https://www.rfunorth.com/wp-content/uploads/go-x/u/91fbcf8f-e330-4d86-8888-6fb9cbb2ab04/Regional-Leagues-2026-27_v2.pdf
Confirmed teams for next season:
Bradford Salem
Cleckheaton
Dinnington
Malton & Norton
Moortown
Morley
Old Brodleians
Pocklington
Pontefract
Selby
Wath upon Dearne
Wetherby
Going to be a fascinating league to watch. Both promoted teams are well placed to challenge at the higher end of the table and, with only 21 points separating 3rd and 10th, it really is anyone's league for the taking. A couple of good bits of recruitment could make all the difference.
Expecting a lot of new faces and signings. Some teams already announcing on their social pages.
Going to be a tough league.
Too early for next seasons predictions?
I'm sure it's going to be a cracker of a season. Arguably a stronger league compare to this season with no clear favourite and no team noticeably weaker than the rest.
Seems Morley are active and shouting the loudest. Must be favourites if social media is anything to go by.
Always worth checking out RNE1 teams and local Nat 2 teams on their social media to see who they have picked up. Heath have been very active and Huddersfield are not far behind.Looking at Morley's social media, I can see they have signed two youngsters and announced several of last years players resigning for the season. So I don't see where the "favourites" tag comes from. Also appears they have been raided by Heath and Huddersfield and have lost a couple. Salem have announced a new signing and several players resigning. No news on the rugby league stars yet. Cleckheaton are announcing plenty of players resigning and must be one of the favourites for promotion. Although I think they have been raided by Heath as well. Not seen much from the other clubs in the league. Looks like crocs will be trying to bounce straight back up with a new head coach from Huddersfield and a rumour that Billy Hammond is also returning. They have also lost a player to Heath! Early days yet and no doubt there will be many conversations / negotiations ongoing ! I think the league will be much tougher this coming season.
Quote from: wing three quarter on May 22, 2026, 08:42 PMAlways worth checking out RNE1 teams and local Nat 2 teams on their social media to see who they have picked up. Heath have been very active and Huddersfield are not far behind.Looking at Morley's social media, I can see they have signed two youngsters and announced several of last years players resigning for the season. So I don't see where the "favourites" tag comes from. Also appears they have been raided by Heath and Huddersfield and have lost a couple. Salem have announced a new signing and several players resigning. No news on the rugby league stars yet. Cleckheaton are announcing plenty of players resigning and must be one of the favourites for promotion. Although I think they have been raided by Heath as well. Not seen much from the other clubs in the league. Looks like crocs will be trying to bounce straight back up with a new head coach from Huddersfield and a rumour that Billy Hammond is also returning. They have also lost a player to Heath! Early days yet and no doubt there will be many conversations / negotiations ongoing ! I think the league will be much tougher this coming season.
Cleckheaton have lost Hainsworth and Egan to Huddersfield and Heath though. They'll be missed.
Looks like there is plenty of recruitment going on across the league. Couple of notable departures from Ponte including their head coach, lots of resignings elsewhere and a couple of notable additions to squads. Always very difficult for teams to recruit in this league given most are trying to do so from a very similar and small pool.
It is certainly shaping up to be one of the most competitive leagues we have seen for some time and I'm sure the two promoted teams will also be fancying their chances along with Cleck and those that were there or thereabouts last season. Bring on the opening fixtures in September.
It was interesting the ease in which York beat Ponte. I wasn't there but I've spoken to 3 or 4 unconnected folk who were. They all said that York were in control throughout and never looked like losing at any point.
Considering how much York struggled through the season it was an enlightening result. Added to that, Middlesbrough staying up (and then via relegation play offs) are apparently the first promoted team to do so for a few years suggests that it's a bigger step than I anticipated.
So whoever does win R2NE next year probably needs to do it at a canter to have any chance in the league above....
I watched the york Pock game and think you must have been speaking to some very one eyed Yorkie supporters BRB. If Pock had not had to play the game for 10 minutes with 12 v 15 i think they may well have won the game.
(Pock had 2 front rows yellow carded within a coupLe of minutes of each other so went to uncontested scrums. Pock had to therefore take off an extra player during the uncontested scrums time so they were down to 12 men for about 8 minutes)
Was a cracking game and agree York, by a fag paper, just about deserved the win but was nip and tuck and could have gone either way.
