feeder clubs

Quote: Rooster Booster "On feeder clubs there are many in Oz, in both NSW and QLD. A lot of them have tie ups with NRL sides. I can give you a bit of background on one in particular.

The North Sydney Bears are in every comp they can be in, in the NSWRL. Their highest grade is at present the NSW Cup. They played here ever since the Northern Eagles joint venture fell through and the licence went to Manly. They have since signed agreements to be a feeder club for the Melbourne Storm in 2005 and 06 and from 2007-present the South Sydney Rabbitohs. With whom they have struck another one year deal for next season.

The way it works is that they an independent club and a member of the NSWRL, they have their own Leagues Club who fund them as well as the other sponsors they have. All to the tune of over $500,000p.a. They select and pick their own players to play in the comp. Now, what Souths have is a first grade squad (which has varied in size from year to year) who all train together during the week. Now of course if they have 25 fit players ready for the weekend, 18 of them will go to their game. Depending on when it's played the 18th man can play for the reserve grade if he doesn't play first grade. So, the other first graders go back and play for Norths. They get first option to play and Norths' coach goes to training with Souths and all the grades have the same calls and plays, so everyone is interchangeable at the drop of a hat. This is, as someone has pointed out earlier, where George Burgess played this season, scoring 3 tries and taking the last goal kick of the season (which was a shocker but a laugh as they'd lost the game). If Souths send back 7 players, then 7 Norths players make way and play in the district's A Grade comp.

Both Norths and Souths are independent clubs. Souths save money on players and don't need to have a reserve grade squad as well as a first grade one. If they comp was won by Norths, then it's their name that goes on the trophy, irrelevant of who was playing for them.

Here is a list of teams meant to be in next season's NSW Cup (NRL teams in NSW reserve grade)

SOUTHS - North Sydney Bears.
MANLY - Manly
PARRAMATTA - Wentworthville
PENRITH - Windsor Wolves
ROOSTERS - Newtown
NZ WARRIORS (believe it or not, fly to oz for every away game) - Auckland Vulcans
BULLDOGS - Canterbury Bulldogs
SHARKS - Cronulla AND MELBOURNE STORM's team in NSW as they ahve others in QLD
TIGERS - both Balmain Tigers & Wests Magpies
DRAGONS - Illawarra
RAIDERS - Mounties'"

So basically the idea is that up to 7 SL standard players would be loaned to the Championship club (injury permitting) on a weekly basis. 7 players that the Championship clubs (who we are constantly reminded don't have much money) wouldn't have to pay for, that are most likely of a better standard than their current squad, train full time and will most likely make them more competitive. The Championship club keeps complete independence and gets all the benefits from having these players.

Why wouldn't they want them? They take dual reg players from SL. What's the difference?