SL teams could easily run both a U19 and a reserve team. The cost can be (relatively) minimal for both (if you're not paying 1st team contract salaries), and would help expand the player pool that we desperately need in the UK.

The number of players of the required standard will only increase if we provide the opportunities and pathways for progression.

Would it expand the player pool? How many of Halifax squad were originally in SL academies who would e stayed there instead of making the move to Halifax? SL clubs keeping enough players on to run reserve teams would trickle down to the lower leagues and impact their squad numbers and quality. Despite Halifax’s success with reserves you talk about your club has just signed a young HB/FB from Leeds called Reece Champan-Smith. Why? Why not just use your own academy/reserve Halves?

WRT cost with Leeds it’s about whether that money can be spent better elsewhere. This is a more detailed account of what Hetherington has said (instead of people just focusing on the are academy is our reserve line)

—————

“We’re all fishing in the same pond for the same few talented players here, and I think our focus should be on widening those pools and working with community clubs to get more youngsters playing the game.”

Hetherington cited a figure in excess of £100,000 for Leeds to set up a reserve team from scratch if it was made mandatory in 2020 – and questioned whether there are better areas for the sport to be spending such sums of money.

“I wonder whether that money would be better spent in getting seven, eight and nine year olds playing our game,” he said.

“We should be providing better pathways for players to come into our Academy, instead of on 20 and 21 year olds who are catered for via the Championship. Luke Briscoe is a fine example; he came out of our system but we always believed he had the potential.

“He was initially too old to stay with us, so he went into the Championship, played for Featherstone and, through his own ability, has now achieved a Super League contract.

“That’s a great example of how the Championship has become a perfectly good breeding ground for the game.”

——————

So is it any worst to spend money on getting kids playing the game in the first place which helps the sport as a whole rather than spend it to insure they stay at your particular club which mostly just helps that one club.

I can see how an enlarged pool of bog standard older players on diminutive contracts might appeal to some and yes, it might assist the occasional late developer. Will it really raise standards? I don't really see how - talking about the top level of the game here - unless clubs are actually prepared to contract more full time pros than they currently do. Which, given realities of the cap might actually result in a lowering of standards, i.e. more players of lower quality needed to fulfil a lengthy fixture list. But as I said to Vasty, I don't regard the current set up as perfect. But surely it would make better sense to exempt a small number of players from current age restrictions and allow open age but with a predominance of U19 participants?

What you WMDC Hetherington are not taking into account is the late developer which is odd as Hetherington was one.

DR doesn’t cater for them because a late bloomer is not really what they want.

This is the crux of my argument, reserve grade allows experimentation where U19’s and DR doesn’t. In the early 90’s loads of players went on from reserve footy and trials to become stars - MartinOffia was one - he wasn’t a big RU name, who’d be brave enough to blood him in the first team now? Who’d want him DR? He was too old for the Academy. If he turned up now the only place he could play would be the championship or NL one - a place that has in recent times become a player graveyard.

Well said if we do and I hope we do will we see a another some one who is given a go to see what they are like before signing when the A teams were around they was lots

Well said if we do and I hope we do will we see a another some one who is given a go to see what they are like before signing when the A teams were around they was lots

Having seen Hetherington in his pomp I'd say Offiah does more to strengthen your argument


Seriously, what you write is true for the early 90s. But now the reality is that older players would want a full time contract. And not the money that typically gets paid to youngsters either. I agree that DR isn't a good fit for the late bloomer but if, as I suggested, a reserve grade comprising mainly juniors with a handful of what would no be over-age players was to start then that might be a better compromise than further over-stretching playing budgets. Nothing to say that the likes of say, Brough - who has a bagful of tricks that could be passed onto youngsters very profitably - couldn't be enabled to pass on his skills at this level once his first grade career was on the wind-down.

Reece [uwill[/u be one of our reserve halves in 2019. If he develops further, then he'll get his chance in the 1st team.

Thats a bad example, Offiah maybe was not a big name in union, but was a natural league player, came to widnes at 20 and was a sensation, offiah was never going to be a project player at any club, if he came along now with that sort of searing pace and yards quiker than the next best flyer he would still be straight into super league.

There are late develepers yes, but not many, and if they are that good they will find there way back to the top, but the idea that the next Offiah Schofield etc will not be found due to clubs not having a A team us laughble.

No it's a perfect example and Offiah was very much a gamble, but then we didn't have the gift of hindsight at the time



Brough was a late developer for starters as was Steadman and Lowes off the top of my head - neither of those two came up through the ranks of a 'big club' or does he not fit into your silly little scenario - Scofield was never a late bloomer so why even mention him.

The A teams used to be full of hidden gems and trialists who went on to do great stuff. The only thing laughable is you

No it hasn’t and England’s WC Final 17 featured 3 in Hill, Walmart and Gale who made their way playing lower league. The idea that a late bloomer is somehow doomed if he’s playing Championship or lower rugby just doesn’t stack up as much as you want to portray it as. You mention Brough in another post, he was at Wakefield as a youngster, didn’t do anything and left to play lower league and it worked out fine for him, would his career have turned out the same if he was stuck playing reserve rugby for a few years hoping to get a game here and there? Maybe, maybe not but there’s enough examples to show playing for a lower league club can do you no harm.

offiah was a rep player in Union and on the verge of England selection. so it was not the gamble you make out. Dough laughton did not gamble on signing talent. the previous poster made out that Offiah may have stuggled and not got a cjance without reserves, but he was straight into first team any never looked back. Jonathan davies at Widnes only played about 3-4 reserv games before going into first team, i used Schofield as he was an example of a great player who were ready made super star players like Offiah. but i can use Hanley who compared to Schofield was a late developer, schofield was a Gb international at 18 and Hanly who was a couple years older was only just breaking through into Bradford side.

Brough Steadman Lowes were all playing in what was then division 2 (or 3 with brough) they developed in the first team at lower division clubs not A team rugby, so you have confirmed my argument to be correct, late bloomers still have a pathway to the top without a reserve team. so go on name all these hidden trialists and gems that went to the top via the reserves.
once again you cannot come back with debate you simply resort to name calling and try to belittle people.