100% agree with your last sentence BRB, reckon you really should be wining NE2 at a canter to have a chance in NE1 (or adding half a dozen experienced lvl 4/5 players to the squad in the off season to survive).
NE2 to NE1 is a big step up and best of luck to your boys in managing it.
I agree OSP & BRB. The jump seems to be massive. I do however think that having watched Ribb and Scarborough this year, both have enough to stay in the league. The question is can they sustain it without a substantial investment?
It seems that a few teams in NE2 are really gearing up for a promotion charge. Notably Bradford S and Morley have been the most active on social media. Are the players from other teams in NE2 or outside the league?
A long way to go until the season starts I expect a few more to be announced for most teams.
Quote from: old style prop on May 27, 2026, 09:39 PMI watched the york Pock game and think you must have been speaking to some very one eyed Yorkie supporters BRB. If Pock had not had to play the game for 10 minutes with 12 v 15 i think they may well have won the game.
(Pock had 2 front rows yellow carded within a coupLe of minutes of each other so went to uncontested scrums. Pock had to therefore take off an extra player during the uncontested scrums time so they were down to 12 men for about 8 minutes)
Was a cracking game and agree York, by a fag paper, just about deserved the win but was nip and tuck and could have gone either way.
It was a great game. York obviously missing a few regulars which didn't help. And 13 points missed off the tee for York made it a lot closer than they would have liked.
Credit to Pocklington though, that will be the best performance they have had in a long time.
I saw York come close to beating Heath twice. They are certainly no pushover team. Just terribly inconsistent. They seem to play much better against better opposition!
As I have said before, looking forward to playing Scarbs and Ribb again - it's been a long time. Most promoted teams seem to have struggled to cope with extra pace in NE1, so there is clearly a gap.
However, the gap from NE1 or N3N is even greater, as every team in N3N is semi-professional. So if Scunthorpe and Hull can hold on to their sponsors and players, they're going to be very hard to beat. Apart from those two, Alnwick would be my favourites.
Quote from: Yari on Jun 02, 2026, 11:07 AMCredit to Pocklington though, that will be the best performance they have had in a long time.
That wasn't even our best performance of the season, not taking anything away from York though, they deserved the win.
I see Morley have the brown envelopes out again and have followed suit with Bradford Salem in signing a rugby league professional in Joe Arundel.
Flank, you seem to be a bitter man. Is there a reason for your ill temper?
Aside from the provable fact that Morley don't use 'brown envelopes' as all their payments are above board are Morley and Bradford doing anything different from nearly all the other clubs in this league?
Quote from: Jim on Jun 17, 2026, 03:35 PMFlank, you seem to be a bitter man. Is there a reason for your ill temper?
Aside from the provable fact that Morley don't use 'brown envelopes' as all their payments are above board are Morley and Bradford doing anything different from nearly all the other clubs in this league?
Yes, they're paying players
As are most of, if not all clubs in this league.
Morley have 'approached' players at this level and Level 5 who play at clubs that 'don't pay' only to be told that the offer they had been made does not match what they're receiving already.
I think that the issue is not who does and who does not pay, it is about the integrity of clubs who say they 'don't pay' but; for example, pay wildly excessive 'travel expenses'.
I know again anecdotally that Morley's own players are approached by team's that 'don't pay' with 'offers they can't refuse'.
I don't think there's anything wrong with paying players at any level. Whether that's straight match fees, brown envelopes, travel expenses, jobs, accommodation, flights, player/coaches, whatever. If the club can afford it and want to use that to attract players or progress up the leagues then more power to them.
It ticks me off though when teams deny it vociferously despite everybody knowing they do. Or when they are paying players yet turn round and set up fundraisers for pitch repairs or clubhouse running costs.
Quote from: gateprop on Jun 18, 2026, 08:44 PMI don't think there's anything wrong with paying players at any level. Whether that's straight match fees, brown envelopes, travel expenses, jobs, accommodation, flights, player/coaches, whatever. If the club can afford it and want to use that to attract players or progress up the leagues then more power to them.
It ticks me off though when teams deny it vociferously despite everybody knowing they do. Or when they are paying players yet turn round and set up fundraisers for pitch repairs or clubhouse running costs.
Especially when they go on to "walk the league" or complete a "threepeat" of promotions 😂
Neither do I gateprop.
What really grinds my gears is that all clubs at Level 6 and below have their 3 most senior 'officials' sign a declaration for the RFU as to whether they pay.
