A leading Cumberland amateur rugby league official has called for the sport's top brass to get more involved with the clubs inside the county.

Ken Millican, joining the debate over the crisis facing the game in Cumbria, says the Rugby Football League needs better communication with local clubs to find out what’s needed to make the game grow again.

He says: “The RFL need to engage with the local amateur rugby league officials and clubs and see what help is needed, as opposed to the current system, which sees the RFL implement their schemes locally without consultation.

“A pathway system needs to be agreed that works for all parties to ensure that our best local players get the opportunity to play at the highest level, be that professional or at international level within the community game.

"But not to the detriment of the local amateur game.”

The county’s flagship competition, the Cumbria Men’s League, is going to finish with a number of matches unplayed and only one team actually completing the full quota of 20 games.

Millican says: “As an official of Cumbria Ruby League, I, like many others, am very worried about the state of the game within the county.

“There has been plenty of coverage about the plight of Town and Whitehaven but very little about the problems facing the game at grass roots level.

"And let’s be honest, no grass roots equals no local professional clubs.”

He agrees with former Town and current Hull KR star Shaun Lunt who called Cumbria the ‘forgotten county’.

Millican says: “I have made the same remark on countless occasions to the RFL and BARLA.

"Money is being invested locally but is it being invested in the correct way and in the right areas?

“It is going to take a considerable effort on all sides to firstly steady the ship and formulate a plan to move the game forward.

“It is beneficial to all parties to work together for the good of the greater game and, by that, I mean not just for the benefit of the local professional clubs.”

He concludes: “The Rapley Report highlighted many weaknesses with the local game, but two to three years on from the report, how many of those recommendations have been put into practice?

“As a sport, we are facing a huge challenge.

"All parties need to put aside club rivalry and work together to tackle these problems for the greater good.”