The Chair Maker wrote:According to the RFL's own regulations regarding the development of players. Saints have come top in terms of "club trained players"
Club trained players are players who are on the clubs register and were trained by that club for three years before that player reached the age of 21.
Saints have 14 of our 25 man squad in that category
Next are Leeds and Hull with 13
then
Wigan have 11
Bradford 10
Warrington 10
Castleford 7
Catalans 6
Quins 5
Wakefield 5
Salford 5
Huddersfield 4
Hull KR 1
Celtic 0
I think its interesting to note the performance of Quins and Catalans.
They are developing players as well or better than a number of the traditional heartland clubs.
Hull KR's performance on the development front is pathetic, and is in stark contrast to the excellent work of Hull FC.
I wonder how many the clubs are on if you include the academy players in other teams.
I assume Leeds' would more than double (Morley, Newton, Carvell, Dowes, Raynor, Mathers, Calderwood, Kaye, Walker, Murrell, Netherton, Scruton to name a few), as would Wigans probably (Brown, Robinson, Briscoe etc).
Makes interesting reading though
I do however think the title of the thread is slightly mis-leading. When you take into consideration the total number of academy players a club has produced, not just the ones still there, I wonder what the total figures come out to. Junior Development is not just keeping hold of players (not always possible due to the salary cap) but surely how many are produced and able to 'cut the mustard' at other clubs as well. Perhaps thats just my opinion.