I disagree the UK system falls down once the Academy coaches get hold of the youngsters. It's easy to blame amateur coaches with out looking where the real problem lies.

Depends on the coach wouldn't you say Red? Obviously the academy set up at Wigan is good. Their youngsters seem to come into the 1st team without missing a beat.

Obviously there will be those that fall by the wayside but that's always the case.

I've no involvement in amateur coaching but it can't be as bad as I remember it in the late 80s early 90s when there was hardly any core skills training for kids and many coaches made it up as they went along. If that's still the case it's an indictment of both the RFL and Barla.

I played a lot of RL, at different levels. Even at semi-pro the core skills training was almost non-existent. Physical strength & fitness were the answer to everything.

That is a ballache is that tigertot, strength and fitness -_- Didn't understand some of the things the semi-pro training taught us tbh. Fitness yes but no need for a winger or hooker to look like a tank? And expecting smaller players to lift the same weights as the big massive props -_-

Wonder if Deacon would be interested?

It would be of interest if you could expound your comments on this subject further

No Red, you've misunderstood the point - or more likely I've explained it badly, no doubt!

The problem here isn't so much the quality of coaching, but the fact that so few kids go to to play RL first, most preferring wendyball [which every boy in the land will play at school] and only when they have worked out they're not going to be the next Beckham do they move along to rugby. As many are going to be nearing their teens by this time, or even later, this means the basics are never going to be as ingrained as they might be.

With RL being one of the 'major' sports in Aus, the majority of kids there grow up dreaming of being the next Billy Slater or Greg Inglis, so they tend to throw rugby balls about in the back yard with dad [rather than kicking a round ball around] and from being tiny, as five or six year-olds, they will play the game at school and then go to their local RL club. This is the difference I mean, and I can't see the dominance of soccer ending any time soon over here. Let's be honest RL isn't [even remotely] top dog in the M62 corridor.

Was there not suppose to be some news regarding a legend returning to the club, or am I mistaken as it seeks to have fone silent.

Well it was my good friend Joe Tamani who broke the news about legend returning,so it could mean absolutely anything or absolutely nothing

He has said it's Robbie Paul and that he is working his notice at Hudds

I didn't know people had to hand a notice in and then work the notice in this game

Wonder when Whitehead handed his weeks notice in

Keith Mumby?

What happened about this? I haven't heard anything recently, no applicants?

I only ever saw an ad go out for an assistant strength & conditioning coach. I may have just missed the others though.

I've got interview with Joe Tamani tomorrow

He told me its smart dress so that's exactly what I'm gonna wear

You borrowing the wife's?

I saw the advert for the assistant strength & conditioning coach and the closing date for applicants was early July. The start date on that position was November so it's for next season not this.