: Sun Mar 29, 2009 9:36 pm  

Bilko wrote:

Widnes are running with 12 of the 14 Super League clubs in the Gillette Academy (Under 18s) league to start next weekend. Celtic and Catalans are the two SL clubs that aren't.

Yeah Catalans run theirs in the French Academy (and reserves in the French Elite 1) whereas Crusaders while running reserves in the SL comp, run their Under 18s in the National Youth League (although they're near the top and will probably join the SL one soon). Leigh presumably use Leigh East and Leigh Miners Rangers as U18s both of which are in the National Youth League. Halifax run no reserves, but 12 Championship clubs run them (the teams with them can be found on the RFL website under NLs), although only Widnes run U18s in the academy, but Gateshead run one in the NYL (and possibly Keighley do, not sure how close the links to the Cougar Cubs is)

: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:17 pm  

bowes wrote:

Yeah Catalans run theirs in the French Academy (and reserves in the French Elite 1) whereas Crusaders while running reserves in the SL comp, run their Under 18s in the National Youth League (although they're near the top and will probably join the SL one soon). Leigh presumably use Leigh East and Leigh Miners Rangers as U18s both of which are in the National Youth League. Halifax run no reserves, but 12 Championship clubs run them (the teams with them can be found on the RFL website under NLs), although only Widnes run U18s in the academy, but Gateshead run one in the NYL (and possibly Keighley do, not sure how close the links to the Cougar Cubs is)

Celtic have finished 2 nd in the NYL league table this year with Leigh Miners 1 st [ Miners beat them 38-10 today ] , Easts will finish either 6/7 and it looks likely that the National youth cup will be an all Leigh affair this year with Easts already in the final after beating Rylands today and Miners to play Oldham St annes in the other semi

Leigh Centurions dont currently have any input into the Miners and Easts although both clubs have players signed up for Leigh Centurions reserve side next season

Both Keighley and Gateshead also run teams in the NYL and next season I expect several more Championship clubs to tie up with amatuer clubs and run teams in this comp

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:32 am  

Halifax aren't running a Reserves this season, Saving around £50k. Some of that money is going into the Scholarship Program with the view that the players in that will graduate onto an u18s or a Reserve Side next season, which is when we shall be re-entering that competition.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:44 am  

Not a bad thing if they become feeder clubs. Would help with finances and fans would get to see superstars occasionally when they are returning from injury. Players like Wendall Sailor turned out in the JB cup to get fit and drew crowds of 4,000+ from a norm of 500.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:48 am  

JB Down Under wrote:

Not a bad thing if they become feeder clubs. Would help with finances and fans would get to see superstars occasionally when they are returning from injury. Players like Wendall Sailor turned out in the JB cup to get fit and drew crowds of 4,000+ from a norm of 500.

Quite a few Championship clubs get easily more than 500 on. I can see what you're getting at, but it does come across as rather patronising for fans of Championship and Championship One clubs.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 9:53 am  

JB Down Under wrote:

Not a bad thing if they become feeder clubs. Would help with finances and fans would get to see superstars occasionally when they are returning from injury. Players like Wendall Sailor turned out in the JB cup to get fit and drew crowds of 4,000+ from a norm of 500.

Why would people who don't want to pay a couple of quid to see 'returning superstars' in the existing reserve league suddenly want to pay £15 to watch them? Particularly when the same 'superstar' will be available to watch, fully fit and fully committed, playing for their own team within a couple of weeks.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:14 pm  

Starbug wrote:

So unless the SL club is footing the bill then there is no benifit to the Championship clubs

The benefit to Championship clubs is there is a point to their existence. I think is a good deal all round the days of small clubs producing top level talent has ended. The Championship is full of has beens and never will be's. Adding some quality to the division can not be a bad thing and if a young player does not make it in Superleague then a Championship team has gained a player.

A good idea IMO

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:18 pm  

Noel Cleal wrote:

The benefit to Championship clubs is there is a point to their existence. I think is a good deal all round the days of small clubs producing top level talent has ended. The Championship is full of has beens and never will be's. Adding some quality to the division can not be a bad thing and if a young player does not make it in Superleague then a Championship team has gained a player.

A good idea IMO

If a player doesnt make it in SL they tend to wind up at a Championship side, unless they opt to return to the amateur game.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:44 pm  

Hull Kingston Bronco wrote:

SL clubs should have an U20 comp, and a short-term loan system where NL clubs become de-facto feeder teams.

Agreed. SL clubs could make short term loan agreements with:
1) Championship 1/NL2 clubs OR
2) expansion clubs in NL1 (e.g. Gateshead, Sheffield Doncaster)

This would mean that traditional Lancashire or Yorkshire clubs challenging for future SL status, like Widnes, Leigh, Featherstone and Whitehaven, would maintain their individuality and not become feeder clubs to SL clubs.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:56 pm  

Noel Cleal wrote:

The benefit to Championship clubs is there is a point to their existence. I think is a good deal all round the days of small clubs producing top level talent has ended. The Championship is full of has beens and never will be's. Adding some quality to the division can not be a bad thing and if a young player does not make it in Superleague then a Championship team has gained a player.

A good idea IMO

Interesting perspective there

Glad to see we are a valued part of RL in your opinion

Maybe the 70 odd footy teams outside the premiership should look to do the same with the Man utd's of this world

Or maybe you are just a tool