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Leigh Leopards and Salford Red Devils have both been awarded three-year elite academy licenses; by submitting strong bids, they have both checked off another IMG box.
Clubs have a better chance of developing their young players into first-team players when they are granted an elite license.
This year, Leigh just has one academy product on their side: hometown boy Frankie Halton, considering how long it has been since they were able to produce players.
After playing for a while in amateur rugby and then making his way back up to Super League with Hull KR after leaving the then-Centurions when their reserve squad was dissolved, he rejoined the team last season.
Marc Sneyd and Chris Hankinson, who came through the club’s system many moons ago, have also returned to Salford in recent years and are now members of their squad.
Elite academy licenses are issued to Salford Red Devils and Leigh Leopards of the Super League.
After a previous proposal was denied, Leigh owner Derek Beaumont promised the team they would get an academy licence. Now that they have, he said, “I am absolutely thrilled to receive this news, something I have always wanted to achieve at the club.”
“I’ve always wanted to leave Wembley, but I always believed that was more feasible than creating a prosperous academy—something that today’s decision allows us to do.
It permits us to accept the outstanding talent in our community and provide a complete link between the professional club and the youth and professional tiers.
“Although one of our seven primary goals for our five-year plan has not yet been officially confirmed, we have now accomplished five of them.
But this news doesn’t mean the end; rather, it signals the start of a huge challenge for our town, its residents, and its companies.
“Beyond anything, it gives our townspeople the chance to play for their hometown team. It also creates opportunities for locals to work as coaches, backroom staff, talent ID, and medical personnel.”
“This is a sign of the quality of our system, which the Elite Academy will enhance even further,” Salford chief executive Ian Blease continued.
“The club can retain the best talent in the city of Salford thanks to our Elite Academy Licence,”
in addition to helping them with their schooling and starting the process of realizing their goal of being a Salford Red Devils Super League player.
“We are eager to accept them and their families into the Salford household.”
