A bit of a surprise. Probably for their reserves next season. Super League clubs plus Leigh, Bradford & Newcastle all to have reserves as well as academies next season. This will undoubtedly mean more championship players being poached. There are simply not enough players in the playing pool anymore.
Good luck to the lad but this puts Championship clubs in a position that it is difficult for them to move forward. Take Swinton a couple of years or so ago they had made progress only for Wigan & Wire to take their best players. Look where they are now!
Is this for definite?
only reason I ask is that Saints have a Daniel Hill in their scholarship team already just wondering if it him who has signed
Not officially announced but in tonight's Manchester Evening News.
Not a massive shock to see a SL club take a punt on him. He’s been excellent in his limited opportunities for us. It does back up the view that there would be no real point in us trying to run an academy at the current time as a part time second tier club. Anyone with any real potential is likely to get picked off. Good luck to him.
The way that the game is being re drafted takes most Championship side out of the academy system. It makes a closer liaison with the amateur game a better option, but the SL clubs will always pinch the best players.
Said this before - I'm a big fan of the reserve structure and think it's vital for young players to develop under this structure, however:-
The players need to come from somewhere, and you can't have a squad of 14-15 reserve players (plus first teamers) who all have potential for first team, clubs can't afford this amount of quality at one club and it just doesn't work like that. There has to be players that will be happy playing reserves. Would you rather play league 1 for North Wales Crusaders, for example or reserves for Saints and train at their facility, get their kit etc.
Reserve league is key for player development, but it will have a big impact on the Championship and League 1.
Academies form the first filter to sort players ans sift out those with genuine potential for the top levels. If Championship clubs are taken out of the system the FT clubs will have to sort the top potentials out, or go straight to the amateur game and choose from there.
Under the old system it is plain that slower developers were discarded by even the top clubs, we are feeding of that now.
It will be interesting to see how the reserve system works. If those teams are to be FT it will be more expensive than letting clubs like ours find the future pearls!
Good luck to Daniel Hill on his move to Saints. Who can blame him for wanting to play with a top club with first class coaches and training facilities. It is a good opportunity for him.
Is he is more than likely looking to play in the reserves at Saints or even be loaned out next year, but probably better than getting an odd game here or being used as a makeweight in a depleted squad.
Good luck to Danny. There is certainly a lot of talent there.
Not a great shock though as we haven't really got much use for him at the moment have we?
Not going to start over Jack and he isn't going to develop with a couple of token appearances a year.
Future Championship squads are probably going to have to share the load to keep players match fit. You can't afford to carry too many lightweight players if you want to be top six material.