Quote: knockersbumpMKII "Then if we are having to sign external youngsters that shows us that the youth system coaches and the progression system is failing.
2012/13 we had 5 youth players come through to cement starting positions either straight away in crooks/Lineham and Shaul with the likes of Hadley/Bowden all making debuts in that time and being regular 1st 17 players.
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The system must have been failing then as well because Lineham was a buy in. Truth is youth development doesn't provide a steady drip feed of talent in any case - they come in fits and starts and not smoothly distributed over all positions. There is absolutely nothing wrong with recruiting "external" youngsters. Leeds, Wigan, Saints and Wire all do it - its just the closer geographic distances involved with them make it less obvious at times.