Dewsbury Rams have taken the decision to withdraw from the Reserves Competition schedule for the remainder of 2016. www.dewsburyrams.co.uk/article/4 ... erves-team

Dewsbury Rams have taken the decision to withdraw from the Reserves Competition schedule for the remainder of 2016. www.dewsburyrams.co.uk/article/4 ... erves-team

So that's really going to help with the lack of fixtures, 3 Championship teams have now dropped out, the whole thing needs sorting properly as it is becoming a joke. I really feel for our lads, we've committed to having a team this season and everyone around us seems to be dropping like flies. Hopefully this weeks game will go ahead and the lads will get a good run out.

It sort of sums it up when the RFL have links to Wheelchair RL and Womens RL (and all the rest) but not the Reserve Championship on their website...

[urlhttp://www.rugby-league.com/leagues__competitions[/url

It also doesn't help that some of the Super League teams refused to play the Championship ones!
How is that fair?
If they're in a reserve competition, they're in a reserve competition. They should play all competitors, no matter who.
Who runs this sport? Would be nice to know!

our supporters club do a great job in raising funds for the reserve team and have kept them going.

This and fact most other clubs don't bother shows the lack of money in game as they all regard it main task to focus on first team and spend what they can there. Short sighted move as need to develop players. Dual registration was meant to help clubs get players experience but has never worked. Reserve league now looks doomed.

They will all think "if we took all we spend in reserves we could have another decent player or two and help win the main games". Perhaps we are just out of step by spending money this way.

Money isn't the issue. Or at least it wasn't the main issue for Leigh. The problem was lack of regular and competitive fixtures.

I think Leigh reserves managed about 10 games in total last year and would have been less if they hadn't made the GF. At least half of those got moved/cancelled/rearranged at least once.

A large number of matches were also absolute blow outs. Did the Leigh kids learn anything by travelling over to Keighley on a Wednesday night and winning by 70 pts? Did that really do anything to help their development, or Keighleys?

By the end of the year we had our 8 'best' kids out on loan in Champ 1 because the standard of the reserve comp was doing nothing for their development.

This season things seem even worse and fixtures even more scarce. I am not happy that Leigh are not running a reserves side but can understand why we aren't bothering under the current system and now it seems Fev, Sheffield and Dewsbury are in agreement.

A real shame and a proper reserves structure needs to be put in place before things get even worse.

I agree that for some, clubs it's not about the money, some want a proper set of games that will allow players to develop, get fit, and so the club can assess quality. Although I think with lack of cash in game this is thing of the past and championship "squad" players will eventually be allowed a duel registration with "amateur" clubs.

But for others it's all about the cost - remember our game is really struggling.

Reserve players out on duel contract must be cheaper than playing them in a reserve team, as new club would pay something towards them, they will also get higher standard of run out. For clubs like Fax, that mainly pays as players play it would be cheaper. A full time player needs to earn over £12,000 a year (based upon 52 weeks and 35 hours and minimum wage £7.20/£6.70) as a minimum. That's why some clubs only offer ten month contracts to save a bit.

No idea what our team get paid but I bet our costs (and other teams using non full time players) much lower than Full time.

+1

Spot on Nozzy

agree with nozzy. stop DR and make it a rule for clubs to have reserve grade team.

swifty62 That is a great call, a common sense approach to developing the game.
Therefore imo Red Hall would never go for it, neither would some sooner dooper teams who loan out players and have a reduced wage bill,but have players on call who have current game time and are match fit.

It's a great idea guys but.....when over 90% of clubs are loosing money season on season and are only sustained by guarantees from owners. (Salford over £6 million in debt ).

Our last accounts 30/11/14 showed a loss of almost £600,000 and negative funds of £365,000. We may be better now, but the point is the overall position is so bad clubs will aim to reduce costs where possible. We only have our team due to the supporters choosing to spend money there.