“Every head coach should be made to watch reserve games” says top agent

Every Super League head coach “should be made to watch the reserves” next season, according to top rugby league agent Craig Harrison.

The official reserves competition will return next season for the first time since 2012 and will allow clubs to play first-team regulars alongside younger academy players.

Harrison, however, says the system will only work if a, top players are made to play in the competition and b, head coaches are made to watch the games.

Speaking on Proper Sport‘s ‘The Full Eighty Minutes’ show, he claimed that top players will attempt to dodge reserve grade and that coaches and chief executives, therefore, need to be tougher with them.

“I’m challenging every coach and CEO in Super League to write a letter to every player under contract and say ‘you have to play reserves if you’re coming back from injury’,” he said. “Because we will only make this (reserves) competition good if they stick to that rule.

“If the top players in the country don’t play in it when they should, the whole thing won’t last 12 months.

“But those players will try and get out of it. And you will see next year the ones (coaches) who daren’t say no.

“Coaches will say to their top players ‘we’ll look after you, you don’t have to play it (reserves), don’t tell anyone’. But the other players know if someone’s had the nod to say they don’t have to play and if coaches start doing that, we’ve had a nightmare.”

The aim of the new competition is to widen the player pool in both the professional and amateur ranks and to allow clubs more freedom to develop players past the age of 19.

The likes of Hull’s Ratu Naulago serve as a shining example of how reserves can serve as an alternative pathway to the pro ranks, as opposed to the conventional academy route.

And Harrison believes coaches should consider examples like Naulago, and pay close attention to reserve grade when it does return.

“Every coach should be made to watch the reserve game,” he added. “You get young lads, and they do it now, who are looking where the first team coach and his staff are.

“It would make such a difference if it’s made compulsory that they have to watch the games.”

Harrison, who manages players including Wigan starlet Morgan Smithies, Leeds fullback Jack Walker and Castleford stand-off Jake Trueman believes there’s just as much benefit for fans as there are for clubs and players.

The @FullEightyRL team of @SMTMUK @JT6Trueman @JackWakka1 are ready for the Man Of Steel Awards tonight. pic.twitter.com/q9eprdsP3h

— The Full Eighty Minutes (@FullEightyRL) October 8, 2018

He claims that, with the right marketing and publicity, the reserves competition could even boost attendance figures.

“Every game should be a curtain raiser, it should be added to season tickets so people get two games. Even have the academy on so we’ve got three, and then you’ll get thousands of people there.

“I want to get there at 6 o’clock or 5:30 and watch the best reserve game you can and watch the best youngsters play with some older pros.

“I’d get it on the Our League app, I’d televise it, I’d get promotions for it and it could be unbelievable.”

Should reserve grade be compulsory in #RugbyLeague?@TheGameCaller @SMTMUK and guest @MclellandCallum discuss.@FullEightyRL back liv Thursday 6pm with @hullkrofficial John Bastian and Jason Netherton. pic.twitter.com/5xtG6pFpEa

— Proper Sport (@ProperSport) September 25, 2019