So Radford has confirmed this week that the reserves set-up, whilst fantastic in principle, was fruitless last year with multiple games cancelled. There are no real plans amongst SL clubs to formalise a competition, which he recognises as disappointing but the reality is it was a poor return on investment in current guise.

The alternative is pushing dual registration and today we’ve announced season long loans at Doncaster for Litten, Osborne, Lane and Sanderson. Richard Horne has also poached highly promising Hull KR half back Liam Harris, so interesting to see how that pans out and whether it might create opportunities at FC for him in the medium term.

The whole reserve/duel reg thing is a right bag of spanners. Unless or until every team runs a reserve side it’s like pushing water uphill and clubs will just try and figure out the best local solution. Hmmm...

I honestly think the reserves was a good concept and for me the RL should have forced Clubs to have a second string side in a proper league particularly with the game set to expand in the coming years we need a bigger pool of players. Of course finance is the sticking point as always. I also think if I was a Division one team supporter I would want our own identity and not be just what is in effect a feeder Club for the Super league sides. The Harris situation is fascinating though isn't it? Rumours from the Academy is that he will train full time with us! Interesting angle on reserve grade rugby here http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/ru ... ner-642003

I honestly think the reserves was a good concept and for me the RL should have forced Clubs to have a second string side in a proper league particularly with the game set to expand in the coming years we need a bigger pool of players. Of course finance is the sticking point as always. I also think if I was a Division one team supporter I would want our own identity and not be just what is in effect a feeder Club for the Super league sides. The Harris situation is fascinating though isn't it? Rumours from the Academy is that he will train full time with us! Interesting angle on reserve grade rugby here http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/ru ... ner-642003

On Harris I'd heard he was effectively our player now too, but just a rumour. Described by Rovers fans as deserving "rave reviews" and "worth the entrance money alone", he sounds promising. Rovers U15 POTY and 2016 COHA Players POTY. You'd imagine he's worth a punt at least.

It's a shame a workable reserve grade can't be implemented. Perhaps this will be a requirement when licensing comes back?

I guess the advantage of an A team is control and being able to prioritise development over results.

From the perspective of a fan of a SL club (again), personally I'd like us to focus on building a relationship with York rather than try to 'push water uphill' as Mrs B puts it, with an A team. Obviously in any relationship you need to be sensitive to your partners needs, and I imagine fans at clubs like York and Doncaster might well be wary, so trust and mutual respect would be key.

It'll be interesting to see if Harris is allowed to train with and be monitored by Hull while a Doncaster-registered player. Leeds got a lightly slapped wrist over a couple of players who were signed by Fev but who Leeds treat like loanees, a while back. If the rules have been relaxed or apply differently in Championship 1, then that creates even more opportunity for collaboration. It would look like a step towards the Aussie reserve grade system, IMO.

Not sure who those Leeds/Fev players were but with Sneyd, Kelly, Connor and Abdull at FC it sounds to me like he's a Doncaster player next year. at least. Richard Horne is still on FC's coaching team, so it would be hard for us not to be "monitoring" him informally I'd say. Is he any good though? Rovers have retained Marsh, so presumably Harris is some way behind him?

Well Doncaster have gone down the loan system avenue , signing Litten, Lane, Osborne & Sanderson on season long loans . We have also signed ex Hull player Bower on a 1 year deal.

Harris has signed a 2 year deal , we have been told we have paid a fee for him !

Mrs Barista wrote:Not sure who those Leeds/Fev players were but with Sneyd, Kelly, Connor and Abdull at FC it sounds to me like he's a Doncaster player next year. at least. Richard Horne is still on FC's coaching team, so it would be hard for us not to be "monitoring" him informally I'd say. Is he any good though? Rovers have retained Marsh, so presumably Harris is some way behind him? http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... -1-7270159 Baldwinson, Minns, and Tonks at Fev and a couple at Hunslet, back in 2015. Hetherington wasn't happy with it, which might well have been enough to get the rule scrapped! Rovers wanted to retain Harris, but currently he's behind Marsh, who is two years older. Harris went well for York, by all accounts, last year and was nominated for a Championship 1 award, iirc. Made some good breaks in his sole first team game for Rovers, vs Sheffield.

