Quote: Wildcat26 "Genuine question as I am wondering if I am missing something here- How do you guys rate your academy system in terms of recruitment of local talent and bringing them through? Obviously I don't follow Wire as close to see your academy products on a regular basis, but there seems to be a lot of touting of academy players from other clubs - Morgan Smith, Dagger, Currie and a few attempts knocked back to sign our other young FB in Max Jowitt and heard from a lad you was trying to take from Hudds academy not so long back. Do you think this is a case of the club been smart and picking from the best talent pool or do you think this highlights a lack of success in your own academy?'"
For me, there's no difference between picking up my eggs direct from the farmer, vs buying them from a shop. Neither are usable in their current state. I've still got to cook and eat them in either case.
What's the (hypothetical) difference between spotting and signing up a 15yr old from a local amateur side vs signing a 16yr old from another club's academy?
The scouts have identified someone of potential, and we still coach and mould their talents, then manage their transition into the first team.
Couldn't care less whether we get our kids from a WA, LS, HD or Mongolian postcode.
So to answer your question, I wouldn't say where we source the talent from has any baring on the success (or lack of) of the academy.
The output rather than the input is what I'd measure success on.
Our success at bringing them through though is another matter...