i understand your lad plays for wigan you must be proud ,but over the years not many have made it through with the odd exeption , why should we pay money so hudds and other clubs come along and take them ,we all want the best for our kids but when money is tight is it worth it.and scapping the u20 hasnt helped we could do the same as shudds do and get them from other clubs

Dodgy ground there, we have just signed Shudds 19's hooker, Dan Maskill

Quote: TheLinkMan "i understand your lad plays for wigan you must be proud ,but over the years not many have made it through with the odd exeption , why should we pay money so hudds and other clubs come along and take them ,we all want the best for our kids but when money is tight is it worth it.and scapping the u20 hasnt helped we could do the same as shudds do and get them from other clubs'" At Wigan this season just gone there was never less than 8 ex academy players in any game, and in some games as many as 12. Of the top 16 appearance makers 11 had come through the academy. wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/in ... ge_id=1666

Quote: TheLinkMan "i understand your lad plays for wigan you must be proud ,but over the years not many have made it through with the odd exeption , why should we pay money so hudds and other clubs come along and take them ,we all want the best for our kids but when money is tight is it worth it.and scapping the u20 hasnt helped we could do the same as shudds do and get them from other clubs'" At Wigan this season just gone there was never less than 8 ex academy players in any game, and in some games as many as 12. Of the top 16 appearance makers 11 had come through the academy. wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/in ... ge_id=1666

Don't get me wrong - we need the Smiths and Aitons and Lauatitis - they are class players with pedigree. But as KK has been suggesting for a long time, I hope we don't exploit every nook and cranny of the rule book to end up with 12 overseas players and 5 English in our side. Wigan / Leeds / Saints have always invested big in their academies, others are now doing so (esp Wire), then there's Cas and Hudds, and then we lag somewhere behind, but we've still managed to produce some good players but somehow miss out on the best ones overall. At some point you have to say - right, now is the time to invest - perhaps that is when the Stadium is complete and our SL future assured for several years??

It will certainly help - not only the security of a SL berth, but the facilities and infrastructure will be more attractive to young players; equally, if the stadium plan works and revenue to the club increases, we could start to catch up in terms of rewards and benefits - I'm certain that some of the bigger clubs are providing nice houses, cars and jobs for the WAGs as part of the package for their players for example, all of which cost money, within or outwith the salary cap.

As I say - ten years.

The problem is when they offer about the same but cost less. What do you do then?

Fair point, but as TRB suggested the non-fed players should be the icing on the cake so naturally should be amongst the higher earners in the squad.

This is not possible Clan, the rule at the RFL is all agents have to deposit £20K before they can act on or for any player as a registered agent, and to go to that length for players from just one club would be OTT, unless you intend to become an agent for all players ?

Unless we partner and negotiate a unique agreement with an Agent who has already lodged his deposit and is registered with the RFL.

That is true, but players cant be represented by an agent until they are 17, and at that point most will have been signed on if they are good enough at 16, and away from their amateur clubs a full year.

Having a parent who is your agent plus an ex Trin player is the best way forward, or so im told