Bamford claims England's nightmare World Cup campaign proves major flaws still exist within the domestic game.
He points the finger of blame directly at the game's governing body, the RFL, and says a major rethink is needed on the back of the national team's latest failings.
Speaking ahead of England's World Cup semi-final clash with New Zealand in Brisbane, Bamford told MEN Sport: "I really did have high hopes of seeing England do well at this World Cup but it's been another false dawn and that greatly angers me.
"When Super League was introduced 12 or 13 years ago, we were led to believe it would guarantee an increase in playing standards.
"We were told it would bring us up to a level that would enable us to compete and match the Aussies.
"Who were we trying to kid? What we have seen so far at the World Cup proves to me that Super League has failed miserably. It's obvious we are no nearer to beating the Aussies. We've made a big mistake by hyping our game up to high heaven and we are not as good as the TV companies try to maintain we are.
Hype
"We have the same thing rammed down our throats every week, the same kind of hype is heard within football's Premiership. We are led to believe we don't know how lucky we are to have something so wonderful as Super League and then become unstuck at the World Cup.
"We could still win the thing but we would only be papering over the cracks if we did. I've been extremely disappointed with what I've seen from the England team and it has hit home we just aren't good enough.
"What also annoys me is the belief created from TV that our great game didn't count for much before the advent of Super League. This is totally wrong and we need to start listening to the great players and personalities and show them more respect and value their views. The Aussies still listen and learn, even though the game has changed. These men know what it takes to win at the highest level.
"I find it very frustrating that no one seems to receive any proper guidance from within the RFL and this is why we are lulled into believing that we can beat the best and the fact that we are supposedly better than we are.
"England went to the World Cup on the back of a meaningless 75-0 win over a Welsh team that had Academy players in it. Surely it's the RFL's job to try and sort things out. If it was up to me I would start in a dramatic reduction of overseas players within our game.
"I would also bring in a rule that would see not a single overseas player within the National League.
"I also feel now being called England has weakened us because we can't have any quality Welshmen in the team and there would be no place for a Brian Carney.
"If a Welsh lad now had the choice of playing rugby league or union, he'd choose union because we no longer have the incentives to offer. I feel sorry to an extent for the England players because they've performed to their best level."
Do you agree? Have your say.
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What do you expect, we let clubs like wigan and St helens, Bradford run the league, they are allowed to cheat and get no real punishment, they sign players from all over instead of bringing our own on. The salary cap was a way of making the comp more competitive and Fair but the top clubs cheated so we don't get the through flow of youngsters into the game because only a rew clubs dominate so the kids go elsewhere and are lost. We have to rethink who is running Rugby league and who they are running it for.
Maurice,
I agree with all your saying but turn back the clock and you were guilty of doing everything Mr Smith is. What I want to see is the rugby league elders maybe you included, the men who know about honest endeavor and desire and realise that false bravado and media hype is good for nothing.They need to grab this game by the throat, get rid of the nonsense, bring these lads and its not thier faults back a few pegs.The perception of the majority of them as superstars when in reality they would be at best be reserve graders in the NRL has to be changed. Get back to honesty,lets wake up quickly before Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Figi and Samoa are flogging us. Rest assured we're heading that way and pretty soon.
Of course, the biggest problem is that the same 4 teams keep on winning all the honours in the Super League. Something has to be done to correct this situation. Perhaps an intra league draft of players after every SL club has protected 20 players? As to the game itself, when are they going to go back to contested scrums and eliminate the farce that they have become? Torred
knowall sky run rugby league and run it for themselves. we must have a cap on overseas players max 2 per club and only one in the national league. do away with qualification by length of stay and send back all the second rate overseas players. our academy kids have to be given a chance.