: Thu Sep 10, 2009 8:08 pm  

leaguefan, educational standards??? I'm a 32 year old man that runs and owns a successful buisness so get a grip you pathetic man. I suggest your the one who needs an education in the art of how not to get on peoples t.ts , believe me I'm not the only forum member on here that is irritated by your attitude.

: Thu Sep 10, 2009 8:21 pm  

andrew aspinall wrote:

oh right, sorry, in that case it would be Richard Moore wouldn't it.

Andrew, Richard Moore didn't come through "our Academy" he was a Cougar Cub who went straight to Leeds Academy when he was old enough and there are several other Cougar Cubs who have followed a similar path to play in Super League, such as Chris Feather and Andy Bailey. Recently a Cub, Nathan Hawkesworth, son of Lawkholme Lane favourite Mick, has signed for the Bulls and could be on his way.

I don't want to cause a division here but the Cougars Academy does not produce players, it merely takes them from elsewhere and nurtures them. Players from elsewhere who have the potential to play at a higher level are usually picked up by the bigger Clubs at a very early stage.

To answer the question "Also who was the last Keighley player to go on to play in Super League?" surely the answer is ALEX BROWN!

: Thu Sep 10, 2009 8:34 pm  

Stealth Comic wrote:

Sorry to dampen your optimism Leaguefan but the worst case scenario would along be these lines.

Leigh (aka Wigan's biatch) in Championship 1
York (aka Leeds' biatch) in Championship 1
Cougars (nobody's biatch) in Championship 1

With no open age reserve Super League games next season, there's a real chance that they could get a boat load of quality players on loan next season and make the promotion spots their own.

I really believe we'll go all they way in playoffs but have been watching us for long enough to know that anything can happen.

Oh that is a possibility but one that means a lot of RL folk would probably walk away from the game.

Re: Leigh already getting a helping hand. : Thu Sep 10, 2009 8:36 pm  

Leaguefan wrote:

and this affects the Cougars in what way?

Dont worry pal, i did see the in your post.

: Thu Sep 10, 2009 8:39 pm  

View from the full back wrote:

Andrew, Richard Moore didn't come through "our Academy" he was a Cougar Cub who went straight to Leeds Academy when he was old enough and there are several other Cougar Cubs who have followed a similar path to play in Super League, such as Chris Feather and Andy Bailey. Recently a Cub, Nathan Hawkesworth, son of Lawkholme Lane favourite Mick, has signed for the Bulls and could be on his way.

I don't want to cause a division here but the Cougars Academy does not produce players, it merely takes them from elsewhere and nurtures them. Players from elsewhere who have the potential to play at a higher level are usually picked up by the bigger Clubs at a very early stage.

To answer the question "Also who was the last Keighley player to go on to play in Super League?" surely the answer is ALEX BROWN!

alex brown!!! Of course!

: Fri Sep 11, 2009 7:20 am  

John Ismiddle wrote:

But you'd take a player like him for a full season though, which is what I'm on about. I don't think any Super League clubs are sending players out just to get them match fit, the diffeerence between match fit at our level and Super League are totally different, so it would be pointless. Super League Clubs want to send a few players out for full seasons to give them experience at playing proper rugby which they can't get by only playing academy.
If Leeds hadn't sent Peter Fox (a York lad I might add) on loan to York for 2 years, I very much doubt he'd be the player he is today, he'd even admit that himself. So by loaning a player to a lower league club, Leeds helped York win NL2 and gave a very good but raw young lad the chance to learn by playing week in week out and become an international quality player. Why is that such a bad thing?

Well said, the Knights also helped Matt Blaymire,
Ian Kirke, Jason Golden & Ryan Esders become
Super League players.

John - you're wasting your time on here trying to
get an answer on the feeder club bit.
Mind you, if we are a feeder club, reckon someone might
just get a nasty bite next Sunday.

: Fri Sep 11, 2009 7:44 am  

I cant believe this thread got so many bites with such poor bait.

Its like using a ships rope and anchor to catch a fish.

All way to easy

Bring on the game and let the best team win.

: Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:30 am  

guess who wrote: I cant believe this thread got so many bites with such poor bait.

Its like using a ships rope and anchor to catch a fish.

All way to easy

Having said that, this could actually turn into a worthwhile debate!

As I see it the problem with a feeder club system is that the super league club will want to be dominant rather than it being a true partnership.

Let’s face it they want:

Your Fans
Your sponsors
Your promising youngsters
A chunk of your share of the sky money (which they don’t think you deserve to have anyway)
To put their people into schools in your catchment area so they can gain more publicity and further the above.

Ultimately they may argue that it would be more convenient for you to play out of their ground to reduce costs.

The whole thrust for a super league club (like any business) is to reduce running costs and maximise revenue. THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIP RUGBY, EXCEPT TO USE IT TO FURTHER THEIR NEEDS.

You could imagine a scenario where you play against a team who have six promising super league youngsters – you loose. Your competitor plays them two months later and beats them because the youngsters have now been re-called. Is that fair?

Or, on the day of the signing deadline for the playoffs a side drafts in half a dozen super league youngsters.

If these things are run as true partnerships with safeguards in place (for both parties) they may work. However, some of the “big” clubs are taking a long term view, and that does not include championship rugby as we know it.

: Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:47 am  

Dreamer the days of rugby league, been one big community has gone.
That may still be there with the fans for certain things.

The clubs now have to run like a business. And at the end of the day they are there to make money.

I can see a lot more clubs linking up with teams in SL. To the extent i can see real feeder clubs coming in.

: Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:52 am  

Leaguefan wrote:

Deary me!

Let me S p e l l _ i t _ o u t!

T h e _ C o u g a r s _ w i l l _ b e _ i n _ t h e _C h a m p i o n s h i p ! ! ! !

L e i g h _ w i l l _ b e _ i n _ C h a m p i o n s h i p 1 ! ! !

S o,_ h o w _ w i l l _w h a t_ t h e y _d o _h a v e _ A N Y _ a f f e c t _ o n _ t h e _ C o u g a r s ?

And they say educational standards are rising

Oh, and this may be totally irrelevant, but isn't this site about discussing the COUGARS????

If it's any consolation, I got what you meant first time