Does it really matter? Saints have produced a ton of there own players and the spine of the team is Saints produced players, probably one of the main reasons why they've had such a successful period. Leeds and Saints both have the spine made from academy lads who stick around for a long time, hopefully thats whats being put into place at Wigan now.

Yup. If Moran was there at the time he'd have written off Oldham council's debts, paid Scully's family's bills and mortgages for 12 years and given them all jobs on the Take That crew. All off record of course.

Saints got Eastmond by offering him a pasty and a PS3.

Personally not one PRO club 'brings through' players. The amateur club i used to play for Golborne Parkside has had Stuart Dickinson, Mike Bennett, John Stankovich (St Helens) Chris Percival (Widnes) Danny Tickle (Hull FC) plus other players who have been signed by the big pro clubs. It's the amateur clubs that bring them through.

Not what I meant but ok. The PRO clubs bring them through to playing first team rugby in super league. Therefore they start at that club on a much lower wage.

If and when you sign ready made players from other clubs you often have to top that current clubs offer, as well as making the difference enough to entice them away from a settled environment. Surely you can't argue that its more likely that a player is going to be on a bit less money if he's been at the same club all his career rather than becoming a star signing for another club?

I won't argue with that i'd say that 99% that would be truth, the 1% might be if that big player is going to the club he supports or offers a longer (not necessarily for more money) contract.

There is (so people are not mistaken) the surplus to requirement players who leave for less, the other side of the coin too.

4 of those player i mentioned where in the same squad so some mention/credit must go to the amateur coaches who nurture them from a very young age.

Absolutely i'm not saying amateur clubs don't play a massive part, they just weren't relevant to the point we were making here.

The main thing with wire is that they've fought to get a lot of there players,

King - SOO and Aus player, coming from melbourne (we know they pay well! lol)
Morley - Can't remember but I assume that Wire can't have been the only bid for him
Myler - Salford were going to make him there highest paid player
Atkins - was a big player at Wakefield and I imagine they wanted to keep him around

But at the same time theres a few players who came with a point to prove and on not much money, like Higham and Mathers, and possibly Solamona as well. Hogson I can't see being on a massive chunk, he seemed more eager for the 2 years.

Loads of people think it just because little old w@nky Warrington are not little and w@nky anymore.

People don't like it.

We are doing well so we must be cheating.

The most funny part of all it 99% of the time it comes from fans of clubs who HAVE not gone by the rules.

Fans of Wigan, Saints and Bradford pointing the finger its a joke.

Wellens
Eastmond
Cunningham
Graham
Roby
Moore
Clough
Ashurst
Dean
Frodsham
Wheeler
Dixon
Lomax
Emmitt
Armstrong
Foster

16 players who are established first teamers or have played numerous games in the first team and are all part of the first team squad and who were all produced through the academy system. In addition two players who also are on the verge of first grade honours and have been included in the first team 19 man squad this season.

Magennis
Gaskell

So i make that 18 in all.

Also Gardner, Wilkin, Hargreaves and Fa'asavalu were brought on by the Saints setup from a pretty young age but i won't include in the Saints production line because the opposition fans will start crying especially the dire faithful.

Absolutely tremendous record by the Saints and something we should all be very proud of.

Wereas Dire

Riley
Harrison
Wood
Penny- Not played first grade for Dire for some considerable time.
Mitchell
Cooper

But the last two in at a push anyhow in comparison to the Saints production line Dire are in dire straits. No wonder people believe they are breaking the salary cap.

Gotta love the Dire fans thinking they've cracked it after 1 CC win. So defensive too - people question how you could fit so many established top name players under the cap and put rational arguments together like .. err players you bring in cost more than home grown ones and all you can do is get all mad and seething and remind us that our teams have run foul of the salary cap in the past.. so what? thats maybe why us fans keep wondering how your doing it. Funny thing is I bet most Dire fans are wondering how Moran and co are managing it too but are possibly too scared to ask..

Wigans......

Prescott
O'Carroll
McIllorum
Farrell
J. Tomkins
Lockers
Hansen
Mossop
S. Tomkins
Goulding
Marsh
Ainscough
Tuson
Walker

In addition to the players out on loan many of whom could do a job.

Morley and now it would seem Hodgson came to Wire because we were prepared to offer longer contracts than other clubs. Higham, Mathers and Solomona i completely agree with you. Myler is a local lad and who knows maybe his dad had a few good stories when Richie was growing up about Wire or more realistically and the reason i think Myler signed was he wanted to play for Tony Smith more than he wanted to play for Wire i'd probably say the same for Atkins.
As for King, most teams have an expensive Oz or Kiwi player in their side so i don't see the issue.

Yet we ran your highly touted youth teams very close at the weekend.

Hopefully we can keep them instead of Wigan and Saints nicking them at 14 and 15 like Jake Emmitt and Andrew Dixon

Our U20s have a few players who look likely to make the step up.

What a load of old coblers - Players know coaches come and go and factor that , they also know a career is short and the money isnt brilliant compared to other sports so they need to maximise there earnings. Dire will have paid both a fair wedge to tempt them and anyone who believes otherwise is deluded.

No just cheats like you

Touchy - and still no sensible response... the reason being is you dont have one.