed himself as one of their supporters,and is still pulling strings at Red Hall?

Level playing field ? As Jim Royle used to say My Ar*e.

Re: Reserves no more! : Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:27 am  

HXSparky wrote: But the Bulls did run an academy https://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/match/league_table (change the drop-down to "academy") which is why they get funding for a reserve team. Or am I reading it all wrong? That's the way I see it. Besides, if anyone thinks the bulls play by the rules they're living in cloud cuckoo land.

HXSparky wrote: But the Bulls did run an academy https://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/match/league_table (change the drop-down to "academy") which is why they get funding for a reserve team. Or am I reading it all wrong? That's the way I see it. Besides, if anyone thinks the bulls play by the rules they're living in cloud cuckoo land.

Re: Reserves no more! : Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:45 am  

Hudd-Shay wrote:

That's the way I see it. Besides, if anyone thinks the bulls play by the rules they're living in cloud cuckoo land.

They don't break rules as they are tailored by the FC and co-horts to suit all their needs.