Quote ="The Dreadnought"Silcoates accept all abilities its Queen Elizebeth Grammar School thats done on a test (QEGS, WAKEFIELD GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL).'" As an ex-pupil I can assure you that Silcoates holds the most highly-academic entrance exam of all these schools (I took both QEGS and Silcoates). www.silcoates.org.uk/admissions/ ... 7861328125 [i"In the Senior School a place is gained by a successful performance in our entrance tests, held at Silcoates in January each year."[/i

Quote ="The Dreadnought"Silcoates accept all abilities its Queen Elizebeth Grammar School thats done on a test (QEGS, WAKEFIELD GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL).'" As an ex-pupil I can assure you that Silcoates holds the most highly-academic entrance exam of all these schools (I took both QEGS and Silcoates). www.silcoates.org.uk/admissions/ ... 7861328125 [i"In the Senior School a place is gained by a successful performance in our entrance tests, held at Silcoates in January each year."[/i

Quote ="nottinghamtiger"As an ex-pupil I can assure you that Silcoates holds the most highly-academic entrance exam of all these schools (I took both QEGS and Silcoates). www.silcoates.org.uk/admissions/ ... 7861328125 [i"In the Senior School a place is gained by a successful performance in our entrance tests, held at Silcoates in January each year."[/i'" always remember the flyer the sent through our letter box how much it cost to send a pupil there entrance exam nar money talks they do have some fantastic rugby fields which we sneakily use for practice kicking

Quote ="nottinghamtiger"As an ex-pupil I can assure you that Silcoates holds the most highly-academic entrance exam of all these schools (I took both QEGS and Silcoates). www.silcoates.org.uk/admissions/ ... 7861328125 [i"In the Senior School a place is gained by a successful performance in our entrance tests, held at Silcoates in January each year."[/i'" always remember the flyer the sent through our letter box how much it cost to send a pupil there entrance exam nar money talks they do have some fantastic rugby fields which we sneakily use for practice kicking

My point is that at least 1 club has played the game properly. AFAIK

Players need agents, end of. Without them, the clubs would exploit and cheat them. What chance has a player got to know his real worth? I have an agent in my own career and I know how invaluable they are, despite the 15% I give over. It's not just the connections they have, it's their knowledge of the fine detail in the contract that is crucial, or else you sign stuff away that you realise much later on is costing you thousands.

Without agents, players would tie themselves into stupidly long contracts, or ones filled with nasty little clauses that come back and bite them. Agents will tout their players around, that is their job, but if the club did their part of the bargain then it wouldn't be a problem. You have to look only to clubs like Leeds, Wigan and Saints to see that successful clubs hang onto their players. Agents aren't perceived as quite the scum there. Our problem isn't agents. It's the fact that all our players see ahead is more uncertainty, financial woes and lack of success.

The only way you could avoid having agents is by having standardised contracts, approved by the RFL and a players union, variable only in terms of length and financial reward, but that won't happen as it restricts clubs from finding creative ways to pay players. Remember the Singapore tax clauses that Aussie players used to exploit, until the taxman got wise?

Errm Silcoates and QEGS also churn out a good production line of Rugby Union players. No point sending them there, they'll end up playing another sport.

QEGS have produced some rugby league players for us in the past. Can't remember the exact details, but "Belly" knows. Also, the headmaster (if it's still the same guy) is very pro rugby league. Certainly far more than his predecessors ever were. However, I digress...

As I mentioned above, I'm sure the PFA had a system in place that allowed players to use their (independent) services at a considerably reduced cost compared with other agents to negotiate deals on their behalf. The benefit of this, apart from the cost, was that players got genuinely independent advice about the best way to develop their careers and protect their earnings, and probably realistic advice too, rather than advice from people who stand to profit from every move the player makes. I'm not saying all agents are like that. Undoubtedly, there will be some who see the need to balance both sides if they want a long term future, and look after their players' real interests rather than go for the fast buck. However, that doesn't always seem to be the case, and the destabilizing effect this has on both players and clubs is not beneficial to anyone other than the middle-man who earns from it. (I don't doubt clubs will exploit players where they can either, btw, but in a sport like ours, there has to be some middle ground that satisfies both requirements.)

I'm not sure you can compare this situation with the world of literary publishing anyway. The advice I've had from every author I've met (and I've met a few in the past) is "get yourself a good agent", but that has a lot to do with the fact that manuscripts that are submitted to publishing houses like job applications to the world's top companies. If the first line doesn't do the business, the rest is in the bin. Rugby league isn't that spoiled for choice when it comes to players and clubs.

Generally (certainly when I was there) it was a case of both - having money AND passing the entrance exam.
Some pupils were awarded scholarships that covered some of the fees, but they had to pass the entrance exam too and have a massive talent, be it musical or sporting.

Definately, league was a game never to be played. In fact we used to be discouraged from defending in straight lines or adapting any other tactic that could be seen as pro-league (ie stringing more than 3 passes together).

Love Rugby League are reporting that the RFL are looking into this now. I get the feeling this happens a lot and we are only complaining because we need the cash.

a few of them are still in our under 19

Bradford only got cash from Huddersfield because Kopczak actually transferred and there must have been solid proof of wrongdoing. Otherwise, I believe the RFL would pocket any fine.

We're probably complaining because this is not a fire sale, and we don't need our situation destabilizing further. If it's an agent rather than a club involved, then any punishment could significantly impact on that agent's activities, which would be no bad thing.

Well there you go. I knew I hadn't imagined it.

James Healy is one

indeed , grandson of George Ballentyne and a Squadbuider funded player

, In the same squad and from the same school is Will Martin grandson of Don Robinson & again Squadbuilder funded

The RFL say that they haven't seen any evidence to support the claim and when they do, they'll investigate; sounds like a veiled threat to me - put up or shut up?

looks like a closed shop

And therein lies the problem. Rubberlips was at Bradford the same time we went through this with Solomona. Coincidence?

Nigel Woods not seen his feet for a good while never mind any evidence.

All this all charade highlights is the integrity and stupidity of the men and club involved.

Problem is if you have a gripe go straight to Red Hall do not pass go go and read opening paragraph.

The club, i.e. the owner, may not be directly involved, though. If we assume it's Salford, Dr K has been pretty up front with his wants list, and has paid the going rate. In many respects, we should be grateful for that.

Does anyone really think this kind of thing doesn't go on all the time? Right or wrong, you'd be pretty naive to think otherwise.

No, they denied there had been any such approach. Then recently there was a court case in which evidence came out that there HAD been an illegal approach and that Hudds had basically lied to the RFL investigator. Not only had they approached Kopczak but they had actually agreed terms.

So the RFL are supposed to be looking into it. The bother they SHOULD be in should be much harsher for lying to the RFL than for the illegal approach.

But no-one at Bradford is holding their breath.

Except the approach was not illegal, Kopczak like all Bradford players was permitted to talk to other clubs and he was not the only Bradford player to have a move elsewhere lined up. There was a gentleman's agreement for clubs not to sign Bradford players so they could see the season out. The big difference with CK was he rejected the TUPE transfer to the new Bulls and chose to move elsewhere.

think every player that moves on will have had to had some kind of sounding of their future club

think this book is closed as short as it is