Mrs Barista wrote:Not sure who those Leeds/Fev players were but with Sneyd, Kelly, Connor and Abdull at FC it sounds to me like he's a Doncaster player next year. at least. Richard Horne is still on FC's coaching team, so it would be hard for us not to be "monitoring" him informally I'd say. Is he any good though? Rovers have retained Marsh, so presumably Harris is some way behind him? http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... -1-7270159 Baldwinson, Minns, and Tonks at Fev and a couple at Hunslet, back in 2015. Hetherington wasn't happy with it, which might well have been enough to get the rule scrapped! Rovers wanted to retain Harris, but currently he's behind Marsh, who is two years older. Harris went well for York, by all accounts, last year and was nominated for a Championship 1 award, iirc. Made some good breaks in his sole first team game for Rovers, vs Sheffield.

The Dentist Wilf wrote:I honestly think the reserves was a good concept and for me the RL should have forced Clubs to have a second string side in a proper league particularly with the game set to expand in the coming years we need a bigger pool of players. Of course finance is the sticking point as always. I also think if I was a Division one team supporter I would want our own identity and not be just what is in effect a feeder Club for the Super league sides. The Harris situation is fascinating though isn't it? Rumours from the Academy is that he will train full time with us! Interesting angle on reserve grade rugby here http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/ru ... ner-642003 The reserves, A team or whatever system should be run by the RFL, it seems almost as if its just an Ad Hoc system that the teams set up between themselves which is a shoddy way of running things and was always prone to collapse. I'm not a fan of the dual reg thing, mainly due to what it does to the lower league team and the league itself. Some teams last year went from being very good when the players were with them to being dire the week after when they only had their own. It must be so demoralising for the 'staff' players of that club as well. Year long loans are fine but the month (or game) on month ones just don't sit well. Harris is an odd one, not seen a lot of him but what I did was very promising, he had the half back swagger thats needed and wasn't scared to try things. the only reason I think we will have let him go is that Atkin is a very similar type of player. Think it could be one we regret letting go.

The Dentist Wilf wrote:I honestly think the reserves was a good concept and for me the RL should have forced Clubs to have a second string side in a proper league particularly with the game set to expand in the coming years we need a bigger pool of players. Of course finance is the sticking point as always. I also think if I was a Division one team supporter I would want our own identity and not be just what is in effect a feeder Club for the Super league sides. The Harris situation is fascinating though isn't it? Rumours from the Academy is that he will train full time with us! Interesting angle on reserve grade rugby here http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/ru ... ner-642003 The reserves, A team or whatever system should be run by the RFL, it seems almost as if its just an Ad Hoc system that the teams set up between themselves which is a shoddy way of running things and was always prone to collapse. I'm not a fan of the dual reg thing, mainly due to what it does to the lower league team and the league itself. Some teams last year went from being very good when the players were with them to being dire the week after when they only had their own. It must be so demoralising for the 'staff' players of that club as well. Year long loans are fine but the month (or game) on month ones just don't sit well. Harris is an odd one, not seen a lot of him but what I did was very promising, he had the half back swagger thats needed and wasn't scared to try things. the only reason I think we will have let him go is that Atkin is a very similar type of player. Think it could be one we regret letting go.

spot on. the rfl should decide this one way or another. if teams expect a fine for last minute cancellations they might think twice about calling games off. imo all superleague teams should run reserves and championship teams can have the option of coming in to. all games to be played same time - sat afternoon unless part of a curtain raiser to a 1st team game

The RFL don't have that sort of power, imo. Everything seems to need a vote from the clubs and if they're not aligned behind something then RFL will be unable push it forward.

They're an administrative body, with the clubs effectively being the legislators.