It certainly is. Over at the Bulls we've got three lads that have come through this season and two are now over 19 and so are ineligible for the academy. They aren't getting the games they need to develop and the club don't want to farm them out to feeder clubs that have poorer coaching setups.

There's no movement on this issue from the RFL or from the clubs but the game needs a reserve grade.

They aren't now their injuries have started to add up (they weren't that bad at the start of the season), 3 losses in 5, were fortunate to beat Hudds and took hammerings vs Wakey and Warrington. Two of the players who've played the worst in their last two games have been Burke and Gregson, two players who started out in the reserve games.

When you say no movement from the RFL - is that the same RFL that is running a reserve grade competition but only 9 clubs could be bothered to enter it?

That's nothing. Gotcha who is championing the positive effect on teams who have entered actually thought Widnes had a reserve team when in reality they don't.

A full reserve grade comp with all clubs would help in re habilitation of injured players. Instead of Sutclffe getting his first run out after a long layoff in a pressure SL game he could get some physical confidence back without having to be overly concerned with mistakes and result.

There are other reasons I think reserve grade is needed, but that one relates directly to injuries. Having watched many, many A team games in the past you would regularly see key first team players coming back from injury in that way.