Not even the next Mellor.

Every year there are posts on here about young players that are released and often comments from disgruntled parents etc saying the club doesn't look after its talent, another one will go off to haunt us.

Whilst the guys that we are retaining are in recent years handling themselves quite well in SL I am not sure which of the ones we have released in recent years have been making it in SL elsewhere. Have any of our recent released players gone on to forge careers in SL with rival clubs and have any looked better than the ones we have kept? I reckon on the whole we must be making the right decisions about who to keep and who to release.

There is very little time now to allow players to develop. However in Warringtons defence they did vote against these changes. All about saving money for some clubs.

This year is different. We are not releasing a handful of juniors because we dont believe they can make the grade. The age groups are contracting by half to just U16 and U19. Lets forget the U16 atm as only two of them are statistically likely to get into SL. But the change to the upper two age groups will force the club to release players that they would not ordinarily have chosen to. And I would estimate Wire spend in the region of £200k per year on their youth development program. This is a massive change, and a big blow to all the hard work and cash that Wire have put into their youth system.

I am not entirely sure if this is correct, (try finding the information !) but at senior level, I believe Wire will only retain an U19 squad and the top tier 25 players for next year. The (25-17) = 8 non match tied players will get a game with our partner club (Swinton). So anybody over 19 next year together with our U20's are surplus to requirements.

Your club is being 'asset stripped' of the young talent that it has nurtured over the last few years.

Firstly, can I say thanks for such a polite reply.

We are closing two full age groups next year. Are you telling me all these individuals would have been released ( as they are not seen to have the ability) if the new RFL changes had not been introduced ?

I said specifically in my post that I was not clear whether we would be allowed to retain players outside the 25 + two age groups.

The information you provided on contracted players is very helpful. It's just a pity that you seem incapable of passing it on without being abusive.

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