Leeds Rhinos • Re: Round 20 Salford away 3/8/24

Glad you have something decent to watch in Kippesh, enjoy your rugby. Sad to say the amateur game in Leeds has been absolutely decimated. The RFL’s drive to run the amateur game alongside Superleague in summer has been an absolute disaster. Their discriminatory attitude to clubs that wanted to stay winter based effectively killed them off, and despite throwing incentives at clubs to move to the summer Conference League the initial novelty has worn off and the lack of players and lack of quality has seen once great clubs languishing in the doldrums. There are only 4 divisions in their flagship league, and three of the biggest amateur clubs from Leeds historically are languishing in the lowest division, East Leeds, Milford and Drighlington. Another one is near the foot of tier 2 (Stanningley), and the only representation at the top level from Leeds is Hunslet Club Parkside. The game is on its backside in Leeds at the top amateur level and it’s been heading that way for years. Ask any of the older generation about the strength of Leeds amateur teams in the past and they will tell you that all the clubs named above are a shadow of their former selfs. They’ll speak of BARLA internationals from teams like Queens, Bisons, Yew Tree and Brassmoulders, now defunct. Like I said at the start, enjoy your amateur rugby mate. I used to, but the halcyon days are long gone in Leeds and I fear never to return.