That I think is correct but you hit our main problem head on. If an A team comp is run it will only draw players from championship clubs, who will then take their players from the amateur clubs & they are struggling to raise teams now as we simply don’t have the numbers of youngsters playing the game. Unlike the Aussies who’s culture is different sports of all types are supported & encouraged by society as a whole, also regarded as a career option by schools & parents.

They also go and play in the toyota cup which is a massive step up from academy. We dont have that luxury

Ahh the days when we had a reserve grade and we either always beating the Aussies or as closely matched to them as now.

In my opinion the Aussies hold 3 big advantages over us in the sport:
1 - fewer games played per season
2 - feeder clubs
3 - number of juniors playing

2 & 3 are big reasons in my opinion as to why they can get more juniors to make the step up.

but nobody ran academy sides back then they maybe had colts sides but nobody took them seriously, most players signed pro at 17-19 and went into A team rugby or straight to first team. i was fan of reserve A teams but some people have rose tinted glasses regarding it, loads of amateur and low league at best players used to make up the numbers, the Nrl reserves toyota cup is essentially championship and league one standard rugby.

When England academy played Aussie school boys 3 years ago, and beat them, Latrell Mitchell was playing for them. Last season he played and scored in Origin, won a grand final and played for Australia.
I don't think any of the England academy team that day are anywhere near the England team. Ashton Golding was man of the series.

Full lineup for that game England won in 2014

Ash Golding (Leeds Rhinos, Oulton Raiders)
Jack Johnson (Warrington Wolves, Saddleworth Rangers)
Ash Handley (Leeds Rhinos, Stanley Rangers)
Toby King (Warrington Wolves, Meltham All Blacks)
Jack Logan (Hull FC, Cottingham Tigers)
Jordan Abdul (Hull FC, Skirlaugh)
Joe Keyes (London Broncos, Medway Dragons)
Ted Chapelhow (Widnes Vikings, West Bank Bears)
Robbie Ward (Leeds Rhinos, Oulton Raiders)
Tyler Dickinson (Huddersfield Giants, Siddal)
Oliver Davies (St Helens, Orrell St James)
Jansin Turgut - Captain (Hull FC, West Hull)
Sam Wilde (Warrington Wolves, Shevington Sharks)

Interchange
Luke Waterworth (Wigan Warriors, Ince Rose Bridge)
Will Maher (Castleford Tigers, Ulverston)
Mikey Wood (Huddersfield Giants, Slaithwaite Saracens)
Elliot Minchella (Leeds Rhinos, West Bowling)

WRT to the 4 from Leeds

Ashton Golding - 62 appearances, got given the number 1 shirt when Hardaker was dismissed. Has lost it now BUT to another young English FB from our academy in Jack Walker.

Ash Handley - 72 appearances, been backup wing or centre for a few years now but got plenty of games each year since 2015. Has been handed Ryan Hall’s number 5 shirt and will be playing outside Konrad Hurrell which is a potential big opportunity.

Robbie Ward - 10 appearances, looked promising in his few appearances but talk of lack of effort and poor attitude when on Dual Reg at Hunslet saw him gone. Went to Australia to a Queensland Cup side but back after a year. Been at Dewsbury a few years now and not attracted the interest of a SL club or higher Championship club.

Elliot Minchella - 6 appearances, was Hardaker’s partner in crime in the attack on the student in 2015. Didn’t have the ‘credit in the bank’ on the pitch that Hardaker did and was out later in the year. Been at Sheffield and now at Bradford.

So overall one has been outplayed by another young academy lad, another has his big chance this year and the other two blew their chances with poor behaviour.

Mitchell is superb.
What happened to the rest of the Australian schoolboys in that squad?

