Yorkshire Rugby

Quote from: Dalesman on Apr 08, 2025, 11:24 PMThen, why do you pay players? legally or under the table.

Dalesman, may I start by congratulating you on Rochdale's promotion, it has been richly deserved. The little bit of junior rugby I played was at Rochdale and it pleases me to see my peer group; the Deasey's, Duffin's, Coogan's et al, adorn your clubhouse walls.

With regards to the payment of players by whatever means I cannot explain any better than crash ball the current situation, I will leave it mostly at that.

Nevertheless I feel it only fair to ask you to consider another point of view;

When rugby went 'Professional' in the mid 1990's Morley was considered a Big Club, a Top Tier Club and we paid the price for this hubris.
We were playing clubs such as Wakefield, West Hartlepool, Richmond, Orrell there is more and there is definitely a pattern to the clubs I could choose.

It has taken Morley and other clubs a lot of time to adjust to the new reality of Rugby Union in the modern age.

It is not just ourselves that have had to navigate the transition from 'professional' to 'community' club, Halifax and Bradford and Bingley to name just two locally have also found it painful and fraught.

There are many similarities in most rugby clubs but they are all unique.
Morley and more importantly the volunteers behind the scenes at Morley have worked tirelessly for over 25 years to drag it from the brink of bankruptcy and to re-focus and restructure the club and it has been amazing to see the fruits of their labours, but we are not there yet.

We still pay players, it is true although how much I do not know. What I do know is that it is nowhere near the amounts many suggest and the numbers of players who are paid within the squad is vanishingly small.

So why do we do it?

Mostly as crash ball explained Morley wishes to play at this level and needs to supplement the homegrown talent we have. But gone are the days as others are suggesting on this forum that we as a club have the ability to buy success in whatever form.

We like most suffer from 'poaching' by other clubs at this level and above, we lose them to professional rugby union and league, we lose them to play internationally abroad and we all suffer this.

This is the new reality and is difficult to appreciate the journey to it if your own club hasn't walked a similar path.
Investing in your Junior Sections is the only way forward, investing in your facilities, making your club a place that is able to attract people to play rugby it is not rocket science and this is the journey we are on.

This is an interesting debate and the reality is.. who cares if teams decide to pay their players? It's their money let them do what they want with it.

Clubs like Rochdale & Wetherby field 18 homegrown players nearly every week. This is what clubs should aspire to be like.

Quote from: Flaggy on Apr 07, 2025, 12:55 PMYou guys shouldnt listen to too much idle gossip. If you want to know anything just ask me!!!!!!!!

Surely idle gossip and banter is what this forum is partly about Flaggy? I don't believe everything I hear, if that were the case then I'd be convinced your classy 10 was on a BIG brown envelope per match, along with a few others   Funny what the rumour mill conjures up.

Again, congratulations on a stellar season and I really do hope we're in the same league again next season as the trip over to Grove Park in Jan was a great day out.

Their 10 doesn't get a brown envelope......he's paid by direct debit 😁😁

BRB Behave yourself.
                Our 10 is my nephew and does get paid to coach, if he doesnt play he gets the same to coach. Doubt your employment of a certain Mr Foden meets with the RFU rules on paying players. But as a true gentleman if you tell me it is so I will believe you. Scarborough College must be a financially sound institution, to say the least. Hope to see you later in the year. Bon Chance mom ami.

And yes FYI he is paid by DD so its all transparent to the RFU spies.

Quote from: Flaggy on Apr 10, 2025, 06:39 PMBRB Behave yourself.
                Our 10 is my nephew and does get paid to coach, if he doesnt play he gets the same to coach. Doubt your employment of a certain Mr Foden meets with the RFU rules on paying players. But as a true gentleman if you tell me it is so I will believe you. Scarborough College must be a financially sound institution, to say the least. Hope to see you later in the year. Bon Chance mom ami.

15 player coaches is an interesting set up Flaggy.

