Scholarship / academy set up gone? : Tue Nov 14, 2023 11:06 pm  

There are reports from usually reliable posters the other forum that Broncos will not run the scholarship/ academy system in 2024.

I'll reserve judgement until I know exactly what's going on but...

Re: Scholarship / academy set up gone? : Tue Nov 14, 2023 11:58 pm  

Seems to be true based on parents postings on Facebook. The club need to explain itself.

Re: Scholarship / academy set up gone? : Wed Nov 15, 2023 1:55 am  

Is the IMG Grading system offering anything for running an Academy, because I saw nothing to suggest they were.

Not a reason to shut down the Academy, but if the future of the sport is scoring the most points on a spreadsheet, it's not really encouraging investment in areas that don't have a direct impact on improving the Grading.

London are way off, but clubs that are close to either Cat A or simply a SL place are likely to focus on areas that directly convert into grading points. Not convinced that is a good thing if a club decides to invest in a LED screen for 0.125 grading points rather than investing that money in the Academy for zero grading points. Obviously there are indirect benefits (towards grading) to be accrued from an Academy but not a guaranteed 0.125 uplift.

I think Academy costs can be used to offset Profit reductions, but there only appear to be a couple of grading scoring tiers, so may not be relevant to all clubs if no gain to be made in the Grading area.

Okay, extreme examples, but unless the Grading system is entirely fit for purpose, you do feel decisions by clubs being driven by the Grading scores. Which (might) be okay if every scoring area is truly for the benefit of the sport, and more importantly, doesn't take focus away from areas that are really beneficial (but not recognised by IMG's grading system).

Re: Scholarship / academy set up gone? : Wed Nov 15, 2023 7:42 am  

If true then this is surely one of the most shockingly bad decisions the club /Hughes has ever made - and let's face it there have been some shockers in the past!
Is this some sort of kneejerk reaction to the IMG gradings?
Last season we had numerous players in the squad, regular first teamers who were academy graduates , possibly equally as many this coming season (with the likes of Meadows and Boafo returning) - if not more. As it seems impossible for us NOT to get relegated next season because of the gradings, how on earth do we rebuild for future seasons?

Is it just me or is this simply the most ridiculous short term decision? No matter how they performed last season the club will just bin the next potential cohort of home grown players?
Or am I missing something?

Re: Scholarship / academy set up gone? : Wed Nov 15, 2023 8:50 am  

There's no doubt it's expensive, I seem to recall the club saying north of a million per annum. However, quite how the club think they can build a team good enough to get a fair dump of IMG performance points on the next couple of cycles without decent academy products breaking through is beyond me.

I'll reserve judgement until the club speak, surely they must talk to fans about this, but I'm currently struggling to see any logic beyond a short run saving that will probably seriously weaken the club in the long run.

Re: Scholarship / academy set up gone? : Wed Nov 15, 2023 9:08 am  

This is a massive decision and can't possibly be rationalised on the basis that no grading points are awarded for running an academy. It's too fundamental for that. The club has often spoken about the importance of its investment in the academy and on the move to Cherry Red Hughes said: Once again we have promoted a handful of players from our Academy and this pathway has to be preserved for the long term future of Professional Rugby League in London. When last promoted to Super League, Hughes did a series of interviews patting himself on the back and touting the academy as massively underestimated by the rest of the game and asserting that youth would be a core component of the club’s long-term plans in the south. The squad make up under Eccles is indeed based on home grown players (and returnees) with a sprinkling of talent from elsewhere. How can that continue without an academy ? It is very difficult to see where the club is going with this. It's been obvious for a long time that Hughes has no sense but maybe he now has no money either.

This is a massive decision and can't possibly be rationalised on the basis that no grading points are awarded for running an academy. It's too fundamental for that. The club has often spoken about the importance of its investment in the academy and on the move to Cherry Red Hughes said: Once again we have promoted a handful of players from our Academy and this pathway has to be preserved for the long term future of Professional Rugby League in London. When last promoted to Super League, Hughes did a series of interviews patting himself on the back and touting the academy as massively underestimated by the rest of the game and asserting that youth would be a core component of the club’s long-term plans in the south. The squad make up under Eccles is indeed based on home grown players (and returnees) with a sprinkling of talent from elsewhere. How can that continue without an academy ? It is very difficult to see where the club is going with this. It's been obvious for a long time that Hughes has no sense but maybe he now has no money either.

Re: Scholarship / academy set up gone? : Wed Nov 15, 2023 10:17 am  

I have been saying it for years - the junior game in London and South is on its uppers, as to be fair is the comunity game in general.

Back in the day, when there were development officers in play around the region, there were great numbers of juniors and clubs and they fed into a well organised Broncos pathway. I am sure a lot of today's Open age former academy players were introduced to the game in this era. RFL stopped the funding for DO. The problem was the DO officers were coaches rather than DEVELOPMENT officers and once they went the void wasnt filled. Player numbers dropped year on year, Broncos did nothing to assist, but the myth that Broncos had a magnificent academy was perpetuated. The slide was marked pre covid, but covid hit the junior game for six. Fewer teams, fewer players, fewer volunteers, less full 13 a side games, less referees; the objective to just get by. Broncos sit in on the end of season Origin games (not neccessarily the best players in the region) rather than go to 'scout' and hope they can get enough players to play academy. The surest sign that things are faultering is the number of players now at St Marys Uni in the Academy. Always a good barometer, last year 4 including Bill Leyland, this year one and I think he is a fringe.

This has been coming for some time I am sad to say.

Re: Scholarship / academy set up gone? : Wed Nov 15, 2023 10:29 am  

There's no doubt the junior game is in decline down south. This has impacted the Academy. Recent results speak volumes. I'm hoping the club reveal a plan to use the cash saved to re-invigorate junior RL and then reboot the Academy. That would make sense.

If it's a simple cash save, as I fear, I can't see this as anything other than disastrous for southern RL.

Re: Scholarship / academy set up gone? : Wed Nov 15, 2023 11:16 am  

https://www.totalrl.com/newly-promoted- ... rogrammes/ Its official. As the article says nearly 100 youngsters with no pathway to the first team. Words fail me.

https://www.totalrl.com/newly-promoted- ... rogrammes/ Its official. As the article says nearly 100 youngsters with no pathway to the first team. Words fail me.

Re: Scholarship / academy set up gone? : Wed Nov 15, 2023 11:28 am  

RfE wrote:

https://www.totalrl.com/newly-promoted-super-league-side-london-broncos-to-stop-running-academy-and-scholarship-programmes/

Its official.
As the article says nearly 100 youngsters with no pathway to the first team.
Words fail me.

It's behind a paywall, did the club give any explanation for it ?