I expect those rules to be updated in the off season as the minimum loan period now is down to only 1 week.

It is indeed the RFL are trying to adopt the NRL system of one U20's competition and feeder clubs. I expect more and more link ups like this will come to light in the next few months.

Did you post a very similar post on the telegraph site?

Rochdale fan I know is very, very happy with this.

Well, tbh, I've been calling for feeder club for quite some time. There's a limited talent pool for RL in this country and as you go up the pyramid from u9 up to professional there's less and less room so you've players dropping off and, in some cases, out of the sport. These sorts of links mean that we lose less players for the sport and as such allow for more stable teams as there's a steady flow of players in both directions

There's a lot of quality amateur teams from that area of the country, we all know Lancashire is a hotbead of RL talent, so it's good that we have our fingers in the pie.

Let's hope Stuart Fielden isn't reading.

It's just a rumour

Pity the Bulls couldn't look a little closer to home. Doncaster are in dire straits and have struggled to get a team together for Toulouse away this weekend. A fixture which is totally pointless. Bringing French teams into the first division is madness.

Rochdale is about 10 miles closer to Bradford than Doncaster.

Indeed it is. And it could also be argued that having Doncaster in the first division is madness, considering the people of Doncaster (save the few die hard fans they do have) clearly don't give a monkeys about Rugby League.

Yes, but it's not in Yorkshire which, rightly or wrongly, was the point being made.

If you want to be picky Doncaster isn't in West Yorkshire is it.

Given that Doncaster is more in the Wakey/Cas environs, should those who suggest Doncaster not look a bit closer to home? And that's before you consider the Hull clubs whose nearest potential partner is York?

Harsh as it may sound Doncaster have little to offer any potential partner, they don't have a decent track record for bringing many youngsters through and, unlike Rochdale or Oldham, they don't have the amateur and junior set-up in the area to make them worth tapping into, whatever county they may be in.

A partnership with Donny would offer them far more benefits in the short term, which could be argued is better for RL in the long term. The boosts in Donny's fortunes over the last 25 years has coincided with unofficial links with Cas, started during John Sheridan's reign & latterly with Leeds while Hanley was in charge due to a bloke who IIRC is Danny McGuire's agent & maintains an interest in the club. Sheridan's tenure was far more sustainable as there was a good sprinkling of local players,however the club's management was amateurish, bordering on corrupt. It hasn't improved much since, though there were some good people involved with Hanley. A pro management set-up is as important as the team there does seem to be a lack of financial support from the right people with a rugby background (sound familiar?).
As much as it pains me I think I cannot see a time when Donny could maintain a SL club, but definitely a strong second tier providing the support is in place.

Indeed, it would be better for Donny, and maybe RL in the long run, but I don't think the Bulls are in a position where they can "take on" a club without being likely to reap benefits much sooner.

Rare event it may be, but I agree with every word Asim has said on this thread. I think we have to be realistic, and recognise that the club is in no position, in isolation, to be charitable towards struggling lower-division clubs. Anything other than a "win-win" will do neither club much good.

The Bulls-Hornets link seems very much a potential "win-win" to me. Bulls-Donny would likely have benefitted Donny much more than Bulls IMO. And the obvious one of Bulls-Rams ran the risk of Dewsbury turning into Bulls' second team and the teams playing out of a single stadium. Rochdale is far enough away to render that situation hard to conceive?

But when you have a top team of 16 local youngsters & 1 young Cumbrian next season perhaps you could loan Donny your down underers?

There's a few I'd drive there myself



I think in a few years certain clubs in the lower leagues may have accepted that they are very unlikely to ever fit into the grand plan for Superleague, and once they do accept it a lot more mutually beneficial relationships between SL and NL clubs will come about.

I think the key at the moment is for the SL clubs to identify which of those clubs would make the best partners.

Quote ="Asim"There's a few I'd drive there myself I think in a few years certain clubs in the lower leagues may have accepted that they are very unlikely to ever fit into the grand plan for Superleague, and once they do accept it a lot more mutually beneficial relationships between SL and NL clubs will come about. I think the key at the moment is for the SL clubs to identify which of those clubs would make the best partners.'" Ironically, ex Bradford player is the last hope for Donny; www.thestar.co.uk/rugbyleague/Do ... 5572231.jp

Quote ="Asim"There's a few I'd drive there myself I think in a few years certain clubs in the lower leagues may have accepted that they are very unlikely to ever fit into the grand plan for Superleague, and once they do accept it a lot more mutually beneficial relationships between SL and NL clubs will come about. I think the key at the moment is for the SL clubs to identify which of those clubs would make the best partners.'" Ironically, ex Bradford player is the last hope for Donny; www.thestar.co.uk/rugbyleague/Do ... 5572231.jp

Quote ="tigertot"Ironically, ex Bradford player is the last hope for Donny; www.thestar.co.uk/rugbyleague/Do ... 5572231.jp'" Hopefully it goes through and this proves to be a better long term plan than the last couple of new owners.

Quote ="tigertot"Ironically, ex Bradford player is the last hope for Donny; www.thestar.co.uk/rugbyleague/Do ... 5572231.jp'" Hopefully it goes through and this proves to be a better long term plan than the last couple of new owners.

Quote ="tigertot"Ironically, ex Bradford player is the last hope for Donny; www.thestar.co.uk/rugbyleague/Do ... 5572231.jp'" 1993-94 and all those tries he ran in seem a long time ago. Good luck to him.

Quote ="tigertot"Ironically, ex Bradford player is the last hope for Donny; www.thestar.co.uk/rugbyleague/Do ... 5572231.jp'" 1993-94 and all those tries he ran in seem a long time ago. Good luck to him.

He needs all the luck in the world. Carl's commitment has been wonderful, but it shows just how tenuous a lot of so-called professional clubs are run. Martyn Winter, the ex-Mayor & ex-Dons player, has pulled out recently - IMO he has far more nous than Carl & knows how little chance of success there is from the business support in Donny.