Re: Ellery hanley has his say : Sat Jun 16, 2012 11:12 am  

goobervision wrote:

So we grow RL by making the top flight competition smaller, reducing the opportunity for those up and coming players to get an SL experience?

How small does the league need to be to have "international" grade players available, is it a pool of 10 teams with just 20 centres at the first grade, or is it 14 with 28 first grade to pick from?

If it's 10, and there's the opportunity to rest players who pays for the redundant squad in the back ground? Less game time would be better for players like Tomkins right?

Do we restrict the import of all Ausie players so that the SL grade can only ever get to test their arm at international level?

I guess that the bottom four teams in any league are competitive and SL is the only sport in the world that has losers as well as winners?

Or, do we need the RFL to get the sport into the public eye more? Make the Magic Weekend something that's not just another league game, get the Challenge Cup back in the lime light rather than marginalised as Sky simply don't care?

Give the World Cup to TV or the BBC for free for a year, yes it will cost the RFL but the terrestrial TV producers would jump at the chance to fill the Sat/Sun afternoons with some cheap to make TV.

More people = more cash and a better public perception and growth.

Its a simple equation of

Poor on field product = lack of mainstream interest off it.

We need a 10 team SL where realistically all the teams are equal, playing to a equally high standard in modern looking stadia.

A league where ever game is of the highest quality and you've got 5 top games played over a weekend and fans are spoilt for choice.

That's how you market British RL as having the most competative league in the world. If it raises the level of the championship then even better for us.

I'd also go one step further with SL clubs linking up with league two sides and having A teams in that league mixed in with some others.

Make that the exciting young league where you can see the next Tomkins etc play.

Re: Ellery hanley has his say : Sat Jun 16, 2012 11:37 am  

Cruncher wrote:

according to a rumour on TotalRL, Salford may be favourites for this, as they supposedly have financial issues.

You're not far wrong there. When I was at the Etihad I overheard a current Salford player talking to a Huddersfield player with regards to recent meetings within the club about their financial difficulties.

Re: Ellery hanley has his say : Sat Jun 16, 2012 11:58 am  

MattyB wrote:

You're not far wrong there. When I was at the Etihad I overheard a current Salford player talking to a Huddersfield player with regards to recent meetings within the club about their financial difficulties.

You nosy 8ugger!

Re: Ellery hanley has his say : Sat Jun 16, 2012 12:29 pm  

Guerrier wrote:

It's pretty evident that there isn't enough talent about to sustain 14 teams in the league, there's far too many players about that are so far off the top players it's embarrassing.

I think that's too negative, we should be looking at more ways to increase that talent pool. The "8 club-grown players" rule that the RFL introduced recently is a step in the right direction, and hasn't yet had time to show results, but it needs to go further.
Too many clubs are just paying lip service to it at present (Wakey, for example, who have the mandatory Academy products in their squad, but all outside their starting 17).
Force (or encourage) more clubs to produce more players, and some of them will inevitably turn out to be top quality. Stricter rules about producing and using their own players, plus perhaps salary cap allowances for them would be a good next step.

If we cut the number of clubs, we're discouraging youngsters from taking up the game, as we're reducing their opportunities to find a full-time job in the game.

Re: Ellery hanley has his say : Sat Jun 16, 2012 12:56 pm  

I agree we need to reduce the amount of teams in the top division, for example - how many of our teams would stand a chance for a top 8 spot over in the NRL?

I'd hazard a guess at... 2? Even then its a maybe.

Re: Ellery hanley has his say : Sat Jun 16, 2012 1:36 pm  

Don't think anyone can say that Ellery's comments have come as a surprise. I think a system needs to be put in place where each club has to produce a certain amount of its players through their own youth set up. That might stop clubs going for mediocre ozzies as a stop gap as well giving new blood a chance.

Re: Ellery hanley has his say : Sat Jun 16, 2012 2:06 pm  

Hendy Charming wrote:

Don't think anyone can say that Ellery's comments have come as a surprise. I think a system needs to be put in place where each club has to produce a certain amount of its players through their own youth set up. That might stop clubs going for mediocre ozzies as a stop gap as well giving new blood a chance.

And that should be encouraged by making the salaries for 'home grown' talent exempt from the salary cap.

Re: Ellery hanley has his say : Sat Jun 16, 2012 2:13 pm  

I hope someone at Redhall is listening to what Ellery has to say about McBannana. Every club fan has said it but they didn't listen.
Ellery should be England's boss, but he'd tell those who run the game exactly how to fix it and it would scare the crap out of them, with what they'd have to do.
The problem with the Rugby league is the same problem which affects the majority of Super League clubs. Mediocrity is adequate and just taking part is enough.
The culture has got to change. We shouldn't just play. We need to compete!

Re: Ellery hanley has his say : Sat Jun 16, 2012 2:18 pm  

tedglen wrote:

:CLAP:
And that should be encouraged by making the salaries for 'home grown' talent exempt from the salary cap.

To an extent that would help. What would worry me about that is the money 'saved' by the club would then be thrown at some ozzie who is not the super star everyone thought and we end up back to square one. Over paid ozzies and young talent being over looked. Not all clubs would do this, but rather than use the money to invest in their youth system, many clubs would go for a quick fix.

Re: Ellery hanley has his say : Sat Jun 16, 2012 2:22 pm  

Hendy Charming wrote:

I think a system needs to be put in place where each club has to produce a certain amount of its players through their own youth set up.

That's already in place, as I pointed out earlier. The rule is that each club has to have (at least) 8 players in their squad that have come through their own academy. Problem is, there's no rule that says they have to play them.