Indisputable!

From the RFL website

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?

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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

I feel sure Air Commodore Dean Andrews is an honourable man and the fact he is from Hull and regularly attends Hull FC matches had no bearing on the unsuccessful bid by KR

Every super league side should be mandated to have a quality academy set up and to invest a minimum % of revenue in youth development... those that don’t shouldn’t be allowed in the top division.

The game has been on life support for some time. There has been a lack of vision and leadership for years, and the game keeps making baffling and worrying decisions. Super league is terrible and has been for a number of seasons. This decision just speeds up the demise. We are falling further behind the southern hemlsphere on the international stage, and falling further behind rugby union in this country in terms of exposure, professionalism and attracting players.

I'm gonna say it out loud, but RU is becoming tolerable to watch. Even entertaining at club level....maybe it's time jump ship. How long can we sustain the ongoing embarrassment that is the Keystone Kops we know as the RFL?

My own personal (and I accept biased) view is that Super League began it's decline when they went from 14 - 12 teams and relegated London & Bradford.

My thoughts on the reduction in academies is RFL are trying to push in feeder clubs in the back door.

My thoughts too.

Yep, a season pass holder apparently.
This makes the whole game of Rugby league look corrupt. No wonder the sport has difficulty in attracting international sponsors.

True on both counts. The Game of Rugby league is on a downwards spiral and will continue on that trajectory as long as we have the current incompetent and visionless fools in charge. I've watched and also played the game of rugby league for many years, but I continue to lose interest due to those halfwits who are both RUNNING and RUINING the sport I love.

https://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/article ... Gu-o-QIqKk So the RFL have said we can have one but have to fund it ourselves......

https://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/article ... Gu-o-QIqKk So the RFL have said we can have one but have to fund it ourselves......

Is that not reference to the central funding which will be zero?

Anyway are we to take from that that the reason we got binned off in the first place was item 4 on the list i.e. there aren't enough U16's playing in the district in their opinion?

Well common sense seems to have finally prevailed however, we are clearly still in the firing line and it seems the clubs who have had a reprieve will have to improve without the same level of funding. You have to have a sense of humour following this sport don't you?

You can have two years to improve but you will have to do it with one arm tied behind your back compared to the other teams.. still it is better than the alternative of losing the academy.

Congratulations, the games run by idiots.

Time to get behind BullBuilder.

Done.

Sounds like typical RFL logic doesnt it. We don't think your spending enough on your academy so you've got two years to spend more but we're removing the central funding during that period.

wonder if the withheld funding will be shared out amongst other academies or just go into RFLs coffers.

It's actually just a sneaky way of doing it, just like the perfect 'Yes, Prime Minister' script book.

It's rather like the episode about the ring road, where the council want to build a ring road but it would mean knocking down the memorial garden in the town centre, which would cause a serious rumpus. So instead, they actually publish a plan which includes knocking down the hospital adjacent to the memorial garden. This creates such an outcry that when the solution is 'found' that they only need to knock down the garden , everyone jumps up and cheers.

If we just assume that the RFL really only wanted to save money on the academy set up, it 's a perfect fit.