Quote from: Flaggy on Apr 10, 2025, 06:39 PMBRB Behave yourself.
                Our 10 is my nephew and does get paid to coach, if he doesnt play he gets the same to coach. Doubt your employment of a certain Mr Foden meets with the RFU rules on paying players. But as a true gentleman if you tell me it is so I will believe you. Scarborough College must be a financially sound institution, to say the least. Hope to see you later in the year. Bon Chance mom ami.

Pretty sure he's clarified Foden isn't playing.

OK,  Clubs can act and pay players if they want to, I get that.  What I am saying is that there should be a compensatory payment to clubs who have brought players through their M&J or academy system if they have one. It does not seem right that Predator clubs should go around cherry picking players just because they have the desire to play at a higher level or no early player scheme of their own, and have the cash.
There would be a dearth of young players if all clubs adopted this method of business.
Just be fair and contribute to the system. It would ensure that those clubs with the "Corinithian Spirit" would not would be unduly punished. 

BBWolf
        I dont know where you are from but I know you are a fairly recent recruit, a warm welcome, no more than one player coach that I know of. We have our players dinner tomorrow night it should be an interesting affair, after such a spectacular season.

Jim
     firstly can a give my congratulations to Morley on a fairly successful season. You have always been a "Stalwart" club for the county and irrespective of peoples views on here it was always a welcoming place (not on the field but thats ok) when I played there many moons ago. Despite your fall down the league system you remain steadfastly a good club and may I wish you success in the near future, but hopefully not at our expense, I look forward to making your acquaintance next season.
Good Luck. Flaggy.

Quote from: Flaggy on Apr 10, 2025, 06:43 PMAnd yes FYI he is paid by DD so its all transparent to the RFU spies.

I'm genuinely looking forward to us playing North Rib , it sounds like you have an exciting backline and will probably relish playing at Silver Royd.

Quote from: Flaggy on Apr 10, 2025, 06:39 PMBRB Behave yourself.
                Our 10 is my nephew and does get paid to coach, if he doesnt play he gets the same to coach. Doubt your employment of a certain Mr Foden meets with the RFU rules on paying players. But as a true gentleman if you tell me it is so I will believe you. Scarborough College must be a financially sound institution, to say the least. Hope to see you later in the year. Bon Chance mom ami.

He's just a coach.

Scarborough College are doing fabulously well. Numbers have increased every year for last 5 years and is currently full. Highest level school nationally for cricket, Tier one for hockey and rugby motoring on. Feel free to make referrals!

Quote from: Dalesman on Apr 11, 2025, 05:47 PMOK,  Clubs can act and pay players if they want to, I get that.  What I am saying is that there should be a compensatory payment to clubs who have brought players through their M&J or academy system if they have one. It does not seem right that Predator clubs should go around cherry picking players just because they have the desire to play at a higher level or no early player scheme of their own, and have the cash.
There would be a dearth of young players if all clubs adopted this method of business.
Just be fair and contribute to the system. It would ensure that those clubs with the "Corinithian Spirit" would not would be unduly punished.

The reality is simple: any talented player who stands out will naturally attract interest from other clubs. If financial incentives are offered, it's ultimately up to the player to decide—no one else.

Yes, clubs invest in developing players through their junior systems, and that investment isn't solely about producing first-team players. It's also about strengthening the club as a whole, including second and third teams where they exist. Some players are ambitious and want to progress up the leagues, while others may not.

In truth, more players are lost to the sport altogether than to so-called "predator clubs." That's why I struggle to see how financial compensation for losing a player would be workable.

Over the years, I've seen many players leave clubs I've been involved with and go on to play at higher levels. Whether money was involved or not, they found a level that matched their ability. That's something to be proud of—and worth celebrating.

Mr Crash Ball speaks lots of good sense.

Losing players to the sport is the biggest problem. Although this seems to have stabilised.

It's a fact of life that some rugby clubs are well run and some aren't....the latter contributes to players drifting off.