Quote: Magic Superbeetle "But all clubs face that to differing degrees. Saints have just lost Grace to union, Wigan have likely to lose KPP to the NRL (and have lost a few over the last few years). HKR have seen a couple come in from the academy over the last few years, I’m curious, why do you think you will struggle to keep Mike’s Lewis at the club for example?
It also extends beyond the academy as well. Both Saints and Wigan have really structured pathways into the first team. It’s actually quite rare you will see a youngster dropped into Saints/Wigan rip it up and instantly become a starter these days, as they will have gone through the phases of their debut year, being a fringe player, breaking through, and only then being seen as a first choice. Welsby is a really good example of that. Too many clubs (especially those like Warrington) will dump a promising kid from the academy in the first team, expect them to perform in 20+ games and eventually break their confidence and development.'"
If Lewis continues to progress, and Rovers go with ‘patience’ rather than ‘ambition’ or our ambition is just constrained by finances, then at some point it seems likely he might want the professional satisfaction of competing for trophies. Like LMS and Tony Clubb, as examples that spring randomly to mind. Being associated with winning teams in his prime will also likely secure him the option of better deals later in his career.
You make a good point about structured pathways. Saints and Wigan can run through the season on cruise control, giving youngsters confidence without too much pressure. They’ll still be top 4. If the lad makes a mistake you win by 10 rather than 16 (or 30 rather than 36), or even if you lose this game you’ll win 20 others. Our youngsters make a mistake, and it costs us a win when we might have to wait a month for another, or they lose in each of their first four appearances… it’s a tough route. And maybe that job as a landscape gardener and playing part-time for Doncaster starts to feel more attractive. In other sports underdog teams are reputed to raise their games against top teams, but in SL they’re more seen as a ‘free hit’ and the attitude is increasingly for teams to save themselves for more winnable games. It’s teams like Rovers that are targeted as beatable. The way around all that is maybe to go for loan deals to the Championship… but without much or any SL experience we’re sending them to Workington and Cornwall so they’re not winning even at that level!