You sign with a scholarship at u15s, which would have been 5 years ago for the oldest of Bradford's u19s. In 2009, 2010 and 2011, Bradford finished 9th, 10th and 10th. The youngest of those u19s will have signed for a scholarship 2/3 years ago, when Bradford were already struggling massively.

If that's the case then things have changed , it used to be U 12 s

one of the reasons we can't have a 16 team league is clubs making the decision to ignore youth development in favour of short term success. This is clearly exacerbated by this system.

If you want to see the damage it does, none of the club which was relegated, the club which was promoted, or the one which survived the million pound nonsense will be running their own academy next year.

Of the three only one was running one this season , and in 2018 the promoted club this season intend on running one

So essentially one seasons loss

Again I'd suggest reading the similar thread on Total RL to see some of the issues with the academies and the amateur clubs they draw from

That is the case. I coached at a scholarship set up last year, our first year intake was u15s/year 10.

Exactly my point. Thanks. Not sure Gubrats gets it though.

' Get what ? ' , that the Scholarships have changed ?

I hope your current crop are as good as your recent productions , if they are though the issue will be keeping them

All the best

What about Jamie Peacock, Leon Pryce, Stuart Reardon, Karl Pryce, Stuart Fielden, etc etc etc?

The issue was always keeping them. If we'd kept the best of our academy products we'd have been consistently one of the best.

Although he went for less than his value you could argue there wouldn't be a club at all if it weren't for the money Wigan paid for John Bateman.

Certainly one of the reasons I've kept going is becaus of the Homegrown lads.

What is clear & certain (to my mind anyway) is that there isn't a long term future for any Club or British/European RL as an entity without Academy/Scolarship structures in place. The same can be seen in economies, where a country is over reliant on importation while not producing or exporting, often those economies struggle or fail.

The incessant & self perpetuatung importation of RL [i'talent'/fodder[/i is both stifling & dare I say crippling to the advancement of RL at all levels, SL included. We will never have a product to match that of the Aussies under the kind of duress the game forces upon itself.

To compete at International level & as a product the British/Euro game must steal from not only the likes of Sheens & Bennet, but also from the NRL administrators & power broker's. Only by harvesting the vital skill sets, attitudes & methods of the very best & imparting the knowledge of leaders to nurture the future of our home grown will we ever see a comparable competition.