Why do we consider 20/21 as almost too young? I can understand in the pack that more experience might be required but I'm amazed jack johnson hasn't been given more opportunities....he's looked very good each time he's played. If it were down to me id be looking at developing him as our main full back and shifting ratchford between centre and the halves where necessary. Smith has had the accusation thrown at him in the past of not giving the youngsters enough opportunities and on the whole i tend to agree.

Wasn't Jack Johnson injured for quite a long spell this year? And Toby King? I agree with your sentiment that if they are good enough they are old enough but they have to be fit as well. For a spell mid season we could only just get a team out because almost all of our back up was injured. These 2 in particular are good players and would have got more time this season if they were fit.

Neither would Harrison

He would have walked in to the 2016 Saints team, would have been their third best prop (possibly second best for most of the season as Walmsey was awful for half of the year), probably similar for Leeds. Wigan, I'd probably agree.

He was an important player in a team that won three challenge cups a shield and played in grand finals.

Let's not let time distort the fact that Harrison was a good player for us.

Mmm - not sure there
Saw him in the defeat at Hull at the start of the season and he didn't inspire confidence.
Good chance of him developing but he's still got quite a way to go I think.

Agree. Like it or like it not, neither Philbin nor Wilde did anything this season to show they are ready to play at the level to be in the 17 of a team aiming to win the SL. If they were playing for the opposition I would have zero concerns about them. They may in due course develop, but until then we need to sign those who can deliver now. Savelio and Currie are about the same age as Philbin and Wilde but leagues apart in ability.

Whilst I might agree with some of your assessment it was a bit harsh IMO, you'd be pushed to find a team full of players at Currie's level 1-17 never mind the next tier down including back up/squad players.

My point was and remains how much game time did they have this year compared to last year and more importantly how much do we think they'll get next year, enough to give our younger players a proper and fair opportunity?

A successful policy in this area of the club must be the target as it's a sustainable model if you run junior and reserve sides

Do you not think Wilde, in particular, had a proper and fair opportunity this season to stake his name for a starting place though?

We cannot just weaken the team to give "fair and proper" opportunities. Opportunities need to be grasped and taken. An opportunity is usually an injury or drop in form to a starting player and the understudy comes in and becomes undroppable.

So Wilde wants to be our starting 13? Mike Gregory made the side at 18, Paul Sculthorpe at 19 (and made the SL Dream Team), Joe Westerman broke through at 18 (and became NL1 player of the Year). Wilde is already 21.

As a policy there is some merit to the approach where we just look to recruit the best playing talent available at the time paying the transfer fee irrespective of where they were juniors. Eg

Briers
Myler
Ratchford
Currie
Clarke
Hill

This policy has some merit considering our long established dismal track record of developing any top class players from the Warrington amateur catchment area right through the youth system into first team.

I don't buy the sustainability argument either as I do not think it is any cheaper, salary wise, to keep a "home grown" player than it is to keep one we pinch from another sides squad.

In short, no I don't think that Wilde has had a fair and proper opportunity this term and it's quite a feat for an understudy to become un-droppable, ask Dwyer (for what ever reason) and has Patton 'made it', nailed on?

BTW for clarity I never said that we should "just weaken the team" I was actually interested in how these POTENTIAL signings might impact on our up and coming home grown players

Nothing wrong with pinching a nugget from elsewhere and we should aspire to having he best team, but, as a club IF you run junior sides and we do then we should at least have the wherewithal to see it though? Failure do that would be a waste of time and money apart from de motivating any home grown talent and future recruitment if the club are seen as paying lip service to development

Completely agree with the logic. But something may be wrong that we seem to not deliver any players from the catchment that make it to the top grade. Unless I have overlooked someone?

If it's not working - change it.

Let's ask it another way, has Wilde done anything is his performances this season to earn the right to more appearances next season? Patton has - he grabbed his chance by the scruff of the neck.

I hope any new signings give those you mention a kick up the arris and impetus to improve to a level where they are deserving of more chances.

Why not widen the catchment area like Wigan have done this year - 7 Wigan Academy players toured Australia with our one Morgan Smith. All the "Wigan" lads were from all over the north, none from Wigan. We've done it before and there are current academy players from outside the local area.
WRT senior players, why do we always look towards buying ready made supposedly better players, why not look at as well what specific coaching is required for each team member to realise their true potential? Surely we can develop Evans, Russell, Lineham, Philbin, Wilde, Patton, even the internationals Ratchford, Hill, etc. So how much improvement is there in the current squad? Given that it is basically a young squad, there must be a lot more they can give with the correct coaching and conditioning. Players developed through a club's system tend to give more for the club

I think we have no alternative but to look internationally for our academy set up, and the evidence is we do with recruits from England, Wales and France. I cannot answer the very good point on the specific one on one development - Do we have someone that can train Evans, for example, to be a more effective centre? Or Lineham to be a more effective winger?

We do have 47 members of our "Performance Team" from Tony Smith downwards...