I suppose it might help if the 'fact' you're taking issue with was more clearly highlighted?

I'm not fussed myself - this forum will always be an arena for flights of fancy and idle musings, and it only takes one 'fact' gleaned from a mate who is in the know over a couple of pints to spark off a multi-page debate, as if said 'fact' were indeed an actual fact, rather than just pub gossip dressed up as a fact.

One thing that's for sure - if you worry about correcting every idle rumour that's posted on here, you won't get much sleep over the coming season, and that IS a fact!

I don't see what the fuss is over taking loan players on, all teams lose young players for whatever reason and we are no different!, i don't think we've done too badly out of loan players the last few season, erm young Cumbrian prop struggles in rhinos team comes on loan at wakey then then signs fulltime becomes a real favourite then earns the club 70k when were in need! Just one of many that have come to wakey that stared with a loan!

No that's not the case, most fans don't mind loosing as long as we play well and everyone gives their all. We fully expect to loose many of our games this season, but its the manner of the defeats that will count.

Luke is a very good young player and will be very useful as he can cover several positions.

He needs first team rugby and I am sure he will prove to be an asset next season.

He is another local lad that came through the Trinity Scholarship system like Daniel Smith but chose to sign a contract elsewhere.

Ironic they come back to make a name where it all started.

Does that mean they are both 'actually one of our own'??

Yeah point taken. Won't stop some though. And I'm still prepared #broadshoulders

Daddy Cool

What do you mean "lose a game"? Talk about negativity eh?

Keep posting on here, it's refreshing to get honesty from someone in a position like yours.

I would hope they have some loyalty to the clubs. I had the pleasure of coaching both of then when when I was involved and they are both good honest lads who you would hope have some pride pulling in the Wakefield shirt.

For those concerned about our "own" players not getting a chance. The major points to note are:

1. This year is about being competitive and not being relegated. If that requires a short term solution to deliver this goal - then so be it
2. If you look at the squad against Featherstone - there are plenty of home grown players in the squad. More encouraging is the fact that two new and very exciting products of our academy are named - Max Jowitt and Jordan Crowther. The aim has to be to stop losing generations of locally produced talent to other clubs - by offering them an opportunity to play for a stable and quality club in WTWRLFC
One way to achieve that goal is hit the short term target of staying in SL this season.

Having been raised on a diet of Billy Conway, Nigel Bell and Johnny T - I understand what it means to see local lads pull on the shirt and give more than 100% week in week out. However, right here right now - this is about more than local pride. It's about OUR club!

Don't tell me, YTS?

If youre going to have a go at least get your facts straight.

Briscoe was given a 3 year contract when he was 17,not 4 years at 16.

To say hes going downhill because he isnt pushing for a first team place is laughable -- he spent most of last season out injured!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who would you have expected him to be displacing after just 8 games last year??

Hardaker,BJB,Tom Briscoe,Ryan Hall,Moon,Watkins,Burrow,McGuire,Sutcliffe??????

Leeds have plenty of options in Luke Briscoes positions,returning from injury and in the final year of his contract the lad needs a chance of first team rugby to proof his worth.Costs us very little and offers valuable cover across the backs.

Anyhow i thought you would have been happy,hes a local lad.

When we talk about "our own", as far as I am concerned, once we have signed them, they are part of the team. They become our own when they show they are dedicated to the Wakefield Trinity Cause.
Eg. JD wasn't our own home grouwn player and we weren't even his first British club, but I regard him as as much a part of the club history as say a Johnny T.

Both are an interesting example of what happens to young players when they are attracted by the prospect of signing for a big club like Leeds; in reality, they are unlikely to get regular game time whilst ever the old guard have a drop of juice left in them, and they end up on dual reg or on loan at a club like ours.

For a young lad who wants regular game time and to make a name for himself, they might be better sacrificing a few quid early in their career by staying at a club who actually needs them on the park every week?

Either way, our new special relationship with Leeds is proving very helpful.

I don't think that taking Briscoe on loan is a problem to anyone, it is more to do with the perception that we have taken him on at the expense of a club trained junior, who has "been allowed" to go.
Of course, thee are plenty of different reasons that young players move on but, the bottom line is that we are either, not producing players of SL quality, can't compete on wage demands or that the youngsters would rather play elsewhere and al of these give cause for concern.
Equally, we don't want to pay over the odds to keep certain players in the squad ,just because they have come through the ranks.

This is the key point for me. "over the odds" is a bit of a misnomer though, as a club what we have failed to do in the recent past is stick to our valuation of a players worth (to this club).
We have constantly been in situations where we don't have the ability to spend the full cap and so we have to "play moneyball" as Richard Agar put it. We need to get the best value we can from the players we sign.

Kath Hetherington is someone who knows her stuff, knows the worth of players and will not allow us to spend more than we value a player at. If that means we lose some players because we don't think they are worth what they are asking for and we can get better value elsewhere then that is how it has to be.
Now compare this attitude with other CEO's who have "allegedly" gone into contract discussions and just caved in to player demands (or even offered more than the player was actually asking for) and tell me which attitude you would rather see.