But... these players were international players which put them in the top twenty best players in the country.



And decisions are being made about a player being good enough at 17/18 hence them being signed in from other clubs on substantial contracts with an automatic promise of a full time contract after twelve months.



It is about time local players got the same treatment and are valued accordingly. Two tier system based on other factors and not because of ability.



Compare and contrast with Wigan and the way the produce SL quality players locally in volume.

I don't subscribe to the theory that bought in players are treated better than local players. I do believe that there are a number of factors why some fall by the wayside, and they are not all directly to do with how skilful a player is or may well become.



Players are products, they are an investment. And if they are going to produce a return for that investment, they will be signed. If there are factors that may harm that investment, then they shouldn't have the risk taken on them because they are local. The "better the devil you know" mentality is gone, we're in a position to compete for the best, so I think we should.



Junior agegroups go close to predicting who will be in the frame for pro-contracts, but a lot can change between them. Injuries, growth patterns, behavioural patterns, dietary patterns and sometimes players may just become complacent. It's just not an accurate scale to go against, otherwise Pickersgill, Durbin and Bracek would be retiring legends now.

I am a bit surprised Wolf Hall has not contributed to this debate, he made an excellent point on the Wigan board a month or so;



For the latest Academy tour down under, there were 7 youngsters from Wigan. These "Wigan" lads came from Dalton ARLFC, Dalton In Furness, Cumbria; Blackbrook ARL St Helens; Oulton Raiders, Leeds; Stanley Rangers, Wakefield; Seaton Rangers, Workington; Folly Lane, Swinton.



So whilst you have to agree that Wigan do produce a lot of quality players from their locality, they too are 'fishing abroad' when they stock their Academy - and in doing so they will be ignoring / releasing local players who could have taken their place. All clubs do it, even Saints who have a first class set up, poached a quality Widnes lad at the back end of last year. As Barbed Wire points out, it's very competitive out there and clubs will try and lure the best quality juniors into their squads.

Imagine you were a top youngster and had the choice of Wigan, Saints, Leeds or Warrington. Unless there was significant incentive I doubt Warrington would come top of the choices.

OK, I'll bite WO. I believe Savelio will do well for us this coming season. He may blossom under a different coaching environment than he had at St Helens, and he seemed to go well for Cas under changed circumstances at the end of last year. Toby King has the making of a top class centre also, in my opinion. Declan Patton will improve, if he gets the game time.

As far a young talent coming through, I am not close to the recruitment processes and people, coaching and contracts offered to young players.

For example, do Warrington have a list of types of young players they want, eg 4 props, 2 wingers etc etc or just look for good talent whatever position?

Who does the scouting, do they cover geographical areas, how plugged into local teams etc are they?

What do they offer young players to attract them down to Warrington, how does this compare with other teams. If a young player doesn't sign for Warrington, why do we lose them? For example, 3 young lads who played for Warrington local clubs, Rylands and Woolston are part of the Saints Scholarship programme. Did we rule them out or were they not interested? If they weren't interested, do the club know why and perhaps learn lessons for the future? Hopefully...

I believe also that the young players at one of our biggest rivals locally pay their young players a lot more than Warrington do. (Not idle gossip by the way) We can argue whether this is the right thing to do or not. Also some young players we have signed from opposition clubs may be paid more money than our own local lads to attract them here.

For me, the objective should be a mixed programme of local lads ( and get in first, we should have our own local good young lads fighting to get in here) plus good scouting of young players, with the best coaching staff recruiting against a plan for taking the club forward on a rolling 10 year programme. And the rewards for those who join us should reflect the go ahead club Warrington should be.

But what do I know?

Not sure why... Wire have been established in the top club's for long enough now that the chance of trophies can be considered comparable... Leeds has big city appeal fair enough... But what exactly do does St Helens/Wigan have?

....get the Man of Steel...



KURT GIDLEY or CHRIS HILL.



BBC sports personality (team) of the year...

WARRINGTON WOLVES RL

League titles in living memory? I think it is delusional to think we would be considered comparable.



It's probably why we make do by signing the young players not retained by their clubs. Occasionally we get a gem (Currie).

LOL Gidley. Why should anyone suppose he, as a year older, will have a better season than last (which was pretty nondescript at best and woefully wanting if you consider the CC Final goal kicking and that attempt of a tackle in the GF)

Because he is no7 and we are going to win the treble.

Someone has to take credit.

I don't care how old he is...behind the best pack in the league...you'll look like the best half in the league.

I'm also having a punt on Brown for MOS and Lineham for top try scorer.

I'd say this is a good bet.

Joe Burgess is the bookies favourite at 6/1, whilst Tom is 9th favourite at 18/1.



Another cracking bet is Catalan to finish top after the regular season at 9/1 with a plus 16 point handicap.



All on sky bet.

Lineham at the end of last year seemed to have turned a corner, and I would expect him to be first choice. Good bet if so. However TS is a huge Evans fan, and King is the better centre, so who knows.