Do the Cougars have any intention to ' Partner ' with a S.L. club ?

AND If not are we going to be ' Left behind ' by lesser clubs who have access to decent players from pro clubs.

Not sure if it's a good idea or not , various pros and cons .



Views anyone ?

Becoming any sort of feeder club would be the absolute death of the Cougars. For better or worse, Cougars should stay 100% independent. It's the only way to keep the dream alive.

It would appear. That a lot of clubs, are going to have access to, young up and coming players.
With us not being a feeder club it may put us at a disadvantage.

What is that disadvantage.

Feeder teams may be able to put a good strong squad together. That will effect us if we go down. So that definitely is one disadvantage.

I would imagine that feeder clubs will have to pay the players wages. So thats not a disadvantage as it will be included in the salary cap.

Well we have no chance of getting into SL. So thats not one.

If all the other Championship Clubs that do 'partner' with SL clubs are going to have their sides half full of the SL clubs' youngsters, where are all the experienced SL players going to go when they can't quite get into SL clubs' first team squads? Cougars should sign them & blend with their own home grown youngsters.

If you are from Keighley you want to support & have pride in your own team. All that goes out of the window if you are just at the beck and call of Bradford Bulls or whoever. Not for me thanks.

I cant believe the Championship Clubs are buying into this concept - The Championship will become a reserve grade league full of clubs with no ambition of their own. Super League should have their own reserve teams in their own league and not interfere with ours. Personally I do not wish to watch Keighley/Bradford V York/Hull - We should remain independant.

My first post from sunny-ish Lanzarote!!

We had 17 locally produced lads in last years final few reserves , six have joined our first team squad, why do we need a dodgy link up with SL that you can guess will NOT benefit the smaller club in anyway in the long term.....

Right back to cocktail drinking duties ( English bars with free wi fi connections

!!!). Back to K town 2 moz , the Bronzed Beach Goddess will be resumeing normal news.Reporting service from CP 2moz !!!

I must admit I prefer the homegrown players rather than
s.l. Cast offs that the cougars would be 'forced to play.

At least the Cougars team will be able to ' gel ' and know who
was in the squad week in week out.

Also , the bulk of the teams that have partnered are all bottom half
teams....

Interesting take on the [url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/yorkcityknights/9993297.Knights_strengthen_their_ranks_with_new_Hull_partnership/=York and Hull FC link up.[/url

Having something like this[iBehind the scenes, Hull will also share best practice on a range of strategies such as media and marketing, strength and conditioning, and coaching development.[/i could help us. This is one area we are very poor in.

I'd much rather watch us get beat 50-0 every week, than watch in the knowledge that all we are is somewhere to keep a Super League club's bit part players fit.

It wouldn't be our club anymore, in fact I probably wouldn't go.

There would be no club if scores like that happen.

Well dont be a feeder Club for Bradford, they will be in the Championship next year due to their finances

Well dont be a feeder Club for Bradford, they will be in the Championship next year due to their finances

If any, rather it was Wakefield than Bradford, at least their shirts are nice on the eye

That seems somewhat harsh on Paul Royston who to my mind has a fantastic professional attitude to his role at the club.

Thats a very fair point Rach.
I should have edited that bit out.

Imagine if you do win the league or the grand final! What pride if Cougars did whilst 100% independent.

But what would it mean for any club if you were just the reserves for Brafd Blls etc?

Playing devils advocate here.

What does it mean to win the GF if there is no chance of getting into SL?

Well, that's a whole bigger issue.

My proposed blueprint (needs plenty of support, I know) involves the RFL being required to set a simple structure for the game, then stand back and let the clubs get on with it:-

* One-up, one down automatic promotion & relegation between the divisions (including super league)
* No cap at all on spending; salaries or otherwise
* Clear penalties for going into Admnistration (= 6 league points deduction) or going bust (= relegation to the bottom division)
* All clubs to prepare audited accounts to 31 December each year and submit to RFL by 30 June
* A clear limit on the number of players any one club can register at any one time
* 13 of the 17 players named for each match to be EU born or trained.
* All grounds to have a safety certificate.

Clearly, the above would mean an end to the nonsense of 'licensing.'

In the meantime, Cougars should stay independent is my very stong belief.

Clearly that is never going to happen.
So what do you suggest now?

They thought the Berlin wall would never come down etc....

In the meantime, Keighley Cougars just needs to work to make itself the best it can possibly be in every way - get back to Cougarmania and then see what happens. Any club should aim to win every match it takes part in.

Not easy - but I see that the club is going to issue up to 20,000 free season tickets to under 16's - so that's one initiative that has to be applauded & supported.

1. Can't disagree with that.
2. This would be a disaster for the game. It would further accentuate the difference between the better and weaker teams and make it even more likely than it is now that teams bankrupt themselves trying to keep up.
3. I kind of agree, but let's make it clearer still, you go in to administration, you get all your points deducted and relegated at the end of the season. Let's be honest, if you spend money you haven't got and can't pay it back you're cheating all the other well run clubs.
4. This is potentially expensive, i'd make clubs submit detailed accounts at the end of the financial year coinciding with when they submit their accounts to Companies House.
5. Agreed but only on players aged over 23 like they have in Premier League football.
6. I'd make this 15 EU players but have a dispensation for a marquee player if they've played for Australia, New Zealand or in State of Origin.
7. Tell me the Rugby League grounds that have no safety certificate so I can avoid them!

Like Guess Who said, it's never going to happen unless we have a revolution in the hierarchy of the game.

Spot on mate!