Quote: Magic Superbeetle "This is a more interesting argument. It’s definitely easy to get into a logic loop of “do the two academies attract the best young players because they’re most likely to become professional players, or are the two academies most likely to produce professional players because they attract the best young players”?
I know Saints put a lot into attracting the youngsters they want. Before Covid the Australia tour was seen as a massive incentive to join. I don’t know how other clubs approach attracting young talent and it’s very much back to MildRovers original hypothesis of money which may be a differentiating factor. I suspect Saints and Wigan spend the most in junior rugby and coaching. The question is is the likely difference more or less than say what Warrington have spent on marquees'"
I always remember watching a game at Rylands quite a few years with quite a lot of young talent on show. Spoke to quite a few of the players parents and shocked to hear them say we don't want our lads signing up in the Warrington Scholarship we want them to go through the Saints set up because they will develop into better players.
And its still going on today, Saints have signed up quite a few Rylands players because they are attracted to the club culture they might not play for the first team but its their preferred option to be that better player.