this is the case and will lead to a new revitalized rugby league structure, there has been some lucky players playing the game of late, they are going to have to step down to a lower level, but this will improve the lower league and hopefully push the high league to a new standard,

looking forward to the last game of the season which looks like the decider to see who finishes top

went to watch the acadamy again this saturday at wilderspool. Great result.
I must say i am really impressed by this side, especially Goulding against Salford, he takes the ball to the line and is the best promising HB we have had for years.
I watched a few games last year and was really impressed with a lad with a "matt King " hair-style, played second row and i read he went on to win the Academy player of the season last season, think his name was Wellan or something like that. Whats happened to him is he injured?

Same as Wakefields!
But we've scored more points into the bargain.

Wakefield T Wildcats Academy 15 13 0 2 544 232 312 26
Warrington Wolves Academy 15 12 0 3 511 232 279 24
Castleford Tigers Academy 15 11 1 3 571 406 165 23
Bradford Bulls Academy 15 10 1 4 514 327 187 21

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WHellan left the club from what I have been told. Agree with you team is very good. Goulding got potential but needs to work on defence from what I saw on Saturday against Leeds. We have several good half backs, forwards and centres coming through if developed at the right pace.,

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When I wrote best defence in League I was correct, those figures only just changed after this weekends games mate. Lets see how it stands at the end of the year...

Whellan left the club? wheres he gone? he was player of the year last year was'nt he?
Has he gone to Saints or Wigan like the 15 year olds?

Regarding Goulding, his tackling will come on, lets keep him at Wire because the other HB we have are not bad but all lack in a specific area of either pace or taking the ball into the line. Goulding is the only one who does this without thinking, hes going to be a goodun.

Cheers BG Snr.

My own penny's worth is that out of all the 16 year olds Goulding is probably the least exciting prospect. Having said that he has a good passing game and a good kicking game and is still very young. I would not be suprised to see him end up playing rugby union as I seem to recall he had schoolboy rep honours at RU.

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Have to agree to disagree with the above.For instance OBrien is the second top try scorer this year and takes on the line,frequently, excellent kicking game and already defensively strong, hence player of the month last month. as voted by the coaches. Do think Goulding and O'Brien link up well together, and Goulding will also develop.Also Hamilton has size and vision and a great step.has alot to offer. Would like to mention the forwards Crowley and Stuart they have frequently impressed me this year I have to add that I do feel there are alot of exciting prospects in the U18'S team, including Goulding they are all young and will hopefully reach thier potential but I do believe we have several players in several postions. Hb's Forwards and Centres and Second rowers that could be very very good indeed. Its probably too early to be saying if they will make it or not. But at least we seem to be recruiting better now than we have in the past.

Oh and its only what I have heard re Whelan but he decided he wanted to go in a different direction. Isn't playing League at moment. But I don't want to speculate as it wouldn't be fair to the player. He is a loss though as I too thought he showed real promise especially in the first season.

its a pity Paul had to critise the young lad Goulding by name, they are only 16/17/18 and i was trying to be positive and giving credit to all the team especially one of them.
As Go green says alot of them are doing really well, the league table does not fib. Also i believe a couple of them, Hume and Leithwaite are going well in the reserves and are still only 17. That excellent news, lets be positive about this lot and if critical, which is a balanced view, then lets use generic statements and mention positions rather than individual players hence why i said the other HB have one or two flaws like pace or taking the line on and i do not see this as an issue with Goulding.
Shame about Whealan if he is out the game, i rated him along with the two props, one with the scrum cap and the other who scores all the trys, think hes Crawley.
p.s. I'm not Goulding Snr, i do not like him as a person and even less so as a coach although he was not a bad player.

all players especially youngsters have areas to improve on. I wouldn't call them flaws....and Goulding is no exception he too has things to work on. I disagree with the taking on the line and pace issue that keeps getting mentioned, regarding the other HBs, you don't end up second top try scorer if you aren't taking on the line.The one player on the field that I think shows pace is Rhys Evans. There is no lack of pace on the field in any area. Even the props can show a turn of pace.

I think discussing the team as a whole and all the players potential is a good idea. All players including those in our first team have flaws, or rather areas to work on. If a player doesn't recognise that they can improve, than they are either very arrogant or stupid. or they will stand still in this great game of ours. Hulme is injured and Laithwaite is back with the 18's. But a few of our guys have played reserves this year and showed that they can hack it at that level too.

gogreen, you obviously know this team in a lot more detail than me, i think at one point you were accussed of being one of the lads dads! i don't know about that, i just call it as i see it from the stands. I will watch the Wigan game but i'm not going to Wakefield and hopefully they will progress both as a team and as individuals.
Most of my junior rugby was watching the likes of Lomax, Wheeler, Tomkins, Dixon and the Warrington lads from that age group. The current 18's are a couple of years younger i know, but if you set the standard at Lomax and Wheeler /Tomkins for HB then all i'm saying as a guy in the stands is that Goulding is the nearest i've seen to that lot. None of the others HB we have the pace to match the Saints/ Wigan lads.
As i said you know the current lads better than me and lets just leave it at wishing all the lads the best of luck in the future, to make it as far as they have is an achievement. Both me and you will always have our own opinions, lets hope we are both right as for Wire sake thats the best solution.

Yeah well anyone who compliments players on here is called a relative.....hence you were called BG senior....

I know the players only by following the academy season and reserve season with interest as well as the first team.....Have alot of friends who like going to watch the young players coming through too.

When you go the games regualary you get to know whats happening through talking to people and get to know how the team is going on and I take an interest in Squadbuilder as the future of the cllub and they do a great job....

THe details re players anyone can find on the programmes you pick up at the game, giving details of try scorers and results etc. Just great we all take an interest.

Woah there. It was you that singled Goulding out by name and also you that saidthe other HB we have are not bad but all lack in a specific area of either pace or taking the ball into the line'"

I, for one, am glad O'Brien doesn't look to run up and down the line, he is a throwback to the old fashioned scrum half who dictated play with his passing and kicking game, along with his movement.

Still needs a couple of years to physically mature, but he looks a really good prospect to me.