I still fail to understand why JM refused to use the loan/dual reg most of the time.
I wonder if it is down to the fact that he would not have had complete control if he did.

Very happy as a Town fan to see these 3 join us for the season, nice to see the link up bearing fruit. Sounds like 3 very good young uns, especially this prop Green who sounds like a real prospect. Good luck for the season, and if its ok with you lot I can keep you updated as to how they do up here in gods country.

I'm sure Rovers fans will be very interested to know how these players are getting on. Nice one.

Part of the reason, last season anyway, was the belief the U20s would make the play-offs for the first time, and develop as a unit as part of that push. This was a request from Deighton, Webster and Chessie to Justin who was more than happy to go along with it. The coaching staff identified a need to raise the profile of Rovers lower grade, and I for one believe they have done this by achieving those goals.

IMO if Rovers are to develop its own talent then the lower grade set up needed to make a statement of intent - reaching the play-offs for the first time and retaining the nucleus of the squads who achieved it can only enhance future player recruitment.

That would be great, hope they go well for you and that Worky have a good season.

That makes sense, iirc wasn't Watts sent up to Gateshead as much for a way of getting him to refocus his head as for him to develop?

So they'll still be training with Rovers and just linking up with Workington for games?

In some ways I think they'd get more out of it living up there in lodgings - but with Workington being part-time I guess it'd leave them with little to do much of the week.

I recall reading Tony Smith describing the flat he stayed in when up there, above a chippy and how his home and everything in it stank of vinegar. Character building that sort of stuff.

But that is short sighted IMHO.
It could be argued that players making the first team by getting the experience quicker (Nat league are far better at this that U-20's) and being ready quicker will be better than making the U-20 playoffs due to us looking more likely to let them make the next step to first team SL rugby which is the aim of the game ,It would also help the club with us relying less on outside recruitment.
As an example if Jordan Cox had got first team experience in previous years it is totally possible that he would already be a first team regular LAST year instead of us having to bring him in on by giving him bits and bobs when we have room in out first team.

Liam watts is a perfect example of this, He came back a far better player for his experience of playing first team at Gateshead.

Mild Rover, we will have to wait for the official announcement for the full details, but as far as I know they will travel to Workington for at least one training session a week, the rest of the time with Rovers.

I imagine training over there would be in an evening so it would make sense for the lads to stop over in Workington because of the 6-7hr round trip. Of course, that costs money - who foots the bill?

I said it at the time, forging a partnership with another club so far away could prove to be potentialyy problematic.

We will have to beg to disagree about it being short sighted. Whilst I agree with you about using the NL to bring players on, there is a bigger picture to consider.

If anything it is something the club needed to do, bearing in mind the level of investment in the youth program. Okay, recruitment has been quite exceptional these past few years with players like Welham, Watts, Taylor, Cox and Latus coming thro the ranks, and a good splattering of above average juniors at the moment, which suggests a healthy progression.

The club could sit back on its laurels and develop the present crop, put the better ones out to gain NL experience, and see if junior recruitment attracts a similar level of player. But the problem Rovers have had in the SL era is being able to attract juniors to the club. It’s taken since 2007/8 to get to the present stage. Its all well and good saying use the NL to develop players, you have to attract them to the club first.

Winning, achievement and progression are the main selling points. Rovers can now say they are a play-off club at all levels, which for a junior (and his parents) looking for a SL club is a big marker, coupled with a demonstrable pathway of progression to first grade.