Championship Talk: Retirement blues?

fevnut's blog is absolutely delighted to have received permission to bring you a regular column from Gareth Walker.

Gareth is a top rugby league journalist who has one very exceptional distinction. He chooses to write about matters pertaining to the Championship and League One.

Although this blog is devoted to Featherstone Rovers it is always good to read opinions about matters relevant to us, but not specifically about us. We hope you enjoy reading Gareth's column each week.

Retirement blues?

IT’S become a definite, and perhaps worrying trend this season - players coming out of retirement to help clubs make the numbers up.

         

In the space of seven recent days, Liam Harrison at Barrow, Danny Maun at Batley and Matthew Johnson at Workington all donned the boots again after varying lengths out of the game to help their clubs fulfil fixtures.

         

While it is a hugely admirable act by the players involved, it has led some to question whether these measures are an indication of a perceived player shortage in the sport.

         

There have been so many players taking this path in 2018 that you can name a starting 13 of them, with all but Kirk Yeaman at Hull FC coming in the Championship or League One.

         

There could be others yet this year as well - James Feather has sought clearance from the RFL to do the same for his hometown club Keighley.

         

Certainly among Championship coaches there is a feeling that there is generally a shortage of players on the market, with many of them competing for the same ones that do become available.

         

From speaking to those coaches each week to compile the League Express Championship news pages, many of them believe that the lack of a reserve grade is the main issue here - not only keeping playing numbers low at their own clubs, but removing a considerable pool of talent that used to be present in Super League.

         

Those impressing at that level were always possible targets for a second tier club looking to boost their ranks, and there simply aren’t as many of those around in the current climate.

         

Paul Wood - the vastly experienced former Warrington prop who himself offered to come out of retirement and play for free at Whitehaven this year - believes that is one factor.

         

He also says there is another he has learned of during his work presenting the National Conference League for FreeSports this season.

         

Wood said: “There’s a player shortage for me.

         

“But also in the equation is money - some players are earning more money working then they can playing Super League.

         

“So they decide to play amateur - speaking to the NCL lads this is the case with some of the top players of the NCL teams.”

         

Whatever the issue is, it should be a subject of investigation for the RFL because there is only so long that clubs can look to retired players’ bravery to make up the numbers.

Players out of retirement in 2018: 1 Gavin Duffy (Hunslet), 2 Chris Fleming (Barrow), 3 Kirk Yeaman (Hull FC), 4 Danny Maun (Batley), 5 Matthew Johnson (Workington), 6 Anthony Bowman (Keighley), 7 Jermaine Coleman (Skolars) , 8 Jack Howieson (Hemel), 9 Micky Higham (Leigh), 10 Tommy Gallagher (Swinton), 11 Liam Harrison (Barrow), 12 Reni Maitua (Toronto), 13 Ricky Hough (Hemel Stags)