He's a great coach, his record speaks for itself, really is a strange situation that has had me scratching my head for years, to the point that i now just assume he must not want to expand/change his role. Its such an obvious step, that the club would be foolish not to make otherwise, Oh hang on......

Good win for the 16s away at Saints last night

sounded like a good win any highlights anywhere
any info on the game matt
lads have a good record to be fair over at saints at this level over the years

The scholars are a good group, enjoyable to watch. Hopefully youtube highlights will be forthcoming! Sound from the match report that Zak Lloyd was good again. Also kicked a conversion from the sideline - honestly watch out for the name, the lad is very good.

Matts do you know how bad Presely Cassel's injury was from the last game (or anyone else?). Looks like he was treated for cramp but looked like a potential ligament issue to me?

Has Simpson returned from injury and if not does anyone know when this is likely to be.

Cassell, Phillips and Qareqare playing for England academy tonight, being show on the RFLs youtube

Think he is pretty close now, they are taking it slowly but unless he has had a setback he should be available for the reserves fairly soon.

I don't know the timescale for his injury but I think he's now on 18 months I believe.

Ruan, Hudson and Donaldson all played for the reserves today against Salford which we won.

won on the scoreboard but not the best game i was bored at times limping through the season reserves and 18s been meh for past few years now

Another big score for the u18s vs KR, seems this new 1 6 7 combo is really paying off in points after a good win against Cas last time out

a gimme the 18s should be putting cricket scores on
teams with a poor history of youth development the fact theygot 50 put on them aginst saints really shows where we are as an academy that spine for me will be judged against the big teams not the poor teams we have played and will be playing in the coming weeks

If beating Cas by a cricket score is a gimme, why did Wigan lose to them earlier this season?

The whole team isn’t going to make first grade. Most will end up in champ or “lower” SL clubs. Whereas it’s nice to win, the most important thing is that we have a handful of real talents in the system.

I believe there are 5-10 players across scholarship and academy with real chances. In addition we have McCormack, Smith, Simpson, Lumb and others who are already knocking on the door.

In other words, yes our competitors have some great youth talent but Leeds are starting to get the production line working again in my view.

jim a well balanced view but we should be challenging the bigger more established academys more than we have since chev left we have looked miles off doing that over the past 2 years

i watch the 18s and the scholars a lot and theres a lot of kids gone backwards in the academy its crazy to see if you know your rugby its glaring

Interested to get your take on which kids have gone backwards?

Maybe if they've gone backwards they're just not good enough? To make it at first grade at Leeds, in theory at least you should be close to international class or working towards that level. There just aren't many lads of that quality.

Granted there tends to be better talent across the hill, including some signings that are made from under our noses.

needed time to look through the squads as not familiar with them all some names for you that have regressed brennan jones corbett hartley taylor aliou gilmore hutchinson fergus mccormack phillips proud stephenson white all of which have gone backwards in terms of their on field and visual development at a rate of knots yes all might not be good enough but doesnt mean they regress like they have over the past 12-18 months in what is deemed an elite enviroment also who have we lost across the hill

What's happened to jack smith? He had some good performances in preseason but nowhere near the squad since?

Just now back from an injury I believe, played in the reserves last game I think

A few of those lads are going to struggle for size to make grade in SL in my view.

I might agree on Fergus, he was looking on the fringe of first grade not so long ago, and now has been shifted from 6 to fullback and I'm not sure what his path to first grade is now. As sixes, we probably have two or three even younger players who look better prospects, albeit not quite with his running game.

I guess when you say you know your rugby you mean you watching it. Do actually know what it takes for these youngsters to commit and train hard. Not all are on full time contracts and have other commitments like college and apprenticeships. Not to mention dealing with things like becoming a man. All to have pratts like you pulling them down. Im guessing you've never actually picked up a rugby ball either looking back through your past posts. Clown!

my bad 'plugger' i wasn't aware that all the academy players under walker that won a grand final were all full time professionals and didnt have to contend with all the off field issues you raised? i bow to the superior knowledge you gained by playing 3 second team games for east leeds. clown

Has anyone seen much of Toby Warren?

Another game against one of the big 3 Lancashire teams, another disapointing defeat, hope tony smiths performance is part of the review Blease will undoubtedly hold