Academy = an institution of of higher learning and excellence.

You have quite clearly described an academy that is not fit for purpose - of course they should not be receiving ventral funding for it.

They now have the chance to get their house in order and make a better application the next time round - they can still run an academy, but won't receive central funding.

This process is not new news for the clubs - it's been known about for a few years.

For the RFL to leave 2 spots unfilled, just how bad must Bulls, HKR and Cas's applications have been? I wonder whether the resolution will be those spots now being filled, but with the clubs on a shorter contract; maybe reassessed in 2 years??

I find it amazing they didn't even come out to visit any of the clubs or speak to the people running the academies & community game first hand. They have not looked at any facilities, etc. It is purely based on a document proposal. And we will never know how bad any clubs application was as no feedback has ever been given, not even to the clubs rejected! Below is a quote from the statement from Rovers...

'At no stage before yesterday’s announcement, nor during the process, has the club received any feedback whatsoever on its application.'

Site visits and interviews were never part of the process. They would introduce subjectivity, instead of the objectivity of written, comparable applications.

I find it amazing that club's, who knew the application process, didn't put the required effort into making a compelling case for their inclusion.

It smacks of entitlement; a misguided assumption of their own importance.

FAIL.

How do you know what effort anyone put in? Have you seen all the applications in full? Nothing has been released on any clubs application as to why it failed or passed or how much 'effort' has been put in.
TBF for me it's a moot point anyways, running an academy should be a requirement not an elitist entitlement.

How do you know how we have ran or invested in our academy? From a Hull KR point of view we hired (invested) John Bastian with a proven track record in bringing youth through as this is the direction the club wants to go in, but they are not been allowed to. We were part of the city of Hull academy from 2015-2019 so whatever FC are taking credit for producing in them 4 years, we should too as the joint venture. We got a solo licence in 2019 but Covid hit for our first full season in 2020. We have had the rug pulled from under us before we've had chance to run, invest and produce as a solo entity.

Basically, we are willing to invest, we want to run an academy and produce players but we are been told no you can't. It is at the RFL's feet if participation numbers are so low (playing numbers are actually up by around 42% in Hull).

Because you failed to meet the criteria for an academy licence! If you had met the criteria, you would have been given a licence. There are 2 spots unfilled!

Bastian has a good record - HKR less so; it's HKR applying, not Bastian.

Defo feel it's harder for you coming off the back of the CoH venture though.

Instead of being "willing to invest", they should have, you know...invested.

If you are sure that the HKR academy is actually well run and well funded, then the blame falls with whoever wrote the application, as they have clearly failed to evidence it.

Maybe they thought they were guaranteed a spot and didn't give the process due respect?

Again, with 2 spots unfilled, if the club's missing out had been anywhere near meeting the criteria, they would have been given a place - that they haven't, speaks volumes about their applications.

Again, do you know what the criteria is that the clubs failed on? I've not seen anything released yet and as said before, neither do the clubs. This is the issue, clubs have been told they have 'failed' but no evidence as too why has been produced yet.

I still believe however even in all this arguing, academies should be a requirement and no one should have to apply for the right to run one.

Our record is cack, I can’t deny it. I also think this represents an opportunity to set out in our direction and do something better, free from central advice and guidance - which is usually worse than cack.

However, I’m not sure how clear the precise criteria have been to clubs or for how long. In previous assessments the assessors have gone out to clubs, had a nosey around and made a prospective assessment. With a switch to a retrospective, spreadsheet-based approach (which in of itself is fine), we were always going to be at risk, and our efforts to improve were always likely to be wasted. So, why not just tell us to sod off in 2019? My suspicion is that is because the criteria changed, and it is tricky to adapt quickly - hence the 6-year licence period.

The headline criteria was released yesterday.

Academies should be a requirement.

Everyone should apply (and meet the criteria), if they want central funding.

It's really not hard to get your head around.

I agree with everything you are saying. The 15 clubs who took an interest had 3 years to prepare the academy for application and simply haven't met the agreed, specified criteria.

Lets see what an independent third party thinks when some club go through the appeal process.

The extent to which the club produces Super League players (since 2016) The ability to finance an Academy Any other criteria that the RFL determines is relevant at it's discretion = yeh real specific that isn't it

I've got my head around it

If the independent third party justifies the refusal to allow an academy, and points out the shortcomings can the club(s) put these right and re-apply?

Realistically, no.

The decision is based on past performance, which is fine but the past is gone.

If you mean ‘could they do better and re-apply in a few years based on that better performance’, then the issue is that they won’t have an elite academy during that period and so will be unlikely to improve.

It is a bit like under the SL licensing system, when non-SL clubs could apply but it was very difficult for them to compete with the incumbents with their inherent advantages.

Karl Turner, the MP for East Hull has tweeted that he expects a statement from the RFL and Hull KR today, following what he believes to have been constructive discussions.