Why can't I leave them alone?

Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children!



Gateshead managed 1 win in the league last season, hardly competitive or equal quality. Which is what you said you wanted. Yet you are happy to play Gateshead. I would imagine there are at least 2 or 3 SL U20's sides who would be more competitive and certainly more stable than Gateshead. So is it equal quality & stature you want after all?

You D!ck

I suggest that SL clubs sort out their own problems before looking at ours.

I'd suggest, the top Under 20s sides at least, are a better stature and have far more quality than most Championship 1 sides. Like I said I saw Wigan Under 20s turn over Barrow quite convincingly in the pre season just gone and almost beat Leigh's 1st team last year, whilst St Helens Under 20s came close to beating York this year. That's why I made the proposal. Granted those are one offs but all those three sides are playing a level above Championship 1.

Then they will be ok playing their league. CC1 teams have no need to play against your U20s.

You do realise this is just someone's suggestion on a message board don't you? Or has your RFL conspiracy theorist mind gone into overdrive already?
You do realise that some of SL's problems are also problems in the Championship? And that if the Championship's problems were sorted then SL & rugby league in general might benefit?

No of course not. Obviously the Super League clubs have decided already and thought they'd announce it on RLFANS.

Some would have a problem with it. Some wouldnt.

Whilst Hunslet may not wish to, a club like York may be more welcoming.

I wouldnt force it on anyone but its a great opportunity. The lower league club can get access to better facilities, SL quality coaches, and quality young players (not to mention the likely increase in youth products who dont make it joining that club full-time) the SL club gets an opportunity to blood young players, and a higher quality league within which to do that,

It is not an opportunity to a CC club, it is just a benefit to a SL club.

So access to better facilities, better coaching, and better young players doesnt benefit a championship/championship 1 club?

Not just that you'd also benefit the test team. I remain convinced as well that Oldham v Wigan Under 20s for example would attract more fans than Oldham v Gateshead did.

I don't think it would mate as including lower grade teams will just devalue the competition. It's not great as it is but if clubs are told they aren't even worthy of playing against first teams then it will collapse!

They're not worthy of playing against Super League first teams. That's why they're not in Super League.

A couple of weeks ago Quins weren't worthy of playing a SL team , drop them to Championship 1

It is a completely stupid idea , the Dual reg and loan regs are more than capable of helping to test juniors at SL clubs if they are used correctly , there is no need for anything else

One of the most sensible things I've seen on here in a long time

Yes they are, since a week or so before they had beaten both Leeds & Saints. Plus they are deemed worthy since they are actually in the same league. The whole reason behind having seperate leagues is exactly that the teams in the lower leagues are deemed "not good enough" to play the teams in the higher leagues. If they were good enough they'd be in that league or there would simply be 1 league encompassing all teams.

And semi pro senior teams are that , and under 20's are that , let them stay where they are

Why can people not see this?

Because SL is such a resounding success

, they think they know everything about everything

Last time I checked, Under 20s weren't in an Under 20s league because they were deemed "not good enough" to play their Championship counterparts, hence this discussion. You'd probably find that there are a lot of U20s teams that would beat Championship 1 teams.

I think feeder clubs are a better way, personally. If a Championship club doesn't want to become a feeder club, can't the SL club just create their own "franchise" instead and apply for the CC1?

I think it's important that our young players are exposed to the better quality competition week-in week-out than what they are already getting, and this would likely help.

I didn't say anything about Super League first teams. But the point remains that it would hardly reflect well on the existing C1 clubs that their league would effectively stop being an open age competition.

This point being probably the best point being made, which is why I'd prefer feeder clubs over U20s. If clubs choose to play majority U20s players, that's their choice, but it remains an open competition which is the most important thing. Remember, there are some players that are late developers.

So basically you are putting the development of SL u 20's in front of the development of semi pro clubs

Correct. As long as the SL clubs are ok then no one else matters.

How is one put in front of the other?

It's a stupid idea thought up by SL fans for the benefit of SL clubs and no consideration at all for the Championships clubs, especially as the opening post has Hunslet in two leagues and no mention of Workington Town!!!!

Seriously though, I suppose that all the Under 20's team clubs would expect to get yet another handout from the RFL similar to what the Championship clubs currently get. Is this just not another way for the SL clubs to get their Under 20's team expenses paid for by central funds?