GH wants to hold the value of the cap as it is (restricts spend on higher quality).
GH doesn't want a reserve comp (restricts spend on youth by denying them longer to prove themselves)
GH doesn't want to change the 8's format (as it restricts the money given to teams outside SL)

Can anyone spot a trend here?

I know I'm playing devil's advocate, but the lack of willingness to invest in the playing squad given our available resources (turnover, profit and potential player pool) is pretty poor form...

GH would reduce the cap if he could.

The reserve grade me is not essential - Leeds produce more than sufficient youngster to feed the championship - having a reserve grade just prolongs the agony.

Surely moving away from the middle 8's gives more cash to the SL clubs so he would surely benefit from a move to a new format.

While GH is always the spokesman, I think it’s really Paul Caddick who is the voice behind it. He’s using the club as a cash cow and wants to limit costs while maximising profit, even if it’s at the expense of the growth of the sport.

You think wrong.

the thing doing the rounds that GH is thinking of bowing out in 12 18 months or so . If this has any substance ,what about Mr Caddick and his future at the club?

the thing doing the rounds that GH is thinking of bowing out in 12 18 months or so . If this has any substance ,what about Mr Caddick and his future at the club?

Caddick wanted out two years ago. Had a buyer who would have taken the club further forward. Hetherington put the block on it, and agreed a deal to buy out Caddick over a period of time, and this included the new stands agreements. I posted this early last year, when told at the time. Caddick does not have active involvement in the rugby side since.

I was also told he wanted to sell. came from the main sponsor of another club. no idea who to mind

I’d imagine there would be quite a lot of interest in taking ownership of Leeds Rhinos

you would think so

Whilst we're duffers on the field, we're one of very few SL teams capable of running at a (small) profit. The maths of that could change considerably though if we continue to go cheap and end up losing fans and sponsors as a result.

Sal - disagree about reserve grade. the gap between Academy and first grade is enormous, and the sport needs a proper pathway for kids to get into the first team. The idea of dual reg could have worked but only if the lower league teams had accepted their lot as feeder teams for SL. They didn't (fair enough) so we're now in a world where we have to choose a couple of kids at 18/19 to contract out whilst the rest are unceremoniously dumped and left to their own devices whilst DR is doing nothing for the credibility of the Championship.

The thing is the sport has changed a lot, and very very few players are physically ready for first grade at 18 or 19 now. Without bringing back reserve teams the only thing I can think of that could help is moving the age groups up a year at least, to U2s or even U21 (with lower groups bumped up as well to U17s).

Where do we get the other 20 odd players per club to run and pay for a reserve grade?
Just scrap the u19s, and make it the reserve grade. That way, it gives players longer to develop, but it would be far cheaper than running another competition.