Re: Academy : Fri May 21, 2021 4:51 pm  

Excuse my ignorance but just who was involved in the whole process? I hope it wasn't the SL clubs who have just thrown about million quid or more down the drain with consultancy fees for the failed equity share plan and the severance to Elstone... wonder how many academies that might of funded.

Re: Academy : Fri May 21, 2021 5:14 pm  

Mirfieldbull wrote:

Another demonstration of how much we are teachers pet to the RFL!!

I’d get it (begrudgingly) if for geographic reasons they had stripped say Warrington of their license, given there much smaller pull through of players in a small geographic area than Wigan & Sts.

But of course no chance, they are one of the power brokers of modern RL.

For the Yorkshire contingent, Leeds have consistently produced good quality players, Huddersfield have started to the past 3-4 years, but Wakefield!! Beyond Johnstone I’m struggling to think of many other high quality potential internationals have been produced since Gareth Ellis in the mid noughties.

As other posters have said another nail in the coffin of RL in general and Bradford in particular

They don't produce international players and they don't spend to the cap, meaning effectively that a significant part of the Sky TV money over and above the playing budget subsidises a job creation scheme in Belle View. Is it any wonder Sky cut the money when you pay £1.7m and only get £1.2 m of on field playing product?

Re: Academy : Fri May 21, 2021 5:15 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

Yeah it certainly looks that way. It's even more stark when SL clubs have their licenses revoked too.

Our academy has been the one shining light since 2012. In some pretty dark times it's been the one thing you could point to and say that was something positive. Had it not been for us running an academy we would not have come back in 2017 as we simply wouldn't have had enough players. Despite all that we've still produced top quality players even if we've not hung onto them all.

Now it's gone and you wonder what the point is really. Without a big money backer SL is out of the question. You can't build long term without an academy either. Our position in the championship is cemented. The future seems to be looking like a reserve grade for SL clubs. No thanks.

Indisputable!

Re: Academy : Fri May 21, 2021 5:21 pm  

Bully_Boxer wrote:

Excuse my ignorance but just who was involved in the whole process? I hope it wasn't the SL clubs who have just thrown about million quid or more down the drain with consultancy fees for the failed equity share plan and the severance to Elstone... wonder how many academies that might of funded.

From the RFL website

The panel was chaired by Air Commodore Dean Andrew OBE. The RFL representation was led by Dave Rotheram (Chief On-Field Officer), also including Marc Lovering (Director of Participation and Development), Samantha Allen (Head of Professional Game Delivery) and Paul Medley (National Player Progression Manager).

Re: Academy : Fri May 21, 2021 5:51 pm  

Well I'm sure it was a completely fair, neutral and transparent process without any inference.

On another subject, when do the RFL hear about what share of the Sky TV money they will receive from the SL clubs?

Re: Academy : Fri May 21, 2021 6:37 pm  

OK. You can (possibly) give a reason for Bulls not getting one and for the preference of FC over KR. But how can they justify Wakey over Cas. Unless it is to give them a reason not to be relegated this year.

Re: Academy : Sat May 22, 2021 9:58 am  

This decision cannot be allowed to stand. I cannot see a single reason why ANY club shouldn’t be encouraged to run an academy and bring players into the game. Especially at the moment with players declining, every person playing our sport is a positive.

If it is a money saving activity (ironic given the money wasted at every level throughout the game!) I wonder if clubs would be allowed to run a self funded academy?

The game should be taking a percentage of the tv deal and ring fencing it for academies to concrete the youth systems and future of the game not closing academies!

Maybe we need to start being like football fans and stage a protest when we disagree with decisions and force a rethink ha!

Re: Academy : Sat May 22, 2021 10:11 am  

Maccbull_BigBullyBooaza wrote:

Paul Medley was one of the people on the panel! He's national player progression manager WTF???

Seen something on twitter, regarding the shoot out between Cas/Wakey and FC/KR, in both instances the shoot out was won by the head of youth who are employed by the RFL. Apparently personal friends with Medley and others on the panel.

Sure it's just a coincidence though.

Re: Academy : Sat May 22, 2021 10:31 am  

Bulls4 wrote:

This decision cannot be allowed to stand. I cannot see a single reason why ANY club shouldn’t be encouraged to run an academy and bring players into the game. Especially at the moment with players declining, every person playing our sport is a positive.

If it is a money saving activity (ironic given the money wasted at every level throughout the game!) I wonder if clubs would be allowed to run a self funded academy?

The game should be taking a percentage of the tv deal and ring fencing it for academies to concrete the youth systems and future of the game not closing academies!

Maybe we need to start being like football fans and stage a protest when we disagree with decisions and force a rethink ha!

As I understand it we are still allowed to run an academy but we have to fund it ourselves and we aren't allowed to compete in the RFL academy league. I think we have to link up with a college and its the college team that represents us and only at one age group playing in college league and in friendlies against other no-elite academies . In effect it limits us to players who attend the college as I understand it. Effectively it gives free reign to the Clubs with elite academies to come in and pick off the better players from our community area as given choice most players are going to go for the eilte academies.

Wonder how long John Bastian stays at Hull KR as they've lost their elite status too. Can see him getting a gig at one of the elite academies pretty sharpish.

I can't help wondering if RFL would reverse decision if we agreed to forgo the central funding (circa100k IIRC), and fund academy entirely ourselves. They had ringfenced enough money to run 2 more academy's than theyve given licenses to so whats happening to that unused pot of money?. Increased funding to the licensed academies or straight in RFLS back pocket to help cover reduced funding they get from SL under new TV deal.

Re: Academy : Sat May 22, 2021 11:22 am  

Bull Mania wrote:

Seen something on twitter, regarding the shoot out between Cas/Wakey and FC/KR, in both instances the shoot out was won by the head of youth who are employed by the RFL. Apparently personal friends with Medley and others on the panel.

Sure it's just a coincidence though.

Apparently the chair of the 'independent' panel is a Hull supporter

But obviously totally irrelevant to the choice of Hull over Hull KR