The Clan wrote:Here's a couple of telling statistics for you: From their U15 intake last year Wigan took the least amount from their own area with only 22% (take note Phill Clarke)
Leeds were marginally better on 28% Huddersfield were at 50% Widnes and Warrington above them on 68% each St Helens at 72% Hull on top with 100%
It's a clubs prerogative, in fact it's their duty to try and bring the best players to their club. Sam Tomkins, Charnley, Gildart, Joe Burgess, Manfredi, Williams, Crosby, Sutton, Joel Tomkins, Liam Farrell, O'Loughlin, Shorroks, Connor Farrell and Sam Powell have all come through from junior clubs in the Wigan area. From outside that area McIlorum, Mossop and Hampshire all came through the academy system.
Maybe at the moment the talent isn't coming through from the junior clubs so Wigan feel a need to look outside. Mopsey will probably have a better view on the current situation regarding the Wigan scouting area than I have, but I do know they look far and wide for talent and that includes Rugby Union and other sports.
SAINTS THE ORIGINAL AND PERENNIAL CHEATS
For sale full Saints kit (circa 1989). Shirts in pristine condition, but shorts badly soiled.
For 27 - 0 you get a trophy For 75 - 0 you get sod all.
Wigan had eight in a row Saints have five in a row
Rogues Gallery wrote:It's a clubs prerogative, in fact it's their duty to try and bring the best players to their club. Sam Tomkins, Charnley, Gildart, Joe Burgess, Manfredi, Williams, Crosby, Sutton, Joel Tomkins, Liam Farrell, O'Loughlin, Shorroks, Connor Farrell and Sam Powell have all come through from junior clubs in the Wigan area. From outside that area McIlorum, Mossop and Hampshire all came through the academy system.
Maybe at the moment the talent isn't coming through from the junior clubs so Wigan feel a need to look outside. Mopsey will probably have a better view on the current situation regarding the Wigan scouting area than I have, but I do know they look far and wide for talent and that includes Rugby Union and other sports.
Which as you say is their prerogative and perhaps their duty but given the stats above, which aren't hugely different from last year, they can't then champion their area as the best and most proficient for producing Rugby League players.
It won't stop the Sky muppets from lauding the Wigan production line, whilst only telling half the story.
Maybe the Ray French school of commentary could make a comeback, so they're contractually obliged to mention each player's junior club whenever they talk about him?
Normanton Knights under 14s have just finished runners up to Siddal in their appropriate league, I'm not sure how many others have been snapped up by other clubs perhaps Upton Cat will know better than me, but Castleford have taken 3 of their lads on 15s scholarship and Wigan 2 of them, my question is why have Wakefield not been near and offered any of those players the same, especially young Dyson.
bren2k wrote:It won't stop the Sky muppets from lauding the Wigan production line, whilst only telling half the story.
Maybe the Ray French school of commentary could make a comeback, so they're contractually obliged to mention each player's junior club whenever they talk about him?
bren2k wrote:It won't stop the Sky muppets from lauding the Wigan production line, whilst only telling half the story.
Maybe the Ray French school of commentary could make a comeback, so they're contractually obliged to mention each player's junior club whenever they talk about him?
Just to reiterate Sam Tomkins, Charnley, Gildart, Joe Burgess, Manfredi, Williams, Crosby, Sutton, Joel Tomkins, Liam Farrell, O'Loughlin, Shorroks, Connor Farrell and Sam Powell have all come through from junior clubs in the Wigan area. We'll revisit this when the first team squads are announced, but I'm guessing that there will be at least another three or four locally produced players added to the 2016 squad and it'll be the highest percentage of local players in Superleague, and also the lowest number of overseas players.
In an ideal world you would love to have 17 locally produced players, but reality is a different thing.
SAINTS THE ORIGINAL AND PERENNIAL CHEATS
For sale full Saints kit (circa 1989). Shirts in pristine condition, but shorts badly soiled.
For 27 - 0 you get a trophy For 75 - 0 you get sod all.
Wigan had eight in a row Saints have five in a row
I'm not denying the good work that happens at Wigan or any other club - what I'm suggesting is that it becomes received wisdom that they don't hoover up players from other areas when they patently do; the Sky team reinforce it by constantly banging on about 'production lines' at clubs like Leeds and Wigan, but only tell half the story. Wigan were fined for dodgy dealings with junior players this season, and I'll wager it's not the first time.
The wider issue remains the case - junior players would often get a better start to their career at a club that actually needs them; whilst I agree it's very difficult to dissuade a lad (or his Dad) from sending a player to a bigger club, they often don't get the game time or development they need, due to being stuck behind a roster of internationals. The pressure of weekly SL games and the reckless decision to abandon the reserve set-up has only added to that - with young players often seeing intermittent first team action, and/or being farmed out on DR - which harms the game even more, because it displaces the players at the lower league club as well.
It's a bit of a mess - but as long as the RFL keep tinkering around the edges, nothing will change.
bren2k wrote:I'm not denying the good work that happens at Wigan or any other club - what I'm suggesting is that it becomes received wisdom that they don't hoover up players from other areas when they patently do; the Sky team reinforce it by constantly banging on about 'production lines' at clubs like Leeds and Wigan, but only tell half the story. Wigan were fined for dodgy dealings with junior players this season, and I'll wager it's not the first time.
The wider issue remains the case - junior players would often get a better start to their career at a club that actually needs them; whilst I agree it's very difficult to dissuade a lad (or his Dad) from sending a player to a bigger club, they often don't get the game time or development they need, due to being stuck behind a roster of internationals. The pressure of weekly SL games and the reckless decision to abandon the reserve set-up has only added to that - with young players often seeing intermittent first team action, and/or being farmed out on DR - which harms the game even more, because it displaces the players at the lower league club as well.
It's a bit of a mess - but as long as the RFL keep tinkering around the edges, nothing will change.
Wigan were indeed fined and they then went straight out and tapped up a team of U13s the day after.
The wider wider issue is that these lads at Y10 and Y11 who are in Pro Scholarships are also in the middle of their GCSEs. I know it's partly their choice but dragging these lads over the Pennines at rush hour and them not getting home till gone 10 or 11 OClock at night 2 or 3 times a week is irresponsible of the clubs who do it but more so of the RFL for allowing such disruption to occur.
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