It stands to reason players may be cut prematurely as less playing places are available. It puts a lot of pressure on the young players to make an immediate impression.

I've heard Wakefield have signed him on loan.

No he's gone. According to Goulding snr 'a number of clubs interested and RU'. Wakefield deal not signed yet but he's talking a lot about how good Agar's been.

I'd rather we got shut of him and brought in Broughton from Salford

The only problem with the move on the Under 21s is that it was always going to cause clubs across the board to slash players in the caught in the wrong age bracket in one go. However, a number of coaches have said in the past that U21s is simply not a good enough standard for those players on the verge of first team. If that's the case its far better for them to get open age experience.

It also forces clubs to make decisions on who to keep, and not just stockpile a bunch of 20 year olds in the hope they somehow get better, probably to the detriment of their development.

Its always sad to see players not make it - every year on the Leeds board there are similar hand-wringing threads about why Player X has been reeased when they looked so good in U21s. As with somebody's comments on Wire youngsters released, I can't think of a single player who has been let go in that manner by Leeds who has gone on to be anything more than an average SL player at best - most barely make Championship standard.

I know this sort of topic has been done to death elsewhere, but apart from the odd prop, I can't think of any genuine star player of the last 30 years across all the clubs who hadn't played a fair amount of first team rugby before they hit 20.

To paraphrase a blog written by Phil Clarke, all the experts within the field that he has spoken to regarding the new academy system agree it is bad for the sport. Daryl Powell, Mark Aston, John Kear and Mike Rush have all voiced strong views against it. I am inclined to believe their word over some of the posters suggesting it is just business as usual.

Am I correct in recalling Andrew Dixon (Saints) and Kallum Watkins (leeds) are both ex Warrignton lads ?

Dixon went to school in Warrington, but Kallum is a Mancunian. I am pretty sure neither featured in our academy set up.

I thought Kallum was from Latchford ?

Which is technically Warrington, but without laws or a civilised system of government !


Only joking

You have probably alienated 10% of the board with that, but since I am from Padgate, what the hell !

You could be right about Kallum, I don't know. It's quite a long time away now.

not sure about dixon but watkins never played for wolves


correct
kallum was originally in the salford academy but he moved to the rhinos when he was 16,he made his first team debut when he was only 17 if i remember correctly

You are kidding yourself if you believe that. Watkins played for Latchford Albion and played wing/full back for Warrington's service area teams for a few years. Know a few lads who played with him for both clubs. He is from the Manchester area, but I'm fairly certain he went to Leeds from Warrington.