Disagree...Wigan allowed fan widespread chat to develop about a season of transition following Shaun Wane’s ousting and Lammie taking over. In turn, Lammie got an extension. They blooded loads of youngsters. I’d have accepted a forfeit season, had we done the same.
Our target was always to set up a GF win. We allowed only 2 games in the regulation season for it.

Come on Rubber. You know why they blooded loads of youngsters ... they had lots of injuries.
I'd give our fans one game before starting to moan. I have never heard the phrase on here ... "I know he's not so good but we will play him vs. Wigan cos he's the future & will get better". Sally is dead right.

We HAVE to cut the overseas quota to three or four. For all our success in bringing our academy players through both Wigan and Saints will have about five overseas players next season in our squads next season. Seven which is the current limit is ridiculous.

My beef is that i am sure we could get better overall performances from our youngsters than most of the imports we have signed recently so we either have to promote from within or sort out our scouting system. Game wide though ,If we have no reserve or academy games how
are the lads who want to play RL going to get game time & how long before those & future hopefuls give up altogether on their aims of playing for possibly their favourite clubs. Youth needs to be the life blood of Rugby League to continue the production of home grown players. In these viral times with money being squeezed within the game we don't actually know when youth systems as we know them will be back & all that time ,without alternatives, the game could haemorrhage home grown talent to the detriment of its long term future. We know which way most of the silverware goes in our game anyway so perhaps a Rugby League initiative to encourage the playing of young hopefuls in all SL teams could be a shot in the arm for the game in general especially if they could attract Government attention & possibly funding for doing so. Maybe even silverware or monetary grants could be given to clubs best promoting their youth into top tier rugby.

I've always advocated six substitutions (max) form an eight man bench, no interchanges.. The stipulation should be that at least four of those players should have come through your academy and preferably be aged 23 or under.

The difference between Wigan/Leeds/Saints and us, is that their Academies produce top talent. Ours doesn't.

So this idea that all we need to do is accept one 'reset season', where we throw in a load of our young players in 2021, and then by 2022 they will be Grand Final winners, is delusional.

What evidence do we have that we have a golden generation of talent, who are better than the Wigan and Saints youngsters, and are going to overtake them?

There's a naive idea on here that all you need to do is give young players games in the first team and they magically improve into superstars. We've given tons of young players more chances in the first team than they would have ever got at Wigan, Leeds or Saints. Patton, George King, Rhys Evans, Kevin Penny, got about 100 games. Livett, Blythe, G O'B, Ormsby, Pickersgill, Laithwaite, Mitchell, McCarthy, all got around 50.

Now when you get to this point in the argument, some fans will get defensive. Some of those Iisted were OK SL players. Toby King, Joe Philbin, have also done OK. I agree they have done OK. But I thought the whole anger amongst Wire fans was that we're tired of doing "OK". Getting to the playoffs and getting knocked out, getting to the odd Grand Final. Would Saints fans, Leeds fans, Wigan fans tolerate this?

If we're really honest and brutal, even the gems of our Academy production over the last two decades: Paul Wood, Riley, Cooper, pre-injury Currie, and now King and Philbin, would have at best been steady first teamers, more likely fringe players, in those Grand Final-winning Saints, Leeds or Wigan teams. They have been long-term fixtures in the sides that have frustrated us with their lack of GF wins.

If we're going to "go with youth" and simultaneously aim to win the Grand Final rather than just pussyfoot around the playoffs, then that youth needs to be of the calibre of: Graham, Roby, Sinfield, Burrow, O'Loughlin, Tomkins. If your next generation are just another set of Coopers, Philbins and Kings, they won't overtake Saints, Wigan and Leeds.

Otherwise all that happens is we scale ourselves down to a team that mid or lower table, with a few players that hold their own in SL trying to carry the ones that don't, and are easy pickings for the top teams.

The only way we're going to get a Grand Final win in the next 5 years, is to import in some serious talent (whether from the NRL or from other SL clubs) and have a seriously good coach. Hopefully we can supplement it with some decent players from our Academy and as a longer term project I'd hope we could kick our Academy into the same shape that the top clubs is.

But there is no GF win coming if you just throw out what comes out of our Academy now and hope that some will magically turn in to better than what the top teams have. It's just a delusion.

Let's be honest though ,there are realistically 3 or 4 teams in with a shout of winning whatever silverware is on offer, pretty much similar to the Football League who have even more clubs with no chance of winning anything.
Players coming over from Down under are not even A listers, they are coming because the can't play in their own leagues or want a lucrative pension top up. Maybe we won't win anything but perhaps the exuberance of youth would give us something exciting to watch from the stands.

It doesn't have to be either/or - there is a compromise whereby you can bring in the [iright[/i type of overseas player and still allow your best youngsters to flourish.

Saints have built a team of reliable, settled, steady overseas players (Coote, Taia, Naguima), home grown buys (Walmsley, Amor) and youngsters. No-one is screaming for Coote to be replaced by AN Other youngster, because he is performing at the top of his game.

The problem we have is that players who are clearly NOT performing at anywhere near a level befitting their wage and experience STILL get in ahead of upcoming talent.

A bit like most of my exams, the question isn’t the issue, it’s getting the right answer that is so difficult. Saying sign better youth is all well and good but is there any certain way of spotting who will develop into class adult players or is it all a bit hit and miss?
My family have been involved in a (very) minority sport to a relatively high level. None of the competitors who were outstanding at youth level developed into successful adults (in the sport). Some had peaked early due to physical development, some had good skills early but didn’t develop. Some had had enough of the sport, others developed different interests and there are always those who have the full package but just can’t be ars*d.
Answers on a postcard to Mr K Fitzpatrick

Do young players play more exciting rugby?

Which of our Academy players in the past 20 years have really got you off your seat?

Kevin Penny in his first full season. Ben Currie between 2015 and 2017.

Other than that....

I mean I like guys like Cooper, Riley, Philbin and King but I don't particularly think these guys play with an exuberance that makes the game more exciting, or any different level of 'passion for the club'. They are just good professionals, but thats no different to guys like Grix, Westwood, Hill, Clark who came from other clubs.

But if us & other clubs don't produce suitable home grown players the game will die on its feet. It is already on life support & if there is no academy or reserves how else can young reserves gain the experience ?

Recruitment of the next coach is going to be the important one.

I think we have reached the point where a parting of the ways is inevitable... But as usual, we are going to string it out until it reaches maximum pain for all concerned.

Hopefully, we do more due diligence than last time, where kiss cam karl spent a few weeks driving around NRL grounds in a 'kiss me quick' hat.

One way of giving young players a chance in the absence of reserve teams etc, and also guarding against burn-out for top players before World Cup would be an appearance cap.
How about limiting appearances in all comps to say 25/26 games? That would force clubs to rotate more and use youngsters

Can't believe we have allowed Ben Flower to join Leigh!!!!!!!

Hasn't been the same player since the GF aloha from hawaii incident.

Remi Casty, though? Yes please.