Crazy to think how the tables have turned, it doesn't feel like 2 minutes since Aussie players were coming here for higher pay.

Now the lower grade players other there probably make more than first teamers here.

Good luck to Lewis can't blame him its too good of an opportunity to miss.

Oh ok, so how many with star quality such as murphy or TJ (other than Max Jowitt) are still at the club because I’m struggling to think of another?

Max will be on his at the end of the season whether we survive or not

How many with star quality like TJ did we ever have at the club??

Get a grip man !!!!

Maybe add Jordy Crowther to that.
Then theres Bowes and Eseh coming through, Eseh will be a wanted man no doubt, so not much chance of keeping him.

I understand market forces and ambition, but it's so disappointing to see these players leave after putting so much work and not a small amount of money into them.

We were told that The Academy was the way forward at the start of the 1873 Club to create our own players. Only to find, we can create them, but can not afford to pay them the market rates when matured.

Think you need to get a grip man.
Don’t put Jordy Crowther in the ‘star bracket’ because he ain’t !
I like jordy but not that much.
Bowes and Eseh - even IF they make it to ‘Star’ status will not stay if we continue as we have for the last twenty odd years!

Depends how far you want to go back ,
I’ve supported the club 60 plus years and I’ve seen countless players come through our junior set up of one kind of another and we’ve not been able to hold onto them. FACT .
TJ was class but there have been others in that bracket over the years as older supporters will confirm!

Agreed 1315. Nigel Wright immediately springs to mind!!

Indeed. I blame Carter.

So did Nigel Wright!!!

Not probably… absolutely

the amount of money in the game here is crazy… any good players now coming to super league will no longer be about money…and it’s interesting that the quality of overseas players in the French league has improved yet it has declined in the UK… perhaps showing France as a more attractive destination to play footy…

the star signings for SL are now barely reserve grade in the NRL. New cohorts of young players are emerging each year… and pushing out others

The balancing factor is the cost of living here is very high by comparison to the UK… average wages are much higher … players looking to resettle here should do lots of research and take a long term view… coming for a holiday will result in a holiday length visit.

Something needs to change in the sport of RL in the UK as since the 80s the gap has been growing… now it’s growing so fast the gap might not be recoverable for generations… if at all

Almost the whole of the 1979 Wembley team were sold to stave off the Wolf at the door, Steve Diamond, Brian Juliff etc

The next was Andy Kelly, sold to HKR without his consent or knowledge
Nigel Wright was probably next then Sam Obst, Tim Smith & Co

We’ve lost Murphy for a couple of reasons, the lads been noticed and bigger clubs have turned his head but I’ve no doubt that he’s looked around him and seen a club with no ambition, a team deteriorating in quality and a role model who’s wasted 5 years of his career being loyal, a virtue that’s got him nothing and nowhere.

You could hardly describe Murphy's current position as nowhere and nothing. That's probably where he was when Wakefield initially picked him up. He even benefited from our poor early season form last year by getting a regular first team gig and a chance to develop further and showcase his talents.

Looking back at a similar stand out talent, we couldn't even hold on to Gaz Ellis following that outstanding 2004 season.

Nothing new on this subject ,it’s been going in for donkeys years and won’t stop anytime soon ,unless that mysterious multi millionaire becomes the new incumbent, it’s part and parcel of our sport at most clubs , the big cherry pick from the smaller ones , Johnstone being an exception and I’d add Fifita to that . To be honest imo Fifita and Arona would have really helped us in our current predicament,I’m not sure Murphy would

Wollo
‘You could hardly describe Murphy's current position as nowhere and nothing’

I was referring to his role model