You fail to mention the nationalities of those leaving Wigan this season. Half a story isn't good enough.

Ah, but it usually is on RLFans.

Watts was not poached.

Terry Matterson told him he was not good enough and it would be best if he found himself another club.

The kid was thrown on the scrapheap aged 16 but given a chance by Rovers. You really couldn't get a better example of a club taking the chance on a young player and gaining the reward

A better example of poaching are the Briscoe's of Featherstone. Unlike Watts, everyone knew of their potential and Hull simply made the highest offer.

Who is leaving, out of interest? Riddell, I know - any others confirmed? Is Hock due back next year? Must be having a bit of clear out, to make space.

Thats irrelevant, if the youth set up is so fantastic then the leaving aussies will be replaced from within.
Not a dig at Wigan at all, just stating even the team with the best record for youth development still use a lot of imports.

I disagree. The aspiration has to be to have a core of maybe 10-12 homegrown players in the squad, a majority of them being proven SL players, the rest those with potential to replace them as they leave/retire. Then, economics rather than patriotic ethics allowing, to get maximum value out of the overseas quota. The gaps, which will naturally and randomly occur in any system to be filled by other clubs' superfluity, just as they will take advantage when we occaisonally produce a surfeit of hookers or props or centres etc.

Then we'll keep the RFL happy and can set our sights above beating a bradford team bereft of its pivotal player and in a terrible run of form. I'd rather Rovers be envied than admired.

The problem with having a team of home grown players is that they may go stale, players need to move around to gain experience and understand how different teams / country's work. Players like Burgess will become much better players for having moved around and abroad. I agree we need to recruit British and have a good youth set up but we should't be looking for one club players as much as we should be looking for other teams to have our homegrown talent playing.

Hock is due back mid season '11.

We don't have any other departures confirmed, but it's widely reported Feka, Bailey and Phelps will be going.

I do agree to an extent about recruitment from within, but when quality players become available, whether it be here in the UK or from overseas, you have to look at what you currently have and then look to the immediate future. For example, next season.

I like what Wigan are doing in loaning and dual contracting players out, inevitably some will fancy their chances elsewhere at the end of it, but most will want to prove a point at their home town club.

Not forgetting that Leeds also lent their feeder club the young hooker for a month aswell.