Yorkshire Rugby

It is a problem for all clubs with an efficient and well organised M&J section. Spend on infrastructure and better facilities, recruit well and watch some club come along and waft notes in players faces. There should be some form of financial redress from these predator clubs. Perhaps then they themselves will start to invest in their own clubs.

Dalesman
         there used to be a fee (£600)that had to be paid if a senior (supposedly) club poached/induced a player who had come through their junior section. We got it once from near rivals, but after that all sorts of excuses as to why it was not justified for future poaching/payment. I totally agree with your comments and wish you well. I played for Littleborough in the late 80s when the Russell brothers were rising to prominence about the time Gareth went on to be a Fylde stalwart. Best of luck next season, but please dont start paying!!!!!!!

BRB
     not a problem so far as said individuals are more than happy at Ribb. Why wouldnt local lads want to play with their mates at their local club and havent lost a league game since Oct 2023. Lets see, I know you keep hold of your players without financial inducements, and long may it be as such.
Local lads wanting to play for their local team without financial inducements that have been offered by clubs. Morley being one.

Good on you...it must be a constant worry having a senior club on your doorstep who, no doubt, pay match fees.

Thankfully not a problem we have - if we did it would be a challenge.

So was it all decided last night?

Is it not tonight the meeting?

Quote from: Flaggy on Apr 07, 2025, 09:05 PMBRB
    not a problem so far as said individuals are more than happy at Ribb. Why wouldnt local lads want to play with their mates at their local club and havent lost a league game since Oct 2023. Lets see, I know you keep hold of your players without financial inducements, and long may it be as such.
Local lads wanting to play for their local team without financial inducements that have been offered by clubs. Morley being one.

I am interested in your suggestion that Morley waive large wads of cash at Juniors from other clubs to persuade them to join us.

I am a member at Morley, although I know little of the 'financial' side of the club.

I do know that if I remember correctly 10/11 of the match day squad last Saturday came through our own Junior section. As indeed did two of the coaches.

If you would care to elaborate or indeed retract I would be grateful.

I do know that all payments made at Morley to players/coaches/staff are all within the clubs submitted accounts.
It is this honesty that is in stark contrast to some of our peers which doesn't allow us to access a whole range of grants from the likes of the RFU.

I know many of us are involved in clubs trying to play within the rules and to do things 'properly', however as you can see a 'label' no matter how inaccurate or unfairly attributed can be a 'stain' that is difficult to remove.

Then, why do you pay players? legally or under the table.

We have no problem at North Ribb as no money passes above or below the table, like Rochdale we just want to do the best for our community club. Be that at level six (next season) or level 8 where we were two seasons ago. We simply do not have the resources to fill players pockets with money.
Jim
      Morley have always paid players since the 70s and the times of Binks and Vollans you must be very naive if you dont know that. I can assure you that one of our Uni student players was offered a package to transfer to you. However he is loyal to us and is not going to you or hopefully anywhere else.

Jim
     for the sake of good order, I never said that Morley had offered "Large wads of cash" to anyone. Just your assumption. Must be a bit tetchy.

Quote from: backrowbandit on Apr 05, 2025, 08:48 PMI think I'm right in saying..

1) Rochdale up
2) Goole down
3) Donny P down
4) North Rib promoted into R2NE
5) Pocklington promoted into R2NE
6) Selby relegated into R2NE

Anyone disagree?

3 out
3 in

Just seen the RFU Google drive excel spreadsheet that shows Doncaster P will be given the reprieve for >36 points and 7 wins, one of the two best records for an 11th placed side at Level 6.

Does this put cats amongst pigeons for region transfers, or will North Rib going NW 2 stop the need?

Financially, the landscape was completely different in the 1970s and 80s, so I'm not sure there's much value in looking that far back. I wasn't at the club during the era you mentioned, and unless you were, I doubt you have direct knowledge of what payments were or weren't made. We've all heard the stories — brown envelopes, jobs, housing offers — but that was a different time.

The game has moved on. It's turned professional, and whether we like it or not, that shift has trickled down through the leagues. The simple reality is that if a club wants to climb the ladder, at some point, paying players becomes part of the equation. I don't see an issue with that — as long as everything is done transparently and within the rules.

When it comes to student players, I've seen firsthand how it can help. My nephew was fortunate to be paid to play while at university, and with a part-time labouring job on the side, it gave him a more stable and enjoyable university experience.

This time of year always sees increased movement — phone calls, back-channel conversations, and "mates of mates" reaching out to see what players are planning. Dreams get sold. But ultimately, it's up to each player to decide what's right for them.

Clubs like Morley — and many others based in rugby league heartlands — face an ongoing challenge in retaining talent at junior level. Rugby league does a great job of identifying and recruiting young players, so we often don't keep them for a full season. In contrast, clubs outside of those areas generally have better retention.

As clubs move into the national leagues, the reality is that players are offered retainers as well as match fees. That's the current state of the game. If a club has the financial means, they can choose whatever recruitment model fits their goals. If a club opts not to pay players, I fully respect that, and I hope they can continue to bring through homegrown talent.

At the end of the day, each club must do what's right for them — and good luck to all of them, whatever route they choose.

All very fair points.

Quote from: crash ball on Apr 09, 2025, 09:15 AMFinancially, the landscape was completely different in the 1970s and 80s, so I'm not sure there's much value in looking that far back. I wasn't at the club during the era you mentioned, and unless you were, I doubt you have direct knowledge of what payments were or weren't made. We've all heard the stories — brown envelopes, jobs, housing offers — but that was a different time.

The game has moved on. It's turned professional, and whether we like it or not, that shift has trickled down through the leagues. The simple reality is that if a club wants to climb the ladder, at some point, paying players becomes part of the equation. I don't see an issue with that — as long as everything is done transparently and within the rules.

When it comes to student players, I've seen firsthand how it can help. My nephew was fortunate to be paid to play while at university, and with a part-time labouring job on the side, it gave him a more stable and enjoyable university experience.

This time of year always sees increased movement — phone calls, back-channel conversations, and "mates of mates" reaching out to see what players are planning. Dreams get sold. But ultimately, it's up to each player to decide what's right for them.

Clubs like Morley — and many others based in rugby league heartlands — face an ongoing challenge in retaining talent at junior level. Rugby league does a great job of identifying and recruiting young players, so we often don't keep them for a full season. In contrast, clubs outside of those areas generally have better retention.

As clubs move into the national leagues, the reality is that players are offered retainers as well as match fees. That's the current state of the game. If a club has the financial means, they can choose whatever recruitment model fits their goals. If a club opts not to pay players, I fully respect that, and I hope they can continue to bring through homegrown talent.

At the end of the day, each club must do what's right for them — and good luck to all of them, whatever route they choose.

Very good post. If clubs choose to pay then good luck to them if it's sustainable and done correctly.
The brown envelopes and broken promises distorts the picture for those clubs doing it correctly or choosing not to pay players at all.

Crash ball's summary seems correct and well explained. The geographical situation that clubs find themselves in dictates their decisions and motivation. The main and pertinent outcome is that the game survives and hopefully in the future that community rugby gets back to previous heights.