Although very happy and a little surprised that Trinity have got the nod, although our academy and those behind it have worked tirelessly to get there. It's utterly ridiculous for all SL and top Championship clubs not to have their own academies.

If any clubs are falling short, it would be far better for them to be helped / pointed in the right direction, rather than say no.

Nothing about RL surprises me anymore and you wonder what the short, medium and long term implications are on not having an academy.

Seems like crass stupidity from the sports administrators (again).

It isn't just about who has produced more players

Every club should have an academy you're right.

It beggars belief that Bradford haven't been chosen. Especially as there are 2 licence places left that they've decided not to award.

With all due respect to Huddersfield and Wakefield they are as many players in the England elite train on squad that came through their academies combined as there are from Bradford's academy and we've not been in Super duper league for years.

Consistently producing high standard players that go on to rep honours, Super league and NRL success including GB/England Captains in recent years.

Do they think your next John Bateman or Elliot Whitehead are going to traipse up to Newcastle?

The same thinking behind this decision is what's causing crowds to drop, the standard of play in Super duper league to drop and TV audiences/revenue to drop.

Not according to Lenagan they shouldn't.

Just because he owns my club doesn't mean I have to agree with everything he says.

Pretty sure he thinks every club should have reserve and academy sides, he just thinks we should only have 1 division similar to the NRL. (I think that's his belief anyway)

It would be interesting to know what happens to the clubs who are not granted elite academy status.
Will they still be permitted to compete in the top flight post the much talked about re structure or, is there some kind of bold plan which the masses are not privy to ?

If it's not about producing players they're looking at the wrong things. That's the whole point of academies.

no we've got the licence but I still think they are inept does that help

100% agree with you

Saints . Lees and Bentley
Wigan . Bateman
Giants . Wilson, O'Brian, Joe Wardle
Salford. Addy, Roberts
Leeds. Donaldson, Mellor
Hull. Scott
Rovers. Storton, Ryan, Mudodti
Cas. Truman

Throw in Whitehead and Tom Burgess

In our last league game 7 of our 17 were acadamy graduates

Throw in god knows how many others playing in the champ and leage 1 (Sykes, Atkins, James, Cook, Kopzack, etc) and then tell me Bradford dont have an acadamy that produces players.

Quite possibly......

“Many of the clubs have a great track record of consistently developing senior elite players for England and yet their commitment to iterate and develop their programmes in order to continue to optimally attract, retain and progress players really shone through.

Seems it is supposed to be...

How many players in your first team squad came through your academy? How many in the last five years have become regular first teamers?

I'm yet to find a single person (particularly player or coach) who thinks this is a good thing.

Really think this could set the sport back years.

To be fair, each club has been given feedback as to why they have been denied a licence, and each club has had their application rejected for different reasons.
ONE of the reasons Cas were knocked back, is that they have produced the least amount of players in their squads since 2014.