Re: 2021 | U19's Academy : Sun Aug 22, 2021 6:42 pm  

Think we saw early season with the 1st team that if your spine is no good you cant do much as a team. Half backs and hookers, other than Corey, in 19s have been poor for a long time. The game isnt producing many at all unfortunately.

Re: 2021 | U19's Academy : Sun Aug 22, 2021 8:02 pm  

I can understand Corey’s thoughts there - he will know he’s missed loads and probably doesn’t want to come back in to Leeds feeling underdone.

It also wouldn’t surprise me if he decided it still wasn’t for him after this season. He’ll be into a pretty brutal pre-season at Leeds leading into next year and will need to be up for it.

You guys really know your stuff, lots of respect for you both. I don’t think hookers and halves is a new problem.
1 decent player in these positions every couple of years is about the form.

I am very encouraged by the quality of some lf these younger lads. The youth of today gets a bad wrap in some quarters but there are some diamonds at Leeds which bodes well.

[R.B.A]

Re: 2021 | U19's Academy : Mon Aug 23, 2021 8:44 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

The U19s side we *could* put out would wipe the floor with everyone at this level to be fair.

I’m going to put this out there and say that the talent in our system right now is better than it’s ever been in my time watching. We pretty much have a 1-13 side of home-grown players either already in first grade, or knocking on the door.

Maybe some of these players would have been picked up by Bradford Bulls back in the day, but whatever the reasons we really do have a bumper crop overall. Happy times.

A full strength Castleford would beat a full strength Leeds in my opinion.

[R.B.A]

Re: 2021 | U19's Academy : Mon Aug 23, 2021 8:48 pm  

Marty Grrrrrrrrrr! wrote:

Yeah it was and its impacted every team. The standard of all teams is really low at both 17s and 19s. Lads have lost a massive and key part of their development and standards across the board are lower.

I watched all the 17s games live apart from London away and the standard was embarrassing really. I said earlier that KR was only team with a clue but looking back at it now the standard of that 2nd half was a joke actually and they was the best team we played. Ive watched all the 19s games bar Cas away.

The community game will have been massively impacted by Covid which will have a knock on effect on scholarship and academy rugby for a few years to come. The game isnt producing key position players and hasnt for a while..

Im not accepting the 19s yesterday but these lads have really been unlucky with the timing. Jeez theyve only played a handful of games this season and its August now and they have missed countless training sessions due to the virus all season long. Its little wonder theyve taken a step backwards. We shouldnt be too harsh on them. I feel sorry for them actually.

You've mentioned twice about Leeds playing against Hull KR under 17s. Hull KR didn't play any under 17s matches.

The under 16s match between the 2 sides was a decent, if error ridden, contest if that is what you meant.

Re: 2021 | U19's Academy : Mon Aug 23, 2021 8:57 pm  

R.B.A wrote:

You've mentioned twice about Leeds playing against Hull KR under 17s. Hull KR didn't play any under 17s matches.

The under 16s match between the 2 sides was a decent, if error ridden, contest if that is what you meant.

Yeah it was. It got confusing with mostly same players playing as 16s and then as 17s a week later. KR was best team we played but the 2nd half was a knockonathon it must be said.

Re: 2021 | U19's Academy : Tue Aug 24, 2021 7:07 am  

R.B.A wrote:

A full strength Castleford would beat a full strength Leeds in my opinion.

Would be a good game, the Cas 2nd years are the only team iv seen outplay a Butterill coached nearly full strength Scholarship side in years, we'v dropped the odd one when playing lots of u15's to give them a game, but cant remember a defeat when playing a strong team apart from that cas game. Our first years are much better than Cas first years though, many of which played and excelled in the origin game playing a year up, theyr also better already than our 2nd years in most cases.

Not sure how many 3rd years Cas use, we'd probably only use Tindall and Hall in our strongest side.

Re: 2021 | U19's Academy : Tue Aug 24, 2021 9:34 am  

Matt i wouldnt think too much of the Origin game. Lancashire was hit hard by covid and was a pretty weak team.

Re: 2021 | U19's Academy : Tue Aug 24, 2021 9:42 am  

Marty Grrrrrrrrrr! wrote:

Matt i wouldnt think too much of the Origin game. Lancashire was hit hard by covid and was a pretty weak team.

Marty, they played well, playing a year up, you can only go off what theyr doing in the games they play, Lancashire missed a few with covid, but they were still as talented than any single club Academy the lads will play.

Re: 2021 | U19's Academy : Tue Aug 24, 2021 9:51 am  

Leeds are in a very strong position.

We have a flood of talent which is looking promising - as I said before we have almost a full first grade 1-13 in prospect which is great.

Serious question: does the club try to recruit just the best players it can regardless of position into Scholarship/ Academy, or do they focus on key positions?

Re: 2021 | U19's Academy : Tue Aug 24, 2021 12:48 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Leeds are in a very strong position.

We have a flood of talent which is looking promising - as I said before we have almost a full first grade 1-13 in prospect which is great.

Serious question: does the club try to recruit just the best players it can regardless of position into Scholarship/ Academy, or do they focus on key positions?

Not sure how they do it but there will be changes under Bastian.

You say weve a flood of talent Jimbo but which ones from academy/scholarship programme do you see making it at Leeds. Im mot talking of the full time lads now.