[url=https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby-league/wigan-warriors/wigan-warriors-star-dom-manfredi-s-plea-to-make-reserves-mandatory-1-9466773Dom Manfredi's speaking sense[/url

It's not really "speaking sense" though to insist on them being mandatory, because there is really no need for them to be. As has been discussed at length, you can very easily create a reserve team competition with the clubs that have already expressed an interest in one. Indeed, if Leeds and (I assume Catalans for obvious logistical reasons) are the only two clubs who aren't interested, you can easily create a 10-team SL Reserve League, or introduce Bradford, Fax or whoever else to take their place.

There is no need for anything to be mandatory if the will to make this happen is as strong as we're led to believe it is.

Well that highlighted a problem with D/R in that you couldn’t do it when you reached the 8’s. But that’s not a problem anymore so wouldn’t face that same issue.

I suspect there'd be fewer takers if a reserves league was initiated once the necessary rules to make it work properly were announced. What, for example, would be appropriate penalties for sides scratching fixtures when they couldn't raise a side? Even the union reserves, with their 50+ player squads have been bedevilled with this, along with teams picking various dogsbodies in order to fulfil fixtures. There have been some right mullerings of their under-strength sides too.

Ironically Rob Burrow'scomments on the lad who's gone to Halifax sum up the need for a reserve competition better than anyone on here.

Hanley got into the Bradford side at 18, he also got into other things that restricted his development like other peoples houses!

Why does it? Luke Gale and Danny Brough were HB’s playing first team rugby down in the 3rd tier at the same age instead of reserves and both were back in SL in a couple of seasons and went on to become Man of Steel winners. No reason why Reece Champman Smith can’t do the same. Only thing is it might not be Leeds that ends up being the team that benefits in the long run but that’s a risk they’ll take that others won’t.