Given the position that we find ourselves in, and the respective positions of both Castleford and Featherstone, should we be looking at having a fully integrated joint academy and junior set-up between the three clubs. Call it the Calder academy or something



This is about protecting our young lads coming through the system and keeping them local instead of losing them to other clubs or losing them from the game completely, especially as over the next few seasons its looking like there could be a bit of switching between the leagues between our three local teams.



It would also bring a positive cost benefit to all of the clubs as it would be cheaper to run a single large set-up rather than three smaller ones which fluctuate a lot

If we wanted to go even further, we could have the WF Academy and include Dewsbury and Batley in it too, using all of the local clubs for both inreach and outreach into the community.

Why not, we were basically guided towards having an academy as part of being in the remit of being super league and now we’re informed by igm that it’s not relevant according to their grading system.

Screwed the little clubs that had to find funds for this even with grants it’s took money out of our budgets.

Then the infighting for each player though lol

Didn't work for Hull, won't work for us.



Also, out of the 3 WMDC clubs, Trinity is the most productive and successful development pathway - why would we seek to piggy-back the other 2?

Because if/when we drop down, we will no longer be one of the more productive pathways. Most of our young talent will end up getting poached by clubs with more finances or better prospects

I don't think there'd necessarily be much infighting. There's lots of ways that it could be set up so that it was largely avoided, and would give good progression/regression throughout the league ladder for youngsters of varying talent so that they can be kept within one structure to train and develop with their peers

Can't see the point myself, the way this club is going we will only be developing talent for others. Sticking to past it journey men seems to be the new policy

No point having an Academy. Look at the IMG proposal, you get no points for running one!



Might as well do what Salford do, save our money and buy a Brodie Croft when they become available.

I don't think it works like that. I think you have to have an academy and ladies team as a base requirement for an A

Afraid it does. I'll name drop here but I was talking to JM just last night and he said it's not in the draft proposal. I think it's 18 points available in total. You actually get a quarter of a point for an electric screen but nothing for running an academy. Apparently it's on the RFL website. I have not checked myself but I doubt he's wrong. Of course it's only a draft proposal at present.

I think the may well have been the final straw for MC, for the past few years he’s always praised the Trinity Academy set up, even saying it cost £100,000 a year, he believed an Academy was a vital part of the criteria, and must have been gutted when the criteria details came out. I did listen to a rugby programme Monday night, a few clubs think it’s unfair that some clubs not spending money on academy, there was the suggestion of possibly awarding points for an Academy from the points of one of the other gradings. Still hope I suppose.

I've just reread it. Although it doesn't say academy, it says there will be minimum criteria and says as an example, a Grade A must run a ladies team.

So I might be wrong about academy, but there is a minimum criteria.