: Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:33 am  

Alex BP' wrote:

Does Andy Wilson know who won the reserves championship and who were runners up in the academy Grand Final last year?

We have probably the best local talent in the country, we just fail to utilise it.

However, this article has cleary been written to s**t stir opposed to give correct and accurate facts.

its all well and good having great academy and reserve teams, but whats the point when those players hardly get a look in due to the clubs dependancy on past it / mediocre imports?

as you said, you fail to utilise your youth programme and in honesty, its to the clubs detriment.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:35 am  

RossRhino wrote:

its all well and good having great academy and reserve teams, but whats the point when those players hardly get a look in due to the clubs dependancy on past it / mediocre imports?

as you said, you fail to utilise your youth programme and in honesty, its to the clubs detriment.

Exactly and there's not many who deny that, but the article suggests that we do not produce local talent when we clearly do.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:42 am  

jonh wrote:

Next year MUST see an end to this culture given the players we have coming off contract, assuming there form and development continues 2010 has to see the likes of Tomkins, Aisncough,Mossop, Pryce and Goulding at the very least being first team members replacing the likes of Smith, Bailey, Phelps and Mathers.

It is frustrating that year on year we have to look to the following season to sort out all the issues with the club and year on year we never do.

Correct. That being said, that article from Wilson, is utter biased nonsense.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:43 am  

RossRhino wrote:

its all well and good having great academy and reserve teams, but whats the point when those players hardly get a look in due to the clubs dependancy on past it / mediocre imports?

as you said, you fail to utilise your youth programme and in honesty, its to the clubs detriment.

which is something we all seem to agree should not be happening

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:43 am  

The Wigan Warriors RLFC current model could be applied to the entire Super League with regards the problems at International rugby league for GB/England.

Across the league the talent pool of resources is growing but even with no relegation, and the supposed reduction in the quota, clubs fought tooth and nail to find a loop hole so they could boost there ranks with overseas players short term.

As a club and an international sport this is the reason we are getting the much deserved stick.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:03 pm  

RossRhino wrote:

its all well and good having great academy and reserve teams, but whats the point when those players hardly get a look in due to the clubs dependancy on past it / mediocre imports?

as you said, you fail to utilise your youth programme and in honesty, its to the clubs detriment.

2008 grand final

Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Long, Graham, Cunningham, Hargreaves, Gilmour, Wilkin, Flannery.

5 Home grown
3 Wigan
1 hullkr
1 barrow
1 Bradford
4 Overseas

3 players where from saints own academy system in last years grand final and two of them (cunningham, wellens) had been there for years

GB or not if a club is playing players not from their own academy system there is no difference, that article is about using academy players no bristish/overseas

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:22 pm  

I think this article is fair enough tbh. That performance last week was utter, utter garbage. Wakefield were outstanding, full credit to them.

It's not xenophobia, but the amount of Aussie, NZ and Pacific Island players we have is a joke for the development of UK rugby league. There are so many ex-Wigan British players out there in the league doing a good job, why aren't they still with us? I know this is a well-worn argument and the salary cap is a big reason, but Phelps vs Kev Brown - who would you rather have?

It's early days for the other new recruits so I won't get stuck into them, but if England are to be successful there needs to be a bigger pool of qualified players in Super League. 6 out of 7 backs were non-British last week and the 1 Brit who did play is bloody awful!