If there's only room for one academy around Wakey way why not just call it "Calder" and play at each of the three grounds

I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Both Jake Trueman and John Bateman had offers from better clubs than Bradford but chose to sign for their home town club.

Then there’s the likes of James Bentley who signed scholarship terms with Featherstone after failing to impress super league scouts when he was at Outlton Raiders. Never had a game for Featherstone and looked like he would fall through the net - as again none of the super league academies wanted him - but thankfully got picked up by Bradford’s academy thats been staffed by dedicated people that sweat blood for it. Now (before injury) he’s been turning out regularly for Saints. As a young lad at six form college would he really traipse up to Newcastle to train with their academy?

as opposed to Huddersfield who’ve given us Jermaine McGillvary and.. ...erm that’s it in the last decade. Or Wakefield who gave us Josh Griffin and that’s it since Gareth Ellis 20 years ago

Well they must have produced more players than Cas because Cas were the BOTTOM club in players produced since 2014.

It's also about player development in an educational sense and the impact the academies have on their local community game, if you're taking 50 youngsters out of the community game in the hope 2 of them become Super league players then that is detrimental to the community game. I would imagine those with elite status produce top class education and care to a fewer amount of players who are all fairly decent prospects.

You're either very bitter or very out of touch, look at both clubs squads and then maybe you'd like to correct yourself.


In fact, nah, you are just very bitter

Well TBF Cas used to produce many home grown players of immense talent at times.....

Watts, Holmes Clare and Eden seem to be the only Cas products in the Cas squad.

I do recall someone lamenting at Cas (a previous CEO) that the days of the conveyor belt of star Cas players was slowing right down.

Cas are a great club don't get me wrong, I'm not having a go, but Cas were hardly a "top side" until Darryl Powell came along and AFAIK he's a Wakey lad?

No I was talking about the England train on squad. I thought that was obvious.

From Huddersfield’s academy - Jermaine McGillvary.
From Wakefield’s academy - Josh Griffin and Tom Johnstone (injured)

In response to a comment claiming the clubs excluded haven’t produced England players for a decade.

...and before you ask Tom Burgess, John Bateman and Elliot Whitehead in the current train on squad.

Yes I am bitter because my club have been stiffed by a short sighted decision that will ultimately reduce the player talent pool for the sport further doing more long term damage than the savings to a few super league Chairmen. I’m extremely bitter

Oh come on with all due respect that is rubbish.

Those players you mention come from an era when Bradford were splashing cash they did not have. All those players would have found there way in the game through another Academy. I know Trinity were desperate to sign Bateman as a youth so he wasn’t short of offers.

I see no reason why they didn’t give Bradford the nod but you are guilding the lily big time.

Wakefield by the way just thrashed your under 17’s so with respect you’re not that good anymore, sorry.

I thought the sport required all SL clubs to have an academy.

How things suddenly change.

So no Tom Johnstone then.

Or Ben Westwood or Danny Brough,

There are a fair few others who started at Wakefield but I just can’t be bothered.

Then of course there is the list of Wakefield based players but that list would just be enormous, Stanley Rangers alone has produced more players than some pro clubs.

Get a grip.

They haven’t, Salford opted out a few years ago, it’s not been required for a while but this time it’s been enforced rightly or wrongly.