Re: The Bench - Kris Radlinski : Tue Feb 18, 2025 12:23 pm
Stu M wrote:
Do you not think that this is more to do with the quality of the youth systems at the clubs that win trophies and the sheer number of home-grown players?
i'd probably go further and say lack of, instead of quality of
IMO, there should be as part of the IMG gradings a full club structure in place to score top points, for example 1st team, reserves, academy (whatever form that may be), scholarship, ladies and disability. Whilst Wigan, Saints and Leeds can keep producing players, surely all clubs must have that pipeline into the game for our youngsters. It shows with dual registration, that the structure below isnt working, as our clubs are constantly needing to send players on the 1st team fringes to championship sides to get game time, and IMO that's all down to the lack of a competitive structure at the levels below 1st team. I know our sport isnt cash rich, but surely a pipeline of players coming into a clubs 1st team would initially bring player outlay down as they are typically on a lower salary when they make their way into the 1st team, instead of constantly signing 1st team players from elsewhere, and then potentially income if they sell players (albeit, this is few and far between in RL at the minute)