Wrench is no Ryan Hampshire that’s for sure…

I agree that Lindop was great Saturday, but not enough to get the nod ahead of Tai. Tais defence and meters gained make him the selection for me. He definitely needs to work on his passing but believe he is the best option.

Wrench just seems to be trying too hard at the moment snatching at his first team chances, and from that first knock on his confidence seemed to be shattered, needs some reserve games or a run to get him back there.
Ratchford not even a conversation apart from a single moment of magic he was poor on Saturday poor passes, the attack stops with him, that why im hoping that both Drinkwater and Tai have nothing from the MRP today.

That right centre spot is a key position. Most teams prefer attacking to their left edge so it will always take more attacking shape. Just look at the wingers that are at the top of their games and it is all left wingers (Marshall, Handley, Swift, Charnley, Hall)
Wigan will have Wardle and Liam Farrell back on their left edge.
I think Wrench is a potential superstar but it looks like every time he has a lay off from injury he comes back a bit rusty and maybe a bit giddy.

Great to have two prospects like Wrench and Lindrop fighting for a shirt. Wrench looked like he needed a few more games before being ready to take Tai’s spot. Lindrop is young but didn’t look out of place at all, closer to the finished article than Wrench bug Wrench had that electric pace and agility that is a point of difference. That’s our long term centre partnership, all being well.

Tai stays in for me though.

im very tempted to ban you for omitting ashton from that list.

Bags of potential this lad, definitely one for the future, I know Gaz Chambers speaks very highly! The future looks bright, Taylor-Wray looked like a real prospect!

I'd be careful of heaping expectation on young players, it's a habit we have done for years and years and more often than not we are left looking a bit "over enthusiastic" in our assessment. The future has been bright for 20 years!

I have lost count of the number of youngsters who have followed the route of great prospect/one of the future/best thing since sliced bread -> few first team appearances -> loan to get regular playing time -> transferred to Championship / low level SL club.

Let them develop at the right pace out of the limelight.

Take Wrench for example - he is one of our more developed younger players who has had bags of praise and goodwill on here, but unless he can sort his defensive issues out will not make it as a top level SL centre.

I can't remember any homegrown players with the potential ability of Lindop and co... emphasis on homegrown here.

I cannot comment on Lindop as I have only seen him once. But I know we have had rave reviews before on (to name a few)

Dean
Longstaff
Patton
Livett
Brand
Johnson (Luis)
Johnson (Jack)
...

As for that list. I would have liked to see what Riley Dean could do slotting in this side.

I liked Riley Dean but heard that the higher echelons of WWRLFC did not rate him. He didn't seem to get much of a chance (10 appearances across 4 seasons)

A good point - but did anyone really ever give Keanan Brand a rave review? Embarrassing for them if they did. To me, he never looked like he would make it.

He was decent when we signed him, not amazing but good. But did the usual thing of coming here, and either stalling or go backwards. Glad Burgess has turned that around and got our boys playing to their actual potential :

Perhaps previous managers have destroyed the confidence of some of the youngsters ,preferring a quick fix from elsewhere.

Yes I don't think Smith, Price or Powell have given the youngsters much of an opportunity for various
reasons.

Price probably the worst of the lot. He left us in a perillous state. Powell just played his favourites out of position. Tony just made "project signings" after Cullen's side aged.