Aussie line up from First test 2014-

Latrell Mitchell (Sydney City Roosters, Marist College Pagewood NSW)
Connor Cox (Morayfield State High School, Morayfield QLD)
Tyrell Fuiaomano (Parramatta Eels, Patrician Brothers College Blacktown NSW)
Tevita Cottrell (South Sydney Rabbitohs, Patrician Brothers College Blacktown NSW)
Gideon Gela (North Queensland Cowboys, Kirwan State High School Townsville QLD)
Brock Lamb (Newcastle Knights, St Mary’s College Maitland NSW)
Jack Cogger (Newcastle Knights, Mackillop Catholic College Warnervale NSW)
Hame Sele (St George Illawarra Dragons, Kingsgrove High School Kingsgrove NSW)
Jayden Brailey (Cronulla Sharks, Acquinas Catholic College Manai NSW)
Tom Amone (Parramatta Eela, The Hills Sports High School Seven Hills NSW)
Ray Stone (West Tigers, Wollindilly Anglican College Bargo NSW)
Ash Nisbet (Cronulla Sharks, St Gregory’s College Cambeltown NSW)
Nat Butcher (South Sydney Rabbitohs, Macellin College Randwick NSW)
Jacob Liddle (West Tigers, Wadalba Community School Wadalba NSW)
Luicano Leilua (St George Illawarra Dragons, Endeavour Sports High School Caringbah NSW)
Keegan Hipgrave (Brisbane Broncos, Palm Beach Currumbin State High School Palm Beach QLD)
Jacob Host (St George Illawarra Dragons, De la Salle College Revesby Heights NSW)


Off the top of my head only really Latrell, Lamb, Brailey & Liddle's I've seen play. Most of the others have played less than 20 NRL games.

Minchella will make it to SL, if not with Bradford then with someone else.

Shows what anyone who understands RL already knows - under 19’s is a hugely unreliable guide to a players future. Not all have made it and none are stand outs. Yet a number of youngsters from that 2014 Batch who never got a sniff have made it.

Sadly it’s just a snap shot of a player at that moment in time - basically the biggest or most confident at that age nothing more - except on very rare occasions like a Sam Burgess backing youth is a perilous business. Which is why I don’t agree with Hetherington attitude that the Academy is Leeds A team.

I generally agree with GH but in this case he’s talking utter rubbish imo.

Golding was outstanding in the series snd the game against leeds, the Ayssies were creaming over him, sadly not quite happened for him yet but still young. Ray stone was outstanding for the Aussies but injuries seem to have stifled his development

Cannot see it myself, has yet to prove himself a championship standard yet, if he does end up in super league he will be squad player at likes if Salford at best.
Not good enough typical of one off those players that looked great being a mature early developer in his own age group but cannot do it playing with the big boys.

Think you're writing him off too early, he's only 22 and has developed a lot in the past year. I can see him being a later bloomer like JJB.

JJb was a late bloomer due to some injuries but he never had to step down two divisions, and at 22 already had plenty of first team super league games under his belt. Maybe i am writing him off as a super league player, but the evidence so far says championship player at best, see where he is in two years, but my monies on still being in championship or league one not super league

Why? A ‘proper’ reserve team is backing youth too, just for an extra year or two.

You see in the Leeds players (and others) mentioned above that played in 2014 those that haven’t made it at their club haven’t been “lost to the game” as the line always goes. Ward and Minchella could’ve been stuck making up numbers in our reserves for the last few years, instead they’ve established themselves as first team players elsewhere. Yes it’s not SL but not everyone can be a SL player.

I agree with you both. Its difficult to judge at youth as size and speed always make you look better and you can be found out when you progress and everyone has that.

But the road to the top is never a straight line. Nothing wrong with going to a lower club to establish yourself before going back to the big show.

I recently read an article anoyr Shoot magazines ones to watch with the best 15 year old footballers in the country.
Of those named a couple had Premier league experience but most were complete unknowns. Only Bertrand had really made it to national level and he's probably lost his place now......though worthy of his one to watch tag, he didn't get there quickly.

Well of course they won’t have premier league experience as they are only 15 years old and the youngest premier league player was 16 lol

At a guess & seen as PT mentioned Bertrand and since he's played for England and has probably has lost his place, Plus he's played in every national youth England team before that - he's talking about an old article and the players who went on to make it when judged as a 15-year-old.

I guess I should have explained it was 10 year old article looking at how they'd progressed.

Apologies. That makes sense then