I remember the Summer Conference (or whatever it was correctly known as) being set up amid great fanfare and optimism, comprised of non-heartlands clubs. IIRC, it was under the control of the RFL rather than BARLA, and initially thrived. The plan was to build grassroots interest in the sport in non-heartland areas. It seemed a sensible and very promising concept.
I have some vague recollection of BARLA tantruming about it.
At some point (I didn't follow this particularly closely), those conference teams came under BARLA control and some were merged into an expanded league system that included heartland amateur teams. Clubs struggled against established amateur 'giants'. The clubs that had done the best in the closed-shop Conference fell away.
The separation of the professional and amateur aspects of the game has massively held the sport back for decades, as the relationship has been ludicrously fractious due to competing aims - and self-interests.
Perhaps unfairly (I don't know) I've always viewed BARLA as the dinosaurs. Full of officials protective of their positions and sense of power.
Whatever, it's led to a failure to have a unified and cohesive long-term plan for the expansion of the sport using fledgling amateur clubs.