It's not only the hypocrisy it is also the unfairness of those clubs that 'pay' and declare hand on heart that they don't,
then deceitfully try to access RFU grants... allegedly.
Come on Mr Roller,
are you seriously insinuating that the brown envelope brigade has spread so wide as to arrive in Settle. We have no sugar daddy, except me, but I am very short of Sugar so no can do. Do I detect a little bit of jealousy from our Eastern friends at Pock. We are VERY lucky to have a once in a lifetime (maybe two) gaggle of players all local lads who simply want to continue playing together and enjoy playing for their "Home" club. It is remarkable and something of which we are, justifiably very proud, Next season is the highest level we have ever been at and will undoubtedly test us like never before, but we will meet the challenge head on and see what happens.
Bring it on.
Quote from: Jim on Jun 17, 2026, 03:35 PMFlank, you seem to be a bitter man. Is there a reason for your ill temper?
Aside from the provable fact that Morley don't use 'brown envelopes' as all their payments are above board are Morley and Bradford doing anything different from nearly all the other clubs in this league?
I just refuse to believe that a professional rugby league player has moved to Morley out of the blue for £75 a game and a pork pie!
Flank may I suggest you re-read the thread and then alter your last message which is so out of context it borders on ridiculous.
At least you leaving me alone!!!!!
Quote from: Ribbflagman on Jun 21, 2026, 07:05 AMCome on Mr Roller,
are you seriously insinuating that the brown envelope brigade has spread so wide as to arrive in Settle. We have no sugar daddy, except me, but I am very short of Sugar so no can do. Do I detect a little bit of jealousy from our Eastern friends at Pock. We are VERY lucky to have a once in a lifetime (maybe two) gaggle of players all local lads who simply want to continue playing together and enjoy playing for their "Home" club. It is remarkable and something of which we are, justifiably very proud, Next season is the highest level we have ever been at and will undoubtedly test us like never before, but we will meet the challenge head on and see what happens.
Bring it on.
Keep banging that drum Flaggy....
Jim
Rather than shut down the point why don't you answer it properly.
Why would a rugby league professional play for £75 a game at Morley. It must be into the hundreds to lure such talent.
Flaggy, Give it a rest will you, my glass eye has gone to sleep!!
Quote from: FlankSinatra on Jun 23, 2026, 08:53 AMJim
Rather than shut down the point why don't you answer it properly.
Why would a rugby league professional play for £75 a game at Morley. It must be into the hundreds to lure such talent.
Are you forgetting he played for Ponte last season and has been retired from rugby league for a number of years? It's not unusual to see ex RL pros at this level or the one above. As Jim says, Morley are transparent with paying players but it's not in the same realm as other clubs who do it away from the books and then swear blind that they don't pay a penny.
Quote from: FlankSinatra on Jun 23, 2026, 08:53 AMJim
Rather than shut down the point why don't you answer it properly.
Why would a rugby league professional play for £75 a game at Morley. It must be into the hundreds to lure such talent.
Flank as old timer says and as the thread has made clear, Morley are paying players.
I don't know how much, becsuse I don't coach, manage or control them, I support them and the decisions they make.
If you are desperate to know if will be written in the publicly available accounts, there is no 'smoking gun'.
The issue for me and indeed for others is one of integrity and dare I say duplicity.
A lot of teams have been awfully quiet about any new additions. At the moment, it seems to be just Morley and Salem. Is nobody else signing anyone, or are those two just a bit more active on social media?
Stevo
always thought as you and Dinno as like minded as ourselves. What I say is the truth. So no glass eye needed to be put to sleep.
Are Cleckheaton planning on bouncing right back? I wonder if they have invested.
It's a strong league this season, who are favourites from top and bottom ?
I'm going for pock to be top and Wetherby to be bottom
Morley signing mossy from Otley
Quote from: BishBashBosh on Jul 01, 2026, 04:58 PMMorley signing mossy from Otley
Great signing imo - should add some much needed experience you a youthful group generally. Two seasons ago there was only one or two players who had significant experience playing at this level or above. Morley recruitment is indicative of bringing in further experience to the squad and developing some of the younger players.
I think it's too early to call. Only a couple of clubs being open about recruitment. We have no idea what has been agreed away from social media.
Quote from: Grasser17 on Jul 01, 2026, 04:39 PMIt's a strong league this season, who are favourites from top and bottom ?
I'm going for pock to be top and Wetherby to be bottom