Fuuny thing is I am actually in a very good mood

The thing is you wont go because you have a soft spot for Halifax.

Our youth system is pants and thats not in doubt but on the flip side i really cant see the point of a team like Halifax developing there own talent when SL teams just take them away for nothing if they are any good and any that are very good at a young age are already snapped up by SL clubs.

As an Halifax fan, yes i want to see exciting players and exciting rugby from my home town club. But i have been concerned about the no of overseas players we have. In my view, and i suspect employment laws dont allow, but i would prefer no more than 1 overseas and preferbaly none at NL level, and current limits in SL cut back. My biggest concern in our game is the international scene which i feel is why we get poor media, decreasing crowds at internationals and to me this is embarrssing.

Despite full time professionalism being here for several years, fitness levels no longer being a factor, we still can't compete with the Aussies on a consistent basis. And I don't see what the overseas players in our game bring to this issue. In the main they take up the key positions, preventing home grown players from testing their abilities. If we take our game back 20 years, i believe we had the skill players to compete, just not the same fitness levels and training regimes. How we could do with a Edwards, Gregory, Hanley now.

I also feel part of the problem is SL clubs snapping up youngsters from outside their catchment areas, and these players getting dissolusioned and leaving the game when after a few years they are still overlooked in favour of overseas players. Some of these players may develop to full potential later than others, but don't feel they are given their chance.

Not always though, for instance any youngster currently with us knows we have a good chance of a franchise and they also know that they will get more of a chance to play first team with us rather than someone like Wigan or Saints. Granted if we dont get one a few may leave but that is a risk we must take. Paddy Flynn and Ben Kavanagh both last year signed 3 year deals despite heavy interest from St Helens and Hull KR.

Excellent post and good points raised.

To be fair I think you will get 1 and I wont begrudge it you after the amount of times the RFL have stabed you in the back.

and they didn't stab us in the back when they brought in the salary cap rules into NL the year we got relegated, but then changed the rules again when Cas came down the year after.

Come SL time those 8 in your squad will be deadwood. They'll be in your squad but they'll rarely get a game. They're simply not good enough. It's all cosmetic bullcrap in order to satisfy one of RL's ever growing mysterious criteria points.

Listen son, if the RFL want us in, they'll put us in. If they don't, they won't. It won't matter if we suck up and satisy everyone of their silly goals - they won't put us in for 2012. So, in the meantime, Halifax RLFC will continue to do what they think is best - to entertain their fans ON THE FIELD - where it truly matters.

Your current squad? 90% of them won't see SL. They're nowhere near good enough - unless SOC has designs of matching Salford and Celtic Crusasers as was. He's spent too much money to let that happen.

In the meantime you and all the other SL franchisees will continue with their "yoof" policy. As good as the hype says that'll be, we'll still get mullered by the Aussies. It's all bollox VM - and you know it.

only a few months ago one young lad that was being watched/earmarked for fax academy from brooksbank school was signed up by a SL team.
how many times has this happened in the last few years.
including as far as know ben kavanagh at widnes.
how are fax supposed to get a good youth system going when no leagues for the teams. i.e. all set this year then RFL changed their minds.

Of course they stabed us in the back too but I just feel Widnes should of got in last time instead of Celtic Crusaders.

Agreed BUT - they'd just come out of Administration. It would have sent the wrong message. Now though? Without doubt.

After the laughable events of this week i couldn't care less. Just so long as Halifax are available to watch, week in, week out with a decent game and some top entertainment i couldn't care less how those knobsacks at Red Hall conduct themselves. They're like Greek Gods meddling with mortals on Earth.

I just want to watch Rugby League.