Yeah Catalans run theirs in the French Academy (and reserves in the French Elite 1) whereas Crusaders while running reserves in the SL comp, run their Under 18s in the National Youth League (although they're near the top and will probably join the SL one soon). Leigh presumably use Leigh East and Leigh Miners Rangers as U18s both of which are in the National Youth League. Halifax run no reserves, but 12 Championship clubs run them (the teams with them can be found on the RFL website under NLs), although only Widnes run U18s in the academy, but Gateshead run one in the NYL (and possibly Keighley do, not sure how close the links to the Cougar Cubs is)

Celtic have finished 2 nd in the NYL league table this year with Leigh Miners 1 st [ Miners beat them 38-10 today ] , Easts will finish either 6/7 and it looks likely that the National youth cup will be an all Leigh affair this year with Easts already in the final after beating Rylands today and Miners to play Oldham St annes in the other semi

Leigh Centurions dont currently have any input into the Miners and Easts although both clubs have players signed up for Leigh Centurions reserve side next season

Both Keighley and Gateshead also run teams in the NYL and next season I expect several more Championship clubs to tie up with amatuer clubs and run teams in this comp

Halifax aren't running a Reserves this season, Saving around £50k. Some of that money is going into the Scholarship Program with the view that the players in that will graduate onto an u18s or a Reserve Side next season, which is when we shall be re-entering that competition.

Not a bad thing if they become feeder clubs. Would help with finances and fans would get to see superstars occasionally when they are returning from injury. Players like Wendall Sailor turned out in the JB cup to get fit and drew crowds of 4,000+ from a norm of 500.

Quite a few Championship clubs get easily more than 500 on. I can see what you're getting at, but it does come across as rather patronising for fans of Championship and Championship One clubs.

Why would people who don't want to pay a couple of quid to see 'returning superstars' in the existing reserve league suddenly want to pay £15 to watch them? Particularly when the same 'superstar' will be available to watch, fully fit and fully committed, playing for their own team within a couple of weeks.

The benefit to Championship clubs is there is a point to their existence. I think is a good deal all round the days of small clubs producing top level talent has ended. The Championship is full of has beens and never will be's. Adding some quality to the division can not be a bad thing and if a young player does not make it in Superleague then a Championship team has gained a player.

A good idea IMO

If a player doesnt make it in SL they tend to wind up at a Championship side, unless they opt to return to the amateur game.

Agreed. SL clubs could make short term loan agreements with:
1) Championship 1/NL2 clubs OR
2) expansion clubs in NL1 (e.g. Gateshead, Sheffield Doncaster)

This would mean that traditional Lancashire or Yorkshire clubs challenging for future SL status, like Widnes, Leigh, Featherstone and Whitehaven, would maintain their individuality and not become feeder clubs to SL clubs.

Interesting perspective there

Glad to see we are a valued part of RL in your opinion

Maybe the 70 odd footy teams outside the premiership should look to do the same with the Man utd's of this world

Or maybe you are just a tool

Wow, what a waste of an internet connection you are, do you have a point to your existance?

Glad you can see that , us northerners dont like being patrowosited do we

i agree with you 100% on the principle, but would the NL clubs agree to being seen as inferior (right word?) when many have SL aspirations.

i feel that if SL follows the NRL on many of their ideas it will only improve the game here.

It would take a massive culture change and change of attitude by fans but could ultimately lead to the long term sustainability of pro RL outside SL. There will always be clubs outside of SL who have aspirations of making it one day (as the Bears, Dolphins and Reds do in the Q'land,NSW&Bundy cup in Oz) but for many they will never, ever be a SL club and their long term sustainability will be based on having a purpose and being useful to the overall structure of pro RL.

I do value the Championship. I do not value some of the people that are associated with them unfortunately. The guy that I originally quoted seemed to not see how having quality young players in your team instead of superleague drop outs would benefit the Championship. Championship teams have been saying for years that Superleague teams have forgotten about them and do not want to include the Championship in their plans. Well now they have and people are stilllll moaning.

What needs to happen is the teams/administrators/fans of Championship teams need to value the competition rather than just wanting to get out of it and into Superleague.



Good point. But a lot of Academy/Second Team players do tend to fall through the cracks due to them not getting any first team experience at their SL club. There is a big gap between 2nd team and 1st team. Moving to a Championship team for a couple of seasons will allow young players to establish themselves at the club. Even if they do not gain a Superleague start they are more likely to make it at championship level as they have established themselves in their placement team. That is much better than if they had spent 4 years in the A team and then disappearing as no one has heard of them.



One of the reasons I come on here is to get on other fans nerves. It is just a bit of friendly banter. In your case I have obviously succeeded