IMO, this is where the ex-players can be utilised.

People say that there aren't jobs for all of them in RL after they retire. Damn right they are, but imagine if ex-players went into the locals schools, and taught them how to play it. Not just the one off, but every week.

I know it sounds mad, it probably is, but imagine your kids coming home from school saying, "Hey dad, I was playing rugby with Scully/Farrell/Radlinksi etc"

As much as it sounds stupid, it would give these players the oppertunities when they retire to ease them into retirement.

Only just thought of the idea, didn't give it much thought, but these players who were at the top of our game for so long passing on their skills to the future of our game would only improve their future abilities.

Why would all these kids you find want to play professional RL when the clubs, with £500k less to spend, can't afford to offer them a decent salary?

we dont need to take money from clubs to do this,

all we need to do is make their success and participation dependant on it

cut the Sky money, but allow clubs to earn it and more back for providing SL quality youngsters,

cut £500k from the sky money, clubs get £5k back for each player that signed for them before their 19th birthday who plays 10 games or more for them in that season

with another £10k for any player who came through their academy who plays for Eng/GB (or Wales, france, Scotland, ireland if they are the onesplaying in the 4 nations for that year and they play in that comp) in that season

also cut the SC to £800k, any player who comes through that clubs academy counts 0% on cap,

any player who comes from one of the european developing nations (inc USA and Lebanon etc who seem to be in the European federation) counts 25%

any GB qualified player who comes through at a lower league or Union club counts 50% on cap

any GB qualified player who comes from another SL club counts 75%

any player from the NRL or Aussie lower leagues counts 100% on cap

force clubs to bring in players from place other than the NRL,

if clubs want to spend all their money on NRL players they can, but they will only be able to afford crap ones

Nice points about getting the game into schools but there is one big stumbling block the teaching union! they will strongly resist any non qualified (teaching degree) entering schools to even help in training Yes I know there are exceptions to this but they are few & far between.

A lot of people in the education system resist any money put into sport & a lot activley divert or turn a blind eye to funds going to other areas.

A lot of teachers in the primary schools wont let competative sport into thier schools.

On a historic note I live 9 miles from Hull growing up in the 1950,s I could only play soccer & only started playing Union (no league in our area at the time) at 11 then there was no organised competition. in my teens when I went for trials in league i was mixing with kids who had played in competative schools competitions from primary school (four years before I was allowed to play union) they were streets ahead of me & I despite being a so called prospect found it hard. The point is all that has gone it is no longer part of primary school education they were the years we could not loose to Australia.

Agreed. The athletes most suited to football would not be well suited at all to RL. To say we are losing players to football is a bit crackers. Beckham at prop forward? I don't think so.

Beckham at centre or fullback? Maybe!

The beauty of our game is caters for all shapes and sizes.

That's the thing, Beckham is athletic, about 6 foot but due to the game he's playing has nothing on him. You cater someone like that to rugby league and I pretty much guarantee he'd have made a great half back. The dedication it takes to make it to his level in soccer would be applied the same way and he'd probably be about 4 stone heavier.
Micah Richards? He'd be huge as a league player.
Someone like that kid from Villa on the wing?
Carlton Cole as a centre? the list could go on and on and on.
There's players playing third tier soccer that would make better league players than Lee Smith, you might not believe it and we'll never know but it's true.
If League could expand it's base by 50% we'd pee on the aussies, forget all this advanced training lark, they've got much better athletes

I mentioned the schools thing a couple of months back JB, imho it's the way to go but Starbug came up with a few points against about schools and RL, I can't remember now

The schools systems seem to be going downhill, there are schools in wigan that no longer play rugby league. the rfl need to throw money their way and help with coaching.

Sl players have plenty of spare time so they should have it written in their contract to do at least a school coaching session a week.

Barla also cause problems, always have. Too many flatcap rovers fans in there who have a chip on their shoulder. We are one sport and we should work together, summer rugby will speed up the development of skills while increasing participation numbers.

This a gem of a thread that the rfl really need to take notice of, changes need to be made now!

clearly not at prop, but there would be place in any team for an athlete like Beckham with speed, balance, co-ordination and good footwork, along with his dedication to succeed.

Stuff Slater, England and NZ only need Inglis.

Forget the schools get the kids down to amateur clubs where the coaches are incredibly dedicated and see RL as the best sport in the world.

A really radical solution - get a team in the NRL with only British players in it - that is the best chance we have of challenging the Aussies in the near future

And how do you propose we do that in the face of soccer, poor facilities and a general lack of awareness of the game for the most part? At least at school you have a captive audience!

What about introducing a points system for imports.
Cant play in Superleague unless they have a certain number of points

EG
Australian International 50pts
Aust. int within last 2 seasons/S.O.O. current or within last season 30pts
Aust. int within last 3 seasons/S.O.O. within last 2 seasons 20pts

And tier it depending on ranking of said Nation, Age etc.

Stops journeyman and players looking for big pay offs at the end of thier career.
So Lockyer maybe a top tier player on paper but is penalised on points by age.

Clubs are limited to 3 players, and must contain a mixture of forwards and backs

Clubs are also rewarded for using homegrown talent:

Through their own academy - 2.5% rebate per player on their wage bill which the RFL put back into the specific clubs Academy
Encourages home grown talent and investment into English players

Just an Idea

But they need summat to spark their interest before going down to an amateur club.