Peacock calls for Queensland-style reserve grade

Hull KR Football Manager Jamie Peacock believes rugby league in England needs a complete overhaul to allow players and clubs to develop properly.

The current dual-registration system has long come in for criticism with older Super League players outside their team’s 17-man squad struggling for game time.

“I think you want to improve as a player by playing,” Peacock told the Super League Show.

“If you end up out of the team, there is no way back in apart from training and that’s no good for anyone.

“We have just held a reserve game between Hull and Hull KR and 2,000 people came to watch the game, there is an appetite to see the reserves brought back.”

Ashton Sims joined Peacock on the programme and he explained the scenario of Brisbane Broncos forward Matt Gillett who is now an Australian international.

However, at 22, Gillett was still playing for Brisbane’s reserve side the Norths Devils but his late development didn’t stop him making first grade, as they could call him up when he was ready.

The Broncos are coached by current England Head Coach Wayne Bennett and Peacock told Tanya Arnold that talks are ongoing to introduce something similar in Super League.

“Kevin Sinfield is in charge and he has been speaking to Wayne Bennett,” Peacock explained.

“The system they operate in Queensland is very effective. It means when you sign for a club at 16, you go straight back to your amateur club which improves the coaches at that level.

“You then only come back to your professional club when you are 18 or 19 to play in the under 19s. Then you have an under 23s where you can play four or five overage players.

“That way you keep the amateur game strong, you have a strong under 19s and make sure the players who develop later get a chance in the under 23s.

“Players that are outside the top 17 then get to play every week for the club that they signed for, not the club that they are loaned out to.”