Both Wigan and Saints have and are producing good young players.

That isn't the issue with Wigan, the issue is how the young players have been handled in the past.

The implication was Saints have in the recent past produce many young players. They have not.



Correctly at least 95% of the time IMO if by the above you mean who got to stay and who was let go. It's another myth we didn't. There is only one Wigan produced player who I really think was a mistake to let go - Long.

Name me another who has come back to haunt us?

Dave

Noble wanted him as was said at the fans forum. Lenegan rated him but wasn't prepared to get rid of a few players in order to make space on the cap, as we have done a few times before with ML. From what I can gather Lenegan wanted Sam Tomkins to be given his chance straight from the off.

The point I'm trying to make is with Tomkins and Ainscough we have two lads with real potential star quality. First time in many a year. Probably since Jason Robinson.
They have put a bit of passion back into the team which has been missing for many years.

And KFC, Wello, Etc are not my youngsters, see sig at the bottom.

Its interesting that he has been made captain.

Ive not seen Bird play for a number of years and putting is off-field issues aside, he seems to be regarded as a quality player both over here and in the NRL.

Im also led to believe that he is very tough and no pushover on the field.

He seems to have some qualities that the current Wigan side lacks.

Not necessarily the young players we've let go, but management and development.

Would have liked

Briscoe to stay, Newton, Ashton.

Often younger players haven't had contracts improved, instead the money has gone to overseas older players.

Good player but you have got to ask yourself if he is the kind of player you want. He is over in Europe because nobody in Aus will touch him till he is cleared (or not). If he is cleared then he will only be a short term fix as as soon as he can he'll be back over in Aus. Talented player though he is I wouldnt have wanted Saints to bother with him and I think Wigan are definatly better off sticking to the young lads coming through.

Agreed. Lets hope things are changing with a new owner and backroom staff, although it's still early days yet.

Briscoe was behind Rads and the 20/20 was in force then so he and the club had no option.

Newton - Millward who was coach then favoured Higham so regardless of who was best ML deferred to the coach which is what people were crying out for. That was purely a coaches decision.

Ashton got hawked around by his agent (Phil Clarkes brother I think) and went way beyond a sensible price wage wise.



We have quite a few who have. And both Lockers and Hock from the previous generation got new deals also.

Dave

Who enforced the 20/20 rule? The club. Who employed and gave power of transfers to Miward? The club.

The is a lot of nonsense going on about what Ashton wanted. He didn't ask for a massive wage what so ever. During the season which we very nearly went down he was one of our best players regardless of age and deserved a better contract.

Maybe you think the club has made the right move with such players/decisions. I don;t.

Birds a bit of a hard knock, something I reckon you've lacked for a while.
You could in theory of kept Tomkins in at 6 and had Bird at 13.
He looks overweight to me at the mo though.

He does look over weight. Problem is, our backrow is one of the strongest areas within our team with the likes of Lockers, Hock, Hansen Tomkins, with other options with the likes of Bailey, Mossop, Flanny and Farrell all looking for a chance.

A possible option would have been to play Bird at 6 Tomkins at 7 and Tommy at 9 interchanging with Riddell.

I agree thou, we are lacking that bit of 'bite'.