I blame the communist cap for Myler/Eastmond/Watkins/Wheeler/Lawrence/Lomax/Tomkins/Wheeler/Cudjoe/Ainscough/Burgess/Turner/Ferguson . . . . .

Lets see where they are in 5 years before we start spouting!

When was the last time we had 4 young half backs with the class of Eastmond/Wheeler/Myler/Tomkins threatening to break through? I certainly can't remember it.



We haven't developed a half back for years and years and years and suddently, when clubs are forced to rely more on young players and invest in infrastructure, we're churning them out.



I've no doubt it will be dismissed as coincidence by the CC regulars - but the young players in SL this year are head and shoulders above the crops we have seen in recent times and there's plenty more queuing up behind them.

And Here's me thinking 5/6 years ago we had McGuire/Burrows/Brown/Pryce/Robinson/Brough/Horne/Rooney and probably 1/2 dozen more Superstar youngsters.



Are this Crop any better thought of than that Crop were??????



Are they going to again be classed as World Class Superstars but fall short at international Level???



I aint giving you the answer as time will tell and you may be right as to their eventual Outcome as players but to say we haven't developed a Half back in Years and then go on to claim that 4 Half backs who between them probably havent made 25 starts at SL Level and claim there going to be any better than their predecessors is a bit OOT for me.



And to say they are "Head & Shoulders" above the crop of recent times isn't actually correct when we have 7/8 or so H/B between 24&26 who at the same stage in their development had played in GF & CC finals and were also going to be the Next Best thing!



We have always produced them at Club Level and made them successful Div 1/ SL players.

Making that next steps hasn't been quite as easy, here's hoping your right!

By the time the award gets dished out Clough will be 22 so theres another reason for him not really being in the running.

The player that wins it as usually played a season or 2 in super league. Just like Richard Whiting one year and James Graham the other year.



Ainscough should be no where near young super league player of the year imo, untill he sorts out his defence. Kevin Penny can score tries for fun too. However i do think Ainscough in a few years will be a excellent player. Tom Briscoe as had a all round fantastic season up to date and Richard Owen as bin fantastic.



As for Sam Tomkins. Myler as been the stand out half back from the youngsters this season. He is carrying Salford around very well and outplayed Tomkins in the Salford vs Wigan game. Infact if Eastmond can stay fit then he'll be up there aswell. Looked the more confident and dangerous of the two when Saints played Wigan imo.

So basically if your a young player at Wigan your rubbish but if you play for another club your a cracker





Some flaws in that post-



Ainscoughs defence isn't a problem, it's his positioning for high kicks.



Some Cas fans sat at the side of me when we played them said Owens poor.



Did you go to the Salford vs Wigan game? even if you did you couldn't call a winner between Tomkins and Myler as both were different class.



Eastmond showed he can kick a ball in the Wigan game............but thats it, he offered nothing else.



Bar all that a cracking post

Yes







Myler/Tomkins/Wheeler are as naturally gifted as any young half back we've come up with for many years. Thankfully we now seem to be producing halves whose games aren't based on pace and nothing else.







Who are the 7/8? Not being difficult, just interested? The likes of Rooney/Horne/Brough/Brown were never as highly thought of as the young halves coming through and are just about better than average players. Pryce wasn't playing in the halves until a couple of years ago and is another player whose game is based on pace/strength rather than guile - same with Burrow/McGuire, all pace.



Luke Robinson is the only player who I would suggest had the full range of skills but Myler is already a better player than him at 18.



The likes of Myler/Wheeler/Tomkins are far more exciting IMO, just because of the skill set.



Add in the likes of Burgess/Graham who are genuine international props at such a young age and other top drawer prospects like Lomax/Eastmond/Ainscough/Shenton/Westerman - it's been a long time since I can remember such a glut of genuine talent.

He came on as a sub and kicked a drop-goal, amazing

Yes, that was all he did.

Don't do him down, he kicked a goal aswell

While i am excited at the young prospects coming through that is still all they are doing coming through. To suggest the cap is responsible for this is a little niave in my opinion especially when they are still a developing bunch.



The cap may have had some contribution towards it but i would say that the iminent cutting of the quota has forced the clubs hand significantly more than the cap.



The sad truth is the cap could well force them away from the game if they do make it and the Union clubs come knocking, as we have already seen Ainscough and Thornely have been/are being tapped up by Sale.