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Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.

Bring A Team Rugby back to Rugby League

Bring A Team Rugby back to Rugby League

Closed — 84 supporters Verified

Final supporters

D
Daniel h.
C
Chico J.
D
david b.
D
daniel h.
M
Martin F.
P
Peter S.
L
Lewis w.
P
Pete H.
M
Mal D.
K
Kev m.
+74 more
KP
Started by Keith Pollard 9 years, 9 months ago

I sat there watching Oz pulverise NZ in the final and then after the game listening to the so called experts give there opinions on why England are so far behind. If you take out the NRL contingent then on this tournaments performances we could well come behind Scotland. Even they would be decimated if you took out the NRL players.

What amused me you had Robby Paul and Kirk Gidley talking about what we need to do when they are part of the problem, too many foreigners playing in our game, I don't mean that they are the problem totally but every club is full of either Australian, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoan, and all other Southern Hemisphere nationality, which stops our youth coming through, I have said for years that we should get rid of academy teams leave the youth to the amateur they take approx 50 of each age group 16's and 19's and how many make it because when they get to 19, unless the clubs run reserve grade teams and I applaud Hull FC on the foresight they have, which to me is one reason I can't understand how this City of Hull Academy works. What happens to these kids that are surplus to requirements?

We need to bring back a full reserve grade competition for all teams like it used to be Yorkshire and Lancashire clubs in regional leagues. Let them bring the kids hand pick the best and have tribalism mixed with seasoned professionals let them serve an apprenticeship learn of guys out on the paddock, maybe then we will bring through some hidden gems. I see the NRL are doing away with the under 20 competition for they have realised that they are too young to handle the pressures of top grade rugby, lads have committed suicide due to not being able to live with the strain put on them.

The RFL should put money in to the grass roots because if we don't we won't have a game here in the U.K. Clubs will just go to the wall like the Bulls, how many more are living beyond there means?, it will only be the clubs with the wealthy backers that will survive and finish in the top 8 season after season with the bottom 4 being yo yo clubs taking it in turn to battle it out in the middle 8's. Even Rovers are bringing in overseas players admittedly they are endeavouring to bring in younger English or Scottish players who have proved themselves in the championship with other clubs. But never the less they still have a smidgin of over seas players. It is the only way forward we must grow our own. I could go on but you will bored all ready BRING BACK RESERVE TEAMS don't pay these overseas players thousands of pounds a season if they don't like it let them stay in the NRL, The salary cap is rising again in the NRL I believe next year, so maybe we won't get as many coming for there pension funds.

If it cost a £100k to run a reserve team for a. Season take half of the money out of the RFL coffers some off the overseas players contracts and try get sponsorship for the remaining for we will never ever catch up with the Australians if we stay doing what we are doing.

Updates

November 21, 2016

Seeing this kind of momentum means more than I can say during a long week. It proves that a lot of us are tired of watching our domestic game lose its local soul. We are worn out from the status quo but this keeps me moving forward.

41 Comments

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PaulMcDermott
9 years ago Featured

totally agree. The leap from U19s to 1st team for 80% of the young players is too far. playing with open age players with experience will teach them far more than playing against lads their own age.

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Steve Poole
9 years ago Featured

It's a no-brainier for clubs like my own, Castleford, who rely on a constant drip feed of local talent a lot of who get lost to the game when they're not considered good enough at an early age.

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James Klenk
9 years ago Featured

This has got to revert back to what it was before. The reserves are a major part of rugby league and will ultimately help clubs with bringing up talent and thus not relying on overseas rubbish and then even more so the international team

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Dan Burton
9 years ago Featured

The release of 18 year boys saying they are done is killing the long term development of athletes.

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Paul Brookes
9 years ago Featured

The should bring back the A teams to allow the progression of the young players before stepping up to the first team and allow injured players to return in a safer environment before been thrown back into the first team. Also the fringe players would keep their match fitness and allow them to pass on their experiences to the youngsters!

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David Pittendreigh
9 years ago Featured

The current gulf between acaedemy and first team is too big for any youngsters who may be late developers. Also being able to play open age will assist their development. A team has been the traditional journey for all young players to first team and also offers avenue for semi-retired players to pass on their experience.

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david berry
9 years ago

A team rugby should be introduced

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daniel hunter
9 years ago

agrees