We had someone called Macnamara on the wing.

Steve McNamara, was ex Nottingham Outlaws IIRC.

Chris McNamara I believe. Steve being the Bradford Bulls coach.

He arrived from Loughborough University along with Mark McKinley and Steve Hall.

QUOTE-- Gargoyle There are a couple of others they should be looking at as well but probably wont due to the fact that they aren't from Cas, Fev or Hull.

Unfortunatly the standard of amateur rugby league in and around the south Yorkshire area has been historically well below that of its counterparts ie West yorkshire and Humberside in terms of quality teams at both club level and especially service area comps at all age groups.There has been some local players that have come through to play pro rugby and i hope that this continues in the future.

The point i really want to make is about the players in our squad at the mo who were not born and bred in the Donny area, we have all been made aware that all the players are on a pay as you play deal only this season, so these players have committed themselves to funding out of their own pockets an approx 300 mile round trip to training alone each week without even being guarenteed a place in the 17 man squad ( so could be well out of pocket if not selected) all for the cause of the Dons. I would love to see a team of all local lads in the Donny side but have to be realistic, how many would still be complaining about local lads if the Dons were top of the championship table with a squad of players that consisted of Cas, Fev n Hull players only?

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No one would complain, but we aren't, we are e, and thats my point. There are local lads who (IMHO) are as good if not better than the current crop, but because they aren't from the so called ' hot beds' they are overlooked.
Cos youve played a bit in Hull or Cas doesn't automatically make you a better player than the local Donny lads, but our management seem to think it does!

I agree that just because you come from other areas you are not automatically going to be a better player, i would like to think that during the off season the management took the opportunity to watch some of the local talent on show and offered trials to these players.Prior to the set up of the reserve side last year the world and his wife were invited to go for trials, which gave the local lads the chance to develop at a higher level, what i dont understand is why didnt some progress to first team in the off season. The recruitment process seems to be ongoing judging by the amount of tralists that keep poping up in almost every game since the start of the season with another mentioned only today in the paper.Im sure all concerned with the Dons would more than welcome any player who would add to the current team. IMO i do not think they are poop, they are a new, young side who have been put together on a tight budget who have suffered long term injuries to key players and because of this TM has not been able to field the same side two weeks running which would cause disruption to SL teams let alone our team.

When the reserves were set up the local lads largely weren't given a chance to shine, as every week yet another player from one of the 'hot beds' turned up and walked into the squad.
Where are Reece Bailey, Sean Richards, Scott Smith + one or two others now?

I donot understand some of the posts within this thread, surely the coaching team want the best young players , no matter where they come from .

Leave it to the coaching staff or is this what its all about ? Im sure Tony listens to other peoples advice on players in different areas as well as from coaches of local teams .

Absoulutley, spot on comment, my point exactly i think Tony has done well in the off season and has put together a good squad of youngsters who are in the early stages of their development in the pro game and given time will develop into great players for the Dons.

I donot think everyone will agree , but I think it cannot be easy for Tony with little money to spend !

COYD

i have read this thread with great intrest. Do you really believe Reece Bailey could play at this level does he have the desire to want to train hard to be good enough to play at thei level. Sean Richards is a different story i believe he is without doubt the best local player Doncaster have produced for many years. What is he up to these days?

Sean Richards plays for Toll Bar U18's and also I believe he is with Hull KR reserves?

I m not as knowledgeable as many of the people contributing to this thread, but over the years I have heard of & met quite a few young Donny reserves that have gone to play for other clubs after the many different forms of Dons management have messed them about or that we have never had a consistent approach to youth development lasting more than 2 years.

Likewise it is quite depressing to go around Doncaster trying to promote the Dons and even after more than 50 years the majority of people you meet ask if we play at Armthorpe!

Quite agree with you, this must be a future priority of the current management through forming of an open partnership between the amateur clubs in Doncaster and the Dons management to offer a clear pathway for future local players.