Pumpetypump wrote:That's our yearly experience at Bradford. We inevitably lose the very best of our Academy talent to SL clubs. For a time Huddersfield hoovered them up, but they end up all over the place. Whilst we lose some, we also keep plenty so the net result for Bradford and the whole game is positive. Which is why not giving us a licence seems peculiar.
It seems to me they want to reduce the numbers because so many lads don't make it, and they want to keep a wide spread to make sure kids in London and Newcastle retain a pathway.
I would guess if there's no Bradford Academy and quality Bradford lads want to play for Bradford then won't they just go through Huddersfield or Leeds academies anyway and then sign for Bulls?
I note Les Catalans are bowing to the Academy requirement as they did for Licensing 2009. This may just save their Superleague skins
Anyway as long as all the top lads still find an academy to go to this may mean a lot of young lads staying in the community game, and I mean a lot because don't only one or two lads in a hundred make it through the academies to pro clubs and those that don't tend to call it a day...
as opposed to Huddersfield who’ve given us Jermaine McGillvary and.. ...erm that’s it in the last decade. Or Wakefield who gave us Josh Griffin and that’s it since Gareth Ellis 20 years ago
