Which young acadamy product will leave next ?

Whichever one that seems keen to chase ridiculous money by Rugby Union that can't be realistically and sensibly matched by Rugby League is my bet.

I know we're all looking at it through Wigan tinted spectacles, but can anyone blame the lad for changing codes? Even with him being a Wigan lad and wanting to succeed at his home town club, there were no guarantees he'd make it here and the money at Sale and the possibility of playing for England in the not too distant future must have been an opportunity the lad couldn't turn down.

He may not be playing for Wigan but he'll get paid the same as many of the regular first teamers here and for someone of his age that is a ridiculous amount.

Any of them can go if all there driven by is money at such a young age. and wont be missed

I don't blame Thornley or Wigan RLFC. The blame here lies firmly with the RFL!!

Those posters who trot out the 'national media profile, the chance to play in the Six Nations, playing in front of packed out Twickenham crowds' as the reasons why these lads jump to union, rather than for the money, then shout that we need to substantially raise the salary cap or even get rid of it to keep hold of them really do get me shaking my head.
If these lads, ie Thornley and Chris Ashton, really are going for non-financial reasons then what difference would not having a salary cap make?

[sizeBefore I get slaughtered for that I want to make it clear that I'm not a fan of the current salary cap. I think it rewards those clubs who are happy to seemingly go through the motions and make empty promises to the RFL while punishing successful (on or off the field) and innovative ones such as Wigan.[/size

Until the salary cap is adjusted, this is going to continue to happen.

That being said, in this case, those who know much more about Thornley's development than I, seem to think its by no means a disaster.

Agreed absolutely.

It's not a disaster, but the potential for a disaster is there. As you say, it's now time to make some changes to the Salary Cap.

The game needs to protect its young stars. RU scouts are currently circling Wigan like hungry sharks. That's our reward for bringing through a potential golden generation. As things are, there's no reward from the RFL ... which is more than short-sighted of them. It could more accurately be described as criminally bloody negligent.

And before any troll spits out his tea with outrage, just look at the bigger picture. This is not about Wigan. If other clubs were to start bringing through rafts of youngsters (even if they were to pay them properly, as Wigan now do), they would be in the same boat.

It's high time that Academy products were discounted from the Salary Cap. It's the only solution I can see in the short term. One or two may still go, dazzled by the prospect of playing at Twickenham (though their chances of that, if they change codes at 19, are surely no more than their chances of playing against Australia in an RL test - they need to be very wary of that kind of sales pitch). But we have to do something - anything - to try and redress this imbalance, which the RFL looks like it will ignore until the entire England RU team is made up of RL discoveries.

Good luck to the lad I say. To stay in RL purely for the 'love of the game' you'd need to be someone who wasnt actually good enough to be anywhere near the real top earnings bracket of our game, or a fool. Sure he's a talent lost but don't be under any illusions that it couldn't easily have been prevented. The irony is it was one of our coaching staff who originally alerted Sale to Thornley in the 1st place. Oh well, maybe we'll see a St Pats old boys club being set-up at Twickers when Farrell and Thornley turn out together there for England?

www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read ... 17,quote=1 Some of the posts on there are incredibly daft. Dave Swanton says no offer has been made for Marsh.

www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read ... 17,quote=1 Some of the posts on there are incredibly daft. Dave Swanton says no offer has been made for Marsh.

A question is begged - why is Thornley still playing in our Under 20s team? Whats the point?

Surely no-one can be surprised?

It's inevitable.

RL would struggle to keep hold of it's players in a completely free market. The CC puts the final nail in the coffin.

RU have learned that it makes more sense to buy potential rather than experience (Hape aside), hence Ashton and Myler, let them learn the game for a few years and promote to England as and when.

Still at least it means that we won't be faced with the prospect of established players crossing codes, RU won't want them by that time.

Can't blame the players for taking the money. I certainly would.

60k a year for someone who hasn't even played a first team game? No, thanks.

Where as that figure come from?

Sale message board, t'other Wigan forum and of course [size(and this makes it fact)[/size the pub