Smokey.



Promising youngsters were more likely to sign for clubs whose SL future looked assured. Rovers future is now secure for 3 years. If we produce, on average, one or two good SL players per year that will give us long-term stability. Welham looks like he might be the first. Watts has the potential to be the second. Some lad whose voice hasn't broken yet might be the tenth and another in nappies might be ready when Welham retires.



Your 'invest more' (and incidentally your anti-cap stance) suggest you think that SL clubs are all awash with cash and are just hiding it under the mattress. And it isn't as simple as spending less on the first team and more on youth, as it is the first team that drives income - if that is rubbish, there'll be even less to spend on youth.



You are right about compulsion though. Ring-fencing some of the Sky cash each club gets for youth development or something like that, I'd be in favour of. It'd have the advantage of being legal and could be applied more or less immediately.



Out of interest (and I genuinely don't know how this will go); over the last two years we have given SL debuts to 6 homegrown players (I think) - how does that compare with other clubs, for the same period?

Would you like that applied to Warrington too, who received a warning from the ref last night for whinging about loads of decisions?





And back on topic, Armstrong doesn't look bad.

Perfectly reasonable summation.

Ah so the concept of marginal costs is foreign to you. That explains a lot. Thank you.

Can I just say, anyone that thinks Hull KR won't be chucked out of SL because they bring a lot of away fans is an idiot.



Hull KR aren't exactly a big draw. They don't get fans thinking "ooh, Hull KR, this is a must watch game". They may bring a lot over, but I reckon a fair few of the floating home fans won't give a cr*p about a game against Hull KR and will probably stay home.



I aren't saying it isn't good that Hull KR bring a lot of fans away with them, by the way. I'm just saying it is not really significant at all, especially in the franchise decisions. And especially when you look at things like sponsorship, media coverage, etc. of the league. Away fans at one game is pocket-change to clubs that can turn-over millions.

But will they be chucked out of SL because they are not the best development club in the world either ?



That is the question in point here