Wigan Warriors Chief Executive Kris Radlinski has told a press conference today the club is considering ditching plans to have a reserve side for the 2019 season .
The Super League Champions were one of only 3 Super League clubs , along with Hull and Wakefield , who had committed to having a second string side next season and the Warriors chief feels the club won’t get what they need out of it for their players .
The proposal was for the clubs willing to enter a reserve side to play friendlies against each other , the 3 Super League sides would be joined by a handful of sides from the Championship and League One . Radlinski feels that a reserve competition should be the next step down for the clubs 2nd string players and playing a reserve side from the championship is ‘not the 2nd step down ‘ .
He told a media conference today ‘It is 100 per cent the right pathway, but the competition is not what we wanted and not what we bought into. ‘ . Radlinski stressed his disappointment that only 3 top flight sides had committed to a reserve competition .
St Helens and Warrington scrapped their plans for a reserve side ,citing similar reasons , and Radlinski hopes they along with others will come on board for a competitive reserve league in 2020 . Both clubs have shown support for the concept .
The former test full back cited the cost of a reserve side of around £50,000 and stated most youth coaches believe a reserve league is the right way forward . He is hoping Super League make a reserve side mandatory for all clubs in our top flight and the clubs are said to favour a 3 tier system of Super League , Reserves and Under 18’s . St Helens supremo Mike Rush reiterated Radlinski’s call for the reserves to be mandatory .
Again players over the age of 19 will have to gain experience either on loan or through the dual reg system .
