Ruddy Duck wrote:Surely with the many good players the club can sign both in this country and from down under and the many good younger players from from our Academy system, there is no need for any player to be playing in our first team squad over the age of thirty.
A example of the problem we have at Wigan is at half back where we have two players over the age of thirty, yet a good class half back like Harry Smith cannot progress into our first team squad like Jake Truman has at Castleford, Danny Richardson at St Helens and Declan Patton at Warrington.
Look at the number of players we have produced from the Academy who have moved on to other clubs, not always because they were not considered good enough, but because of the problem we have of clinging on to players over thirty and a less chance of breaking into the squad.
Ther is simply no reason at Wigan for this to happen, no matter how good they are or have been in the past.
Rugby League is now a game with far fitter and faster players and a lower average team age than what it was in the past and Wigan need to adjust accordingly or we will end up like Leeds who kept hold of to many older players of the same age group for to long.
I didn’t reply initially as I genuinely assumed you were joking.
Richardson been at Leigh all year gets a game when Saints are injured.
Patton wouldn’t be playing if over 30 Kevin Brown was fit. Won’t be playing next year as over 30 Widdop will be playing.
Trueman decent player wouldn’t have him starting at Wigan yet over what we have, probably at the right place to develop at this stage of his career.
You need a mix of youth and experience and balance to the squad. That’s what we have.
You don’t suddenly need sending down the knackers yard once you hit 30. Many players don’t peak till late 20’s early 30’s.
It’s just a bit of a daft post in my opinion.
Let’s add to that Smith is 19.
Patton 24, Richardson 22, Trueman 20.
Crank alert !!
