Academy 2015 : Sat Aug 30, 2014 8:39 am  

What is going to happen with academy's next year. Are they to stay at U19's?

Personally I think we should go back to a U18's and U21's(with 3 overage allowed) and should never have changed from this in the first place. I don't know how we expect players to develop with the current system.

Re: Academy 2015 : Sat Aug 30, 2014 10:47 am  

Clubs need to be TOLD by the RFL that they have to have an U21's. Especially with the extra income hey generating.

But the RFL are incapable of making a decision and will have a whole game "review" except this "review" usually involves the RFL forcing their idea down everyone's throat. Then when it goes spectacularly wrong, the RFL can just blame the clubs. Zero leadership.

Re: Academy 2015 : Sat Aug 30, 2014 12:45 pm  

IMO it should be U15, U16 (not combined as it is now) U18's and U21's OR U23's (three overage players allowed to cover squad players and players returning from injury) Some of the extra t.v money should be ringfenced to finance it.

Re: Academy 2015 : Sat Aug 30, 2014 10:44 pm  

Under 23's makes sense to me when you consider the amount of promising young forwards that SL clubs get rid of when they aren't even close to be maturing. Must be honest though and seeing 5 Leigh first teamers (albeit 3 of them under 21) stick 90-odd points past teams this season hasn't been much fun.

Re: Academy 2015 : Sun Aug 31, 2014 11:50 am  

I'd like to see a return of an open age reserve league, or 'A' team. That alongside an U18/19's league and split the U16/15's back into separate competitions.

This could give players who are too old to play in an age restrictive league to still have the opportunity to play at a high standard with a chance of still playing Super League if they're good enough.

Nowadays it seems once you're pat the age of 20, and haven't had an opportunity in the first team, you're discarded and left to be picked up by Championship clubs or go back to amateur rugby.

Re: Academy 2015 : Sun Aug 31, 2014 4:49 pm  

Whatever they do it'll be changed in 5 years when we haven't beaten australia at international level.

Re: Academy 2015 : Mon Sep 01, 2014 7:51 am  

At this point next season is still set as U19s and U16s. Contracts start for all the new 19s today.

Re: Academy 2015 : Mon Sep 01, 2014 9:48 am  

FlexWheeler wrote:

Whatever they do it'll be changed in 5 years when we haven't beaten australia at international level.

Call me crazy, but with a right coach, it think we've for a hands of beating the Aussies. They have to replace the spine of their team, who hae arguably been one of the greatest players ever.

We have outstanding players such as G Burgess, Bateman, Clark, Currie. All still very young.

Re: Academy 2015 : Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:56 am  

Peckerwood wrote:

I'd like to see a return of an open age reserve league, or 'A' team. That alongside an U18/19's league and split the U16/15's back into separate competitions.

This could give players who are too old to play in an age restrictive league to still have the opportunity to play at a high standard with a chance of still playing Super League if they're good enough.

Nowadays it seems once you're pat the age of 20, and haven't had an opportunity in the first team, you're discarded and left to be picked up by Championship clubs or go back to amateur rugby.

I'd love an open age reserve team but I can't see where clubs would get the money from. Even Man United don't have a full reserves team.

It'd cost roughly £300-450k for SL clubs. The only clubs that can afford (or who's owner would be willing to put extra in) would be Leeds and Salford.

But you'd need a league of at least 10 clubs to make it worthwhile.

As I said I'd love a reserves league as I firmly believe it's the biggest factor in the gap between NRL and SL. I'm just not sure it's possible without significant extra funding. SL would need to find an extra £6m either from clubs increasing revenues or extra tv/sponsorship money.

Re: Academy 2015 : Mon Sep 01, 2014 2:08 pm  

any reserves team league is a stupid idea.

We have a league for players not quite good enough or ready for SL. Its called the championship.

A reserves league whether U21 or U23 simply takes away players from the lower leagues weakening them, and adds a huge cost to SL clubs. Its a terrible idea.