: Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:44 am  

Duckman wrote:

Good to have timescales like that (do you mean started build by 2010 BTW rather than finished?)

Correct...typo fixed!

Duckman wrote:

Thats probably true, but even if we dont have them on site I dont think our licence would be in jepordy because of the lack of progress next time, maybe the one after if licencing is still going.

Duffy read out my questions re the OSV. He also read out my questions regarding the next round of franchises, and Hood's answers on that were interesting and encouraging (assuming we get OSV).

1. See earlier point - he thinks you will be unlikely to get stadium-related points unless big yellow things are actually moving around on the site.

2. He "suspects" the whole franchise bid process will probably be brought forward - maybe to start in 2010.

3. He thinks (not sure if it was aspiration or actually based on indications) that the RFL may split the process, and not require existing A or B license holders to have to go through the whole bid process - 12 full lever arch files apparently. Existing C license holders and applicants would have to go through the whole process. If the process WAS split, he'd expect C license holders' bids to be required in 2010. (Interesting implications for the likes of Wakey if so...?)

4. He said that once those big yellow things are indeed onsite, Bulls should be a certainty for an A license.

That's what the man said. No real discussion about what happens if the OSV does not proceed, although Hood said separately that he is pretty confident.

: Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:10 am  

Adeybull wrote:

...

That's what the man said. No real discussion about what happens if the OSV does not proceed, although Hood said separately that he is pretty confident.

Im not surprised there was not too much discussion about what happen if OSV does not happen if we are that confident as a club about it progressing. And I hope the confidence is well placed, we've been here before however, although there does seem to be more substance and support for this one than previous schemes... there is still a part of me which wont belive it until I have a new shiny roof over my head whilst watching from the new stands.

I agree we'll get no staduim points on the next licence if we've not started the build, presumamably same goes for Cas, Wakey, Saints, Salford, etc. Lots of plans along the M62, hope there is not a shortage of JCB's in 2010 as a result . But even with no stadium points Im sure our licence would be renewed, only C holders will be at any risk next time IMHO. The RFL would be sensible if they asked new applicants and C holders to do full submissions and A/B holders to do trimmed ones.... so that probably wont happen

Also if the applications for C are brought forward it would be interesting for all C holders and new applicants, still a way off that though IMO.

: Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:15 am  

edit

: Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:17 am  

debaser wrote:

So is this the moment that Medley not just turns a game, but a whole season?

Perhaps he should be first team coach.

: Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:24 am  

redeverready wrote:

I don't know I'll have a think too see if there is any way of doing it.

Maybe load on Youtube with a nice montage of pictures?

[Bullseye]

: Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:30 am  

Rushed off my feet at work so haven't had time to do a write up and others have done a good job anyway.

While the information on the OSV sounds fairly positive there are a lot of things left open. Hood remains as confident as he can be but I have concerns that the funding can be secured. It's one thing identifying funding streams and another actually making a successful bid. In terms of European money the Council doesn't have a great deal of experience in bidding for large capital (multi million) funding through ERDF and the current programme of funding is far smaller than previous ones so there is less to bid for. These things take time and will have an impact on the timescale. 2012 seems very optimistic. I wouldn't be surprised to see that slip. But the main thing is to secure all the funding that has been identified. Having seen this sort of thing before I would urge caution. On the positive side the club are under no illusions it seems and aren't moving out with "cast iron guarantees".

On the playing front it was good to hear a bit more about the work done on junior development. We've heard a lot in the past about the situation the club was left in by the previous regime and there was a bit of a reprise of that. It did make clear that at the end of 2005 seven home grown players (including many senior players) were allowed to leave and there was nothing in place at the club to replace them. When it was decided to build that foundation in 2006 and McNamara put Medley in charge of that side of things it was recognised that it would take at least three years to start to bear fruit. I suspect that we're starting to see that with the likes of Whitehead and Olbison making sub appearances. Unfortunately you can't produce first teamers overnight.

My only concern is about getting the balance right so that long term planning doesn't cause us to take the eye of the ball on the present first team situation. McNamara stated that he wants to build from the bottom up so that the club "do things right" and have "sustainable success". Hood stated that a run in the play offs is the target and wouldn't be drawn on what would happen if that failed to materialise. "We would re-assess at the end of the season" was the gist of what was said.

Medley proved to be an excellent speaker on the matter of the juniors and the work being done and he was articulate and impassioned. I hope the club use him more to get the message over as he was a natural. He's clearly working on bringing through a large number of players carefully. He and Redeveready had a disagreement over Johnny Horton but I think you will always have a difference of opinion on players and we in the end have to trust the bloke who works with the players each day.

All in all I think I'll remain cautious on the OSV, there's still a heck of a long way to go. On the Junior side of things I'm happy that the club are doing the right thing and systems are in place to provide some great juniors over the next few years. On the first team at the moment things remain a bit doubtful IMO, the aim is to have a run in the play offs so at least we know that. Whether we can achieve it is a matter of opinion, time will tell.

: Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:35 am  

tigertot wrote:

Perhaps he should be first team coach.

In a sense he's more important than that. He's in charge of building our future squads.

: Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:37 am  

AndreaB wrote:

In a sense he's more important than that. He's in charge of building our future squads.

...with a clear passion for it as well.

: Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:57 am  

One thing on the OSV that seems to have been missed is the 2012 finish date isn't for the whole site. It's for the stadium which includes the access road and car parks and the hotel which will hopefully finished early 2012.

: Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:16 pm  

Apologies if I've missed this somewhere but another point discussed was the move to 1 reserve grade to mirror the NRL system, the club are confident they have the right plans in place to maximise junior talent potential and see it (as the RFL do) as a means to strengthen all professional levels of the sport with SL-NL club link ups through dual player registrations