A bridge too far tonight but I thought Sam Walters had a terrific game. What a bright future that kid has. Welsby for Saints really is a star tho.

Lads tried hard but Saints controlled the game and Leeds was always battling to hold on.

Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Welsby and Walters find their way to international level.

Don’t think it’s done the side any favours chopping and changing throughout the year, but really although winning is good, it’s all about development of the players at this level.

We should be decent next year too with a few first years staying in and some scholarship coming up?

Next years 18's should be a good side, pretty young pack though. Id go with sumthing like this off top of my head...

1.Little, 1st year
2.Tindall
3.Burton
4.Nichol, 1st year
5.Stephens
6.Anderson
7.Mallison
8.Rowley
9.Burton
10.Atkinson, 1st year
11.Gibbons, 1st year
12.Delaney
13.Nicholson watten, 1st year

14.Parsons, 1st year
15.Hird, 1st year
16.Wallace, 1st year
17.Mayhew or Snee, both 1st years

With Oliver Field giving us 3 good halfs, Stewart and Barton good depth in the backs.

Be very surprised to see Little at 1 and Stephens on the wing Matt but I know the point you are making. Oli Field is the best half out of the 3 for me, hes a good footballer just lacks a bit of pace.

Have to see how it all pans out.

I’d say parsons is the best halfback out of the group he will feature a lot next year if his development is continued . Those first year half backs haven’t really shown much this year I’ve been disappointed with them to be honest . That said 19s is a big step up 18s should be a lot easier for a lot more to handle .

I also wonder who we will retain from this 19s side for reserves and who we’ll release.

Been a good year overall for the boys, good to watch.

Brad Martin has signed for Cas. Moorhouse and Markland have definately been released.

Yeah id be suprised aswel marty, its what id go with though, think Stephens is a slightly better Winger than he is a fullback, and wing looks the more likely route to the first team over the next 2/3 years. I also really like Little and think he's a much better fullback than he is a winger. Should be a good team to watch however it pans out, talent everywhere.

Shame about Martin & Moorhouse

Agreed. Thought both have shown enough to keep on, especially with reserves back.

I think 7 or 8 have been released in total. I'm presuming lads like Scrimshaw, Russell, Hammill etc are among the others but not sure.

I think only the lads that have 1st team contracts have been retained plus Walters and O'Connor all the rest have been let go.

No point keeping lads for the sake of it.

Just out of interest what’s everyone’s thoughts on reserve grade next season. I’ve been keen for this to be brought back for a few years but my worry was always going to be how serious some clubs would be and how it would be financed.

My biggest worries appear to be correct, in recent weeks Ive seen good lads turning there back on the game mainly due to the proposed part time and pay as you play offers been made to lads at 19/20 years of age. This as certainly been the case at cas. I was also given the same information last week from Warrington parents and I’m aware it’s also been done at Huddersfield.
At cas 7 lads were offered part time deals less than £100 a week but then they were expected to do a full pre season with the first team. Only 3 signed the other 4 have walked although 2 will be snapped up is my understanding.
Yourselves I’m told will mix and match with featherstone which could work. I’ve also no doubts the likes of Wigan and saints will run a successful reserve set up.

I can only speak of what I've heard about Leeds Brayton and I've come to the conclusion similar to yours that its pretty much going to be a waste of time. I doubt that they will play many games if its regionalised.

People who think 1st team players are going to play in it if they arent in the 1st team are kidding themselves I think. Lads coming off injuries wont play there either, you arent going to see Stevie Ward play in reserves if he is coming back from a layoff for example in my opinion.

Half our team will be Fev lads anyway by the sounds.

Kids like Holroyd and Mustapha etc would be far better off playing for Fev on dual reg or on loan elsewhere as that would by far help their development playing in the Championship and that is what will continue to happen anyway.

We will see what happens though.

100% correct that will be the case. Lads with ability would be far better used playing in the championship. It all makes sense why DR wasn’t scrapped which would have been logical to make reserve grade successful.

Am sure this is all true. Whilst I'd shed no tears if DR was abolished, I do think Leeds and Fev have made it work especially well for both clubs, and have used the system far more effectively than most.

The experience Newman got at Fev prior to his 1st team breakthrough at Leeds was invaluable, and I'd say the situation with Alex Sutcliffe this year has also been a big benefit for both parties. For mem, Sutcliffe is always going to fall slightly short of being a SL centre at a club with Leeds' ambitions, he just doesn't have the flexibility of movement that is needed to be high-class at that position, but as he fills out (he's still only 20) he might develop into a SL-quality edge back row.

Although he has played left centre for Fev this year the angles he is being asked to run are pretty similar to those that an edge back row would run, in order to play to his strengths, and he has the benefit of a talented half on his side of the field in Dane Chisholm to run those angles off. I think he's another year off being SL-ready, but then again I thought that about Newman at the start of this year.