Re: last nights NCL meeting : Wed Apr 13, 2011 12:00 pm  

so no Prem teams other than BQ have indicated they want to move to summer?

Re: last nights NCL meeting : Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:28 pm  

Cowiesarse wrote:

so no Prem teams other than BQ have indicated they want to move to summer?

Nope, and not many from upper divisions at all (exclusing the NCL sides). This could be a real issue (and thankfully not one I have to deal with!)...

Upper division side, wants to progress and sees summer as the way to go. Risks quitting NWC and therefore, its place in an upper division that it took 30+ years to get. Goes to summer, discovers there hasn't been a mass switch of similar standard sides, finds the standard too low, and players go back to NWC sides in winter instead, club ends up struggling.

that said, there are 4/5 NCL 2nd sides so it may not be too bad.

Re: last nights NCL meeting : Wed Apr 13, 2011 2:36 pm  

Which current NCL are considering coming over to NWC/staying in the BARLA Winter conference?

Re: last nights NCL meeting : Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:13 pm  

Cowiesarse wrote:

Which current NCL are considering coming over to NWC/staying in the BARLA Winter conference?

I've been told that of the 10 voting no at the NCL meeting, Ince Rose Bridge was the only one from our part of the world with the others being from Yorkshire and they suggested they might now follow the rest anyway...so that suggests none going into the NWC. I also imagine that some of teh other 9 will now change their mind given the vote result.

A BARLA Conference would need them to go into it and presumably, some of the better County League sides with good facilities to also move up (Golbourne is an obvious candidate). That would strip even more sides out of the NWC I presume!

Tbh, I can't really see a BARLA Conference league taking off and certainly not more than maybe one division?

Re: last nights NCL meeting : Wed Apr 13, 2011 5:41 pm  

mmp wrote:

Upper division side, wants to progress and sees summer as the way to go. Risks quitting NWC and therefore, its place in an upper division that it took 30+ years to get. Goes to summer, discovers there hasn't been a mass switch of similar standard sides, finds the standard too low, and players go back to NWC sides in winter instead, club ends up struggling.

That could easily work the other way round though. Player(s) leave their NWC side to try out summer rugby, finds the standard outside NCL below what he's used to, return to NWC club and summer side that depends on parachuting players in, struggles.

I think the biggest worry for the RFL is the gulf in playing standards between the NCL clubs and the rest. The key for them to make the transition work properly is to make sure the NWC tier is taken care of.

Re: last nights NCL meeting : Wed Apr 13, 2011 6:04 pm  

Cowiesarse wrote:

Which current NCL are considering coming over to NWC/staying in the BARLA Winter conference?

I'm told St Judes and IRB were one of the last to say they were changing to summer. I think all NCL clubs will move en masse anyway.

The Barla NCL is an interesting concept and it will be interesting to hear what comes from Girvins meeting with the RFL on Friday(?).

Re: last nights NCL meeting : Wed Apr 13, 2011 7:22 pm  

I think the writing maybe on the wall for the proposed BARLA winter conf, I very much doubt there will be the teams who can tick the boxes to qualify to maintain a decent level.

Winter rugby will be regionalised leagues only by the sounds of it, and if current NCL teams want to avoid summer rugby or eventually drop out it will be to the like of NWC, Pennine etc etc.

Looking further ahead however.... one thought I've had on the whole RFL summer proposal, is that surely there will be the handful of teams that do aspire to make 'tier 2' of the Rugby League ladder, which is the carrott being dangled in front of the big sides should they wish to make/achieve the step, maybe more than handful! Those clubs with Pennies in the bank already and those who can attract good local business backing aswell as funding from here there and everywere. IMO this will slowly alienate those lower down the 'Summer conference' ladder......it is then I fear that the grass may not seem so green in the summer for the smaller clubs.

Re: last nights NCL meeting : Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:46 pm  

Cowiesarse wrote:

I think the writing maybe on the wall for the proposed BARLA winter conf, I very much doubt there will be the teams who can tick the boxes to qualify to maintain a decent level.

Winter rugby will be regionalised leagues only by the sounds of it, and if current NCL teams want to avoid summer rugby or eventually drop out it will be to the like of NWC, Pennine etc etc.

Looking further ahead however.... one thought I've had on the whole RFL summer proposal, is that surely there will be the handful of teams that do aspire to make 'tier 2' of the Rugby League ladder, which is the carrott being dangled in front of the big sides should they wish to make/achieve the step, maybe more than handful! Those clubs with Pennies in the bank already and those who can attract good local business backing aswell as funding from here there and everywere. IMO this will slowly alienate those lower down the 'Summer conference' ladder......it is then I fear that the grass may not seem so green in the summer for the smaller clubs.

agree there are clubs giving tier two the eye but some are being a bit 'aspirational' shall we say. as for the lower clubs -it will all depend on the club. whatever happens, it cannot be less 'green' than winter for a side like us in Bury. I chatted at length with a v good Div 3 side tonight - i mentioned our summer move = £1,600 in savings in the bank (cost of floodlit training), he said they pay that and dont worry about the cost as they've grown to be used to it. so, it's always going to be 'greener' from my view as i know plenty of things £1,600 could go on.

Re: last nights NCL meeting : Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:53 pm  

Morning Glory wrote:

I think the biggest worry for the RFL is the gulf in playing standards between the NCL clubs and the rest. The key for them to make the transition work properly is to make sure the NWC tier is taken care of.

of course...i think the NCL moving over will displace many of the 'top level' current summer clubs as I think NCL is better! but the RFL need to look at the transfering NWC clubs and support their transition as they are needed to mkae the whole thing work. for a start, they need to recognise that such are participation clubs not elite sides and the off-field standards need to reflect such

Re: last nights NCL meeting : Wed Apr 13, 2011 9:08 pm  

its very much an each to there own i think with preference as to when they wanna play there rugby....its a brave step.

small acorns and all that.

My view (and not of the club), is that as an amateur team in Wigan, where I am sure you will agree it is tough to get established, in terms of getting the kids down rather than goin to Pats, Judes and the like....we could provide the winter alternative....Opens allot of doors for us stayin in the winter format in my opinion....again, small acorns and all that.