Eden and Griffin

Not Eaden and Griffen

Just because a player is not playing in SL does not mean that they have not succeeded, many of that team have had several years as paid RL players in League 1 , Championship etc and that achievement has my respect.

It has mine too - but that's different to seeing each of them as a missed opportunity who would have been the next Sam Tomkins, if not for the shortsightedness of, err, everyone else in RL.

Well surely those clubs I mentioned must have these advanced coaching methodologies you speak of otherwise how come they are turning out these quality young players that they are.

Just to make my point clear once again, I never said that they would turn out as good I just tried to make the point which seems to be lost on you that they were denied the opportunity that were offered to those at the other clubs' mentioned.

Even the top dollar Aussie imports don't put in stellar performances week in week out, so why on earth would you expect expect those what came through our academy to do so, and as for finding their levels, I'm sure you'll agree with me it all comes down to opportunity, the bigger the club the better chance you have, there are only so many SL clubs, most with a full quota of overseas' players, plus those with other qualifications to play SL leaving a less and less chance of establishing yourself, and other than retiring have little choice other than dropping down a division.

The problem for the club is that the fans who pay the money demand youth development as well as immediate on field success.
For a team with our resources that is difficult.

I don't really like Sean Wane's coaching but he stuck with Williams when he started out even though he made rookie mistakes. He came out and said it and told the fans to live with it and it would turn out for the better. Looks like he was right.
Admittedly Williams had a good team around him who could carry him when needed.
Makes me wonder if that's why Johnston and the others coming through are handling life better. Chester in part but they have Finn and Grix as mentors and a better quality team to work with.
Makes a difference I'm sure.

I don't entirely disagree with you - the handling of some young players in SL is not great; they're either hoovered up by a wealthy club then get in line behind established players or Aussie imports and don't get game time - or they stay at a club like ours and get thrown in, and vilified by impatient fans. The lack of a reserve grade is another issue - because farming them out to a champ club is no substitute for regular game time at their home club, and probably damages the development of the champ club's own players.

All that said - the crop of young players we keep referring to on here were good at what they did, but very few of them kicked on in the Mr's game; I don't think that's entirely down to coaching failures, and is more to do with them not being good enough. Anakin is an aberration - but even he's not terrific - just a solid squad player, at best.