That luxury is earned only from Wigan being able to buy all the best players in the 80s, the success you bought continues to give you that luxury. You can use your success to entice players from all over the country. You don't develop players only from Wigan. You choose who you want- and so can continue to chose the best, that in turn means your squad contains the best youngsters. That brings more success. That's why Wigan voted out the draft system. As a club Wigan have been successful, that success brings the money that you can spend on facilities, wages and perks for your academy players that less successful clubs can't afford. Yes you do indeed cherry pick. Otherwise why do you have lads on your academy , not just from outside Wigan, but from Yorkshire.... Any club would do the same- but don't pretend it isn't happening!
Wait, there was a proposed Draft system like they have in the NFL?
How would that work, exactly?
The RFL couldn't organise a mickey up in a brewery, so they certainly couldn't run a neutral academy system. So the alternative would be for Wigan to train the players from 13+ and then give our best youngsters to the worst team in Super League? Well that'd suit the small minded Yorkshire teams I guess - they've been thriving off a similar system for years.
Yes there was. The regional academies were set up with the draft system In mind- was actually proposed by a certain ex RL player who went to RU and worked for the RFL for a while - he saw it as a way of boosting the player pool- he's since seen the light, realising growth isn't a priority for those in power, and gone back to union
Big Steve wrote: The Internet has provided some wonderful creativity, opportunities and knowledge sharing but it has also given a worldwide forum for people you would leave a full pint behind in the pub to avoid having to listen to them.
aboveusonlypie... If you don't bother to go to the game when you live in the locality then you are not really a fan and therefore your views are invalid. It's simple.
That luxury is earned only from Wigan being able to buy all the best players in the 80s, the success you bought continues to give you that luxury. You can use your success to entice players from all over the country. You don't develop players only from Wigan. You choose who you want- and so can continue to chose the best, that in turn means your squad contains the best youngsters. That brings more success. That's why Wigan voted out the draft system. As a club Wigan have been successful, that success brings the money that you can spend on facilities, wages and perks for your academy players that less successful clubs can't afford. Yes you do indeed cherry pick. Otherwise why do you have lads on your academy , not just from outside Wigan, but from Yorkshire.... Any club would do the same- but don't pretend it isn't happening!
Yorkshire bitter?.... Not much..... Thats 30 years ago, what have YOU been doing since??
Warrington led 16-2 in Saturday's Grand Final, but their joy was short-lived as Wigan roared back to win the Super League title and extend the Wire's 58-year wait to be champions
That luxury is earned only from Wigan being able to buy all the best players in the 80s, the success you bought continues to give you that luxury. You can use your success to entice players from all over the country. You don't develop players only from Wigan. You choose who you want- and so can continue to chose the best, that in turn means your squad contains the best youngsters. That brings more success. That's why Wigan voted out the draft system. As a club Wigan have been successful, that success brings the money that you can spend on facilities, wages and perks for your academy players that less successful clubs can't afford. Yes you do indeed cherry pick. Otherwise why do you have lads on your academy , not just from outside Wigan, but from Yorkshire.... Any club would do the same- but don't pretend it isn't happening!
You make is sound like Wigan were granted a licence to buy the best players that other clubs were denied. You conveniently forget that the bulk of Wigan's 80s / 90s squad was made up of Wigan-born players like Edwards, Gregory, Lydon, Hampson, Dermott, Cassidy, Farrell, etc.
We develop more top level players than any other RL club on the planet, that is a fact. Without even checking I guarantee we have more home grown players than Huddersfield. The draft system is something you have made up in your bitter, paranoid, Yorkshire brain.
Money isn't an issue in a salary capped sport. If you're skint (which you aren't), tough s***. The cream rises to the top.
McIlorum (11 years ago), Bateman (3 years ago) errr yeah we are raiding Yorkshire for it's talent aren't we
You make is sound like Wigan were granted a licence to buy the best players that other clubs were denied. You conveniently forget that the bulk of Wigan's 80s / 90s squad was made up of Wigan-born players like Edwards, Gregory, Lydon, Hampson, Dermott, Cassidy, Farrell, etc.
We develop more top level players than any other RL club on the planet, that is a fact. Without even checking I guarantee we have more home grown players than Huddersfield. The draft system is something you have made up in your bitter, paranoid, Yorkshire brain.
Money isn't an issue in a salary capped sport. If you're skint (which you aren't), tough s***. The cream rises to the top.
McIlorum (11 years ago), Bateman (3 years ago) errr yeah we are raiding Yorkshire for it's talent aren't we
Hope we smack 50 on you on Friday.
