A little bit of meat on the bone.

Academy Licensing, 2022-27
21ST MAY 2021
Eight clubs from the Betfred Super League, and two from the Betfred Championship, have been awarded Elite Academy Licences for 2022-27, having demonstrated that they achieve the elite standards required by the process.

The licensing process had been delayed since 2019, partly as a result of the disruption caused by Covid-19. Over recent months an expert panel convened by the RFL and Super League Europe had considered 15 applications.

Key decisions that were agreed by the clubs before the process began were for the licence term to be extended to six years, because of the long-term nature of player development, and for the importance of the Community Game to be factored into deliberations.

That led to an agreement that a maximum of 12 licences should be awarded – up to nine in “Core Affinity Areas”, up to two in “Emerging Affinity Areas”, and up to one in France.

The rationale for this was as follows:

1. To ensure that Academies are operated sensitively and proportionately to the continuing good health of the Community Game;

2. That the number of players selected for Academies is proportionate to the number of players within the Community Game at the relevant age and that the players selected have a genuine opportunity of progressing into the Super League and National teams;

3. That the talent pool is extended beyond the traditional heartland of the sport.

The panel was chaired by Air Commodore Dean Andrew OBE. The RFL representation was led by Dave Rotheram (Chief On-Field Officer), also including Marc Lovering (Director of Participation and Development), Samantha Allen (Head of Professional Game Delivery) and Paul Medley (National Player Progression Manager).

The panel also included Duncan Truswell, Sport England’s Strategic Lead for Performance and Talent who shared a wealth of expertise from other sports.

The 10 clubs awarded elite Academy Licences for 2022-27 are: Catalans Dragons, Huddersfield Giants, Hull FC, Leeds Rhinos, London Broncos, Newcastle Thunder, St Helens, Wakefield Trinity, Warrington Wolves, Wigan Warriors.

Clubs whose applications were unsuccessful have been provided with detailed feedback on areas for improvement, and advised that they will be able to reapply in 2024.

These clubs will be able to operate Development Academies which are run in conjunction with Further Education Institutions, and play in the highly competitive Colleges competition. This does not cause the same level of disruption to the community game, with matches played over the winter/spring season. Super League clubs will be required to run Reserves when that competition returns in 2022, and other clubs will have the option of applying to do so

The 2021 Academy season, which began in a revised format last weekend following delays enforced by Covid-19, will continue as scheduled, with this announcement timed to provide certainty for players and clubs heading into 2022.

Dean Andrew OBE: “We thank all clubs for their applications, and the work that went into them. This has been a robust and rigorous process, with an emphasis on quality and realism. We did not work to award a set number of licences, but to ensure those licences awarded were to truly Elite Academies, and to bear in mind the importance of protecting the Community Game.”

Duncan Truswell: “It was a real privilege to get a more intimate understanding of the elite player development programmes being delivered within the applicant clubs.

“Many of the clubs have a great track record of consistently developing senior elite players for England and yet their commitment to iterate and develop their programmes in order to continue to optimally attract, retain and progress players really shone through.

“It was a competitive process and there were inevitably some difficult choices to be made, however, as one of the two independent panel members reviewing the submissions and overseeing the process, I was impressed by its robustness and rigour. All of the applicants should be commended for the effort that they put into the process and their commitment to the development of players and the game.”

NEXT

Whatever the reasons given it's another blow to the club and represents a shrinking of the game as a whole.

I'm sure Huddersfield and Leeds will be more than happy to get their hands on players on our patch. I'm sure being formerly of the Hudders club Rimmer had no say in the matter.

With fewer opportunities to play for an academy what will become of players like James Bentley who wasn't rated or wanted by SL clubs in 2017 yet came through our system.

Looking at the bigger picture I can see why Newcastle and London should have academies but I don't see it why it is seemingly at our expense.

Watch the NRL and you see you players like Sam Walker and Reece Walsh coming through and compare with the situation over here. We'll be a second tier nation within 4 years with the Aussies, Kiwis and Pacific Nations being the real powerhouses.

What now for BullBuilder?

absolutely ridiculous decision.

It seems the club had not been told of the reasons for refusing the Bulls application.

BRADFORD Bulls are incredibly shocked, disappointed and perplexed by this morning's decision not to grant the club an Elite Academy Licence.
We are struggling to understand any RFL strategy that apparently prevents young Bradford players playing for Bradford.
The decision, if left to stand, is immensely damaging to the sport, the city and the welfare of 90 plus young players and staff.
The club has not received any detailed feedback at this stage, so will be reserving our position until that is received, and we have a better understanding as to why the RFL believe an extremely productive line of young talent can be laid to waste.
In the meantime, Head of Youth Leigh Beattie and his extremely talented group of coaches and players will turn out with immense pride in the red, amber and black against Hull FC tomorrow at 2pm.

I am appalled but not surprised by the decision. I take it from the Bulls statement that we were told of the overall decision but not where we were deemed to have failed.
Cas and Hull KR ( after recruiting John Bastian) are two other notable casualties giving Wakefield and Hull FC a monopoly in their areas. Yet Warrington ( in the same catchment area as Saints and Wigan) survive.
Short sighted and a kick in the teeth for the 90 youngsters and staff ( and their families) currently in our youth set up.
To me it’s also a clear sign that the powers that be want to retain the status quo in terms of funding and membership of the elite.
As Ricky Tomlinson might say
“ Fewer and better my a**e”

The RFL in their press release on social media stated that clubs whose applications were unsuccessful have been provided with an explanation, and advised that they will be able to reapply in 2024.

Somebody's telling porkies.

I'd love to see in detail the reasons given why we were turned down. It might be that we've not been keeping to our previously high standards? If so it'd be very interesting to hear why. Or it could be that the criteria were rigged from the start to exclude certain clubs? Perhaps someone could provide a link to past and current criteria so we could compare?

“Many of the clubs have a great track record of consistently developing senior elite players for England"

Is this actually true?

Think it's telling they isn't any defined criteria. And some idiots want to being licensing back. Reading Cas's reasons, apparently they haven't produced enough first team players for their geographical area. That reason can't apply to us.

We have probably brought more players through than most.
We're the only team in a big city.
The facilities are some of the best in the country.

I honestly can't see what we fail on.

Its quite simply politics and money. It looks like we've missed out due to them only wanting two championship clubs and then wanting Newcastle & London due to their location. I understand the long term plan with Newcastle but there's very few Geordies knocking around in the 3 top leagues at the moment. You don't sacrifice one of your most succeasful pathways with 90+ players on the system for it. You find extra funding for that long term project.

As I said it's telling there isn't set criteria as its obvious we score highly than others who have a license.

I don't want to go comparing to other clubs as it most creates petty arguments and to be fair I think most fans are shocked thier reducing the academy numbers.

Well I will await some more details and what the future holds for Bradford but it doesn’t exactly encourage me to believe their is much a of future for Bradford. The academy was probably one of the few positive things to talk about in recent years. With that gone.. what is left?

I assume this all boils down to money and the ever decreasing pot for all clubs?

It's not really is it? I'd already read that when I posted my comment. I stand by it.

This bit particularly made me laugh:

“Many of the clubs have a great track record of consistently developing senior elite players for England and yet their commitment to iterate and develop their programmes in order to continue to optimally attract, retain and progress players really shone through."

So is the argument that Bradford don't continue to attract, retain and progress players? Combine London, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Newcastle's academies and they equal the number of players that came through our academy in the England elite train on squad.

We're consistently well represented at all age groups so that's complete garbage. We continue to produce world class players.

NEXT