Hickey

Quote: vastman "I'd like to join this debate but from a slightly different angle. I grew up in Australia so I think I'm better placed than most to comment on this particular point.

I have no doubt you are right and the Aussies do this, the problem I have is that if we tried to implement it here it would fail miserably.

IMO it works in Australia because it suits there nature and was created to exploit it. Australia is a very egalitarian society. It's not a classless society as some suggest - no such place exists - Aussies can snob it with the best of them. Where it differs dramatically to this country is that you are allowed or even encouraged to decide from a young age what class you want to be in. Kids here are led to believe often by parents and peers that you can only go so far and then your getting a bit upperty, reverse snobbery - it's not as bad as it was but it's still strong in certain areas. This means that in Oz the class barrier only exists in monetary terms, accent etc counts for nothing. Hence Aussies mix far more at all ages and as a result share very similar interests which in turn makes them naturally self confident. RL in Australia is a working mans game or certainly was - it's just the term working man in Australia covers a much greater section of the population, nearly all of it. This provide Australia with an endless stream of kids, some dumb some smart from all backgrounds. As a result it's far easier to find the smart kids who also have the physical attributes (though I think the latter is less important at that age).

Contrast that to this country where RL really is a working class game in a country where some people still insist they are fighting a class war. Visit most RL areas in Britain and the kids are still coming from a fairly narrow band. It's better than it used to be when some junior clubs were little more than estate clubs who only admitted there own. There is no reason why kids from middle class backgrounds who are academic as well as sporting shouldn't succeed in RL but they rarely do.

Of course it's a two way thing as both groups have pre-conceived notions. However whilst some RL junior clubs continue to be run like personal kingdoms and cater purely for family and friends we won't break the barriers. Whilst ever the young, thoughtful and skilled player doesn't get picked because the coach wants to fill the team exclusively with big lads to grind out wins we will continue to attract too many of one type of player. Way to much emphasis is put on physicality in the youth game in this country, in fact it's worse now than ever in that regard. Far to many coaches are looking to create personal glory for themselves via their clubs than creating players for the future. Hence skill and footballing nouse are ignored over pace, size and power. Why is the latter even important at under 16's, what kids don't grow? weight training doesn't work? all those things can be addressed in the years to come. However if the only reason you were S/H up until you were 16 was because you were nippy and tough but you never really learned how to read a game and pass a ball you are stuffed. These skills can only really be acquired as a kid when they become instinct, trying to catch up as an 18 year old is not impossible but it's very difficult - by the time you do it's probably to late.

I don't think you can change the British mentality enough to make the Aussie model work, as IMO we'd be apeing them for the sake of it and that never works - maybe in theory but not reality.

Aussie players are simply brighter, more open minded and well rounded individuals in general who treat RL as a career. That shows in the fact that so many Aussies are happy to pack a bag and come over here and make a new career. In contrast many British players will not join a club if it means them moving 30 miles! The part of the British population we pull most of our players from simply are not like that, they simply lack the desire, drive and self confidence.. It's not a criticism it's an observation, this is a colloquial game that's how it is.

What the RFL need to do is create a plan that accepts the reality of our situation and creates a plan more suited to ourselves. One that recognizes the situation. They need to get into the junior set up which is the real weakness of our game (in all UK sports not just RL) and gradually implement a series of measures that encourages people from all backgrounds to get involved and sets a standard on how youngsters are trained and cared for. We need to put a special emphasis on the game being all inclusive and offering more than just RL, a whole range of activities especially those that create learning and self confidence and broaden the mind not just the shoulders.

Above all else it must be well funded and strongly implemented, it can't just be a collection of sound bites and spin as these initiatives so often are!

IMO it will need to be different to the Aussie system because the raw material is different but there is no reason if done well why the end result can't be the same although I doubt we will match the quantity.

Then and only then will we produce international players who hold their heads up high and face the Aussies as equals rather than the ones we have now who stare at the floor feet shuffling awkwardly and beaten before kick off.

Yes RL is more open an encompassing than ever it used to be and don't get me wrong there are some brilliant people running junior clubs who do it for nothing other than love - I'm not digging at them. But it's the RFL's job to implement a structure and ensure it's adhered to. However well intentioned volunteers are they must have precise and strong guidelines and support if they are to have any real chance of producing the players we need. We definitely need a plan but not a copy of someone else plan.'"

there's bound to be players that are picked before others due to either parents working hard in the background or being friends and I like to think I do my bit for my lads club.
if he has a chance of playing in the game and he wants to do it he has my full support.I'm lucky enough to have a coaches that also shows respect to me like I do to them,
I am in full support of how they approach training for the team and they have at times been frank enough to say when he has played good or bad.
I have now for the last 4yrs seen players come and go through either not being good enough or just not big enough, we never turn away kids that what to play but we now have a dilemma of too many players and some will have to sit back and wait for the opportunity to be selected, the big lads tend to be the first which begs the question should age be the deciding factor for selection, a smaller child might keep going rather than drop out if he was allowed to drop down an age, you can opt to play a year above the age but not below

as for class, kids are classless it tends to be the parents, to play this game you have to have a large degree of toughness and combine that with a money value its half the reason we don't have a good English team