So there you have it with your final quote. You expect and want an easy ride. You want to play against teams that you can easily beat- not have close games week in week out. Yes you DO develop more top level players than any other side- because if a young kid of 13-16 is given a choice, do you want to play for Wigan a team with a fantastic set up that they've had the success to be able to buy, with the best youth coaches, all your kit bought and all the extras and a big pay check or Wakefield, with Dave from Normy coaching and not much money to spend so you will have to buy your own kit bag, training shoes and boots - of course they are going to choose Wigan. Like I say good on you and any other team would do the same- but you have the advantage over many other clubs - yet you act like it's the other clubs that aren't doing enough. Would you be quite as successful if it was a level playing field? Well clearly those at your club think not- or they wouldn't have voted against the draft system.....
No trees were harmed during the creation of this post. However, a number of electrons were mildly inconvenienced. . Saint94 wrote "Every team is in your feckin shadow....we all know." - Amen to that, brother . Saddened! wrote "We've got the worst backline in the competition, bar possibly London and Wakey. I'd swap our 1-7 with Salford in a heartbeat."
So there you have it with your final quote. You expect and want an easy ride. You want to play against teams that you can easily beat- not have close games week in week out. Yes you DO develop more top level players than any other side- because if a young kid of 13-16 is given a choice, do you want to play for Wigan a team with a fantastic set up that they've had the success to be able to buy, with the best youth coaches, all your kit bought and all the extras and a big pay check or Wakefield, with Dave from Normy coaching and not much money to spend so you will have to buy your own kit bag, training shoes and boots - of course they are going to choose Wigan. Like I say good on you and any other team would do the same- but you have the advantage over many other clubs - yet you act like it's the other clubs that aren't doing enough. Would you be quite as successful if it was a level playing field? Well clearly those at your club think not- or they wouldn't have voted against the draft system.....
Or maybe they (like a lot of us, I feel) just thought that the draft system was an unmanageable pipe-dream.
In sports where they DO have a draft (US Football, basketball, etc.) they have a fully televised college game, where players are observed from the ages of about 16-18/20, and the best players are easily identified and categorised.
How, exactly, would that ever have worked in a sport that can barely even televise the second tier of the senior game?
You can make all the excuses you want for Wigan having all the advantages.
We will just accept that several years ago, (and I'm not even going back to our glory days - Just about 5-6 years ago or so) Ian Lenagan and the management team decided that they needed to bring in the absolute best coaches, conditioners, trainers, physios, etc. for EVERY level - Senior, Academy, etc..
Basically, we have a similar setup to a top Premier League football club, where it is accepted that the players can only be at their best if they are surrounded by the best people in all of the required fields.
But you just keep using your excuse that we "steal" all the best talent because we used to be a big club if it makes you feel better.
We'll just keep bringing young talent through and helping you to survive with those that aren't quite up to the required standard (either mentally or physically), whilst helping ourselves by keeping the very best of them.
Or maybe they (like a lot of us, I feel) just thought that the draft system was an unmanageable pipe-dream.
In sports where they DO have a draft (US Football, basketball, etc.) they have a fully televised college game, where players are observed from the ages of about 16-18/20, and the best players are easily identified and categorised.
How, exactly, would that ever have worked in a sport that can barely even televise the second tier of the senior game?
You can make all the excuses you want for Wigan having all the advantages.
We will just accept that several years ago, (and I'm not even going back to our glory days - Just about 5-6 years ago or so) Ian Lenagan and the management team decided that they needed to bring in the absolute best coaches, conditioners, trainers, physios, etc. for EVERY level - Senior, Academy, etc..
Basically, we have a similar setup to a top Premier League football club, where it is accepted that the players can only be at their best if they are surrounded by the best people in all of the required fields.
But you just keep using your excuse that we "steal" all the best talent because we used to be a big club if it makes you feel better.
We'll just keep bringing young talent through and helping you to survive with those that aren't quite up to the required standard (either mentally or physically), whilst helping ourselves by keeping the very best of them.
Of course you are Keeping the very best-you are also starting with the very best. A true measure of your wonderful setup would be to show you can develop those that aren't already the very best to be the best yes?
Big Steve wrote: The Internet has provided some wonderful creativity, opportunities and knowledge sharing but it has also given a worldwide forum for people you would leave a full pint behind in the pub to avoid having to listen to them.
aboveusonlypie... If you don't bother to go to the game when you live in the locality then you are not really a fan and therefore your views are invalid. It's simple.