Had a very slow work day and got talking about the strength of the Wigan academy, particularly in relation to the majority of other clubs. Realised that are around 18 Wigan academy products playing at other SL clubs currently and if you stick them together they make a decent side.

Matty Russell
Josh Charnley
Sam Halsall
Joe Burgess
Tom Davies
George Williams
Sam Powell
James McDonnell
Michael Mcilorum
Oliver Partington
Harry Rushton
Jack Hughes
Matty Nicholson

Amir Borough
Joe Shorrocks
Joe Mellor
Jack Bibby
Sami Kibula

A few discussion points - where do you think this team would finish in SL this year? Do Wigan get enough credit for the huge number of players they provide for the sport? Isn't it about time that the RFL and IMG start to clamp down on clubs who make very little effort to develop players and essentially leech off the hard work of others? Simply put, this is one of the main reasons there is such a lack of quality and depth within the UK game just now.

Decent, a bit light in the front row but that has changed with recent seasons, already Max Wood is doing OK at Wire, oh yeh we can add Joe Bullock?

There was a post recently on either facebook or twitter from one of the guys who does a podcast i think

Wigan was 2nd only to the NRL for the production line of players, based on where that player made their original academy debut (i think it was from). that includes players still within the club and other SL teams, so we had Faz for example as an academy product

The challenge for Wigan is how do we retain the best of the production line, alongside smart recruitment of both UK and NRL trained players. At this moment in time it feels like that balance is about right as we are in a period where we are winning trophies, albeit we have lost a couple of promising 2nd rowers to Leeds and Wire, and then Smithies and KPP to the NRL last year.

Mark_P1973 wrote:There was a post recently on either facebook or twitter from one of the guys who does a podcast i think Wigan was 2nd only to the NRL for the production line of players, based on where that player made their original academy debut (i think it was from). that includes players still within the club and other SL teams, so we had Faz for example as an academy product The challenge for Wigan is how do we retain the best of the production line, alongside smart recruitment of both UK and NRL trained players. At this moment in time it feels like that balance is about right as we are in a period where we are winning trophies, albeit we have lost a couple of promising 2nd rowers to Leeds and Wire, and then Smithies and KPP to the NRL last year. https://x.com/TheWiganWay/status/1777084118985039954

Mark_P1973 wrote:There was a post recently on either facebook or twitter from one of the guys who does a podcast i think Wigan was 2nd only to the NRL for the production line of players, based on where that player made their original academy debut (i think it was from). that includes players still within the club and other SL teams, so we had Faz for example as an academy product The challenge for Wigan is how do we retain the best of the production line, alongside smart recruitment of both UK and NRL trained players. At this moment in time it feels like that balance is about right as we are in a period where we are winning trophies, albeit we have lost a couple of promising 2nd rowers to Leeds and Wire, and then Smithies and KPP to the NRL last year. https://x.com/TheWiganWay/status/1777084118985039954

Love that post! What a shame that the Broncos couldn't hang on to some of their products. Fertile ground for the fame if given the opportunity.

but what does London having a team in SL bring to the game - seemingly quite a few players who are spread across SL. I personally would love to see them stay up in SL and build from there, but i also know there's a lot of fans that dont see the point in a London based club. We've had 3 very good London lads over recent years with Clubb, Sarginson and KPP.

100%, just the potential recruitment in that city is huge, I know its not just a numbers game but the NRL has the pick of the best athletes from Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra.

Did we lose McDonnell or did we let him go because he was deemed surplus to requirements at the time?

Wigan made him an offer, he chose Leeds.

Genuine question, would Matty Nicholson be in Wigan’s 1st 13 if everyone was fit? I ask because my understanding was he left you because he thought his 1 st team chances were better with us (Wire), he certainly seems to be developing into the player you thought he would.
With regard to Max Wood, he was released by you and picked up after training with us, presumably Burgess saw something in him and he definitely hasn’t disgraced himself when he has played 1st team. What was the thinking in letting him go? Have you got a lot of highly rated young props coming through (if so can you name them please…Signed S Burgess)