: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:02 pm  

Surly this is wrong i mean this would indicate that we as a club are taking massive strides

Well i hope its correct, as it is about time more clubs produced players from their academy! You should be commended in that number.

No im not taking the pi$$

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:02 pm  

Sharpy_4a wrote:

The reason we monoplised the leauge though was due to short sightedness from the other clubs.

Wigan was not the richest club in the comp or the most successfull when we turned pro. The four directors only put in 50k each, which even back in the 80's wasnt a massive amount.

We were successfull because we took a chance at full time and it worked. It could easily have seen us bankrupt (which ironically it nearly did anyway). A chance that other clubs did not take for nearly a decade. And to listen to some narrow minded fans, this to was Wigans fault not their own clubs.

I dont want to come accross as thinking the whole league is against us as i dont believe that it is but, untill every club starts doing what is right for the comp as a whole we sill continue to suffer. I have critised the previous administrations selection policy as much as anyone.

We need as a sport to change with the times, something historically we do not do very well. Mo was potentially the most hated man in Rugby League, however without him the game would have died a death as soon as union turned pro.

We as a sport need revolution, not evolution. We need to make the sport better, not more competitive.

Sorry if that seems a little of a rant but loosing players to the other code, cannot be good for the game, even if those players are seen as not good enough past it or never will be's at the end of the day they are potential english squad players who will in the short term be replaced by overseas players, which further weakens our national side!

I've got no problem with Wigans success in the 80s, if it did any harm and I'm not convinced it did, then it was massively outweighed by the positives it brought.

I do however have an issue with fans who pas judgement on other clubs from their ivory towers.

Lets face it timing plays a huge roll in who prospers and who does'nt and if Super League had happened in the late 70's Wigan would'nt have been in it.

You got out of the Central Park thanks largely to a benefactor and good luck to you, I'm glad it happened for you when it did. It could just as easily have not happened and the you would most likely be in the situation that Trinity are in.

If or when we get our new stadium I hope to god that Wakefield fans will be less judgemental of other clubs who are still struggling to improve their stadia.

Some people have little or no humility and short memories!

Thats not particularly aimed at you Sharpy_4a

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:09 pm  

I've got no problem with Wigans success in the 80s, if it did any harm and I'm not convinced it did, then it was massively outweighed by the positives it brought.

I do however have an issue with fans who pas judgement on other clubs from their ivory towers.

Lets face it timing plays a huge roll in who prospers and who does'nt and if Super League had happened in the late 70's Wigan would'nt have been in it.

You got out of the Central Park thanks largely to a benefactor and good luck to you, I'm glad it happened for you when it did. It could just as easily have not happened and the you would most likely be in the situation that Trinity are in.

If or when we get our new stadium I hope to god that Wakefield fans will be less judgemental of other clubs who are still struggling to improve their stadia.

Some people have little or no humility and short memories!

Thats not particularly aimed at you Sharpy_4a

Couldnt agree more!

We were very lucky to be were we where and i for one wouldnt swap all those good times for the bad that have followed.

And i do hope wakefield and other teams get a new stadium as it further enhances our credibilty as a sport seeing new stadia. (i wish we could have one of our own!)

I do type that with a tinge of sadness though as for once all the old stadia have gone, i for one will miss trips to places like Knowsley road, as much as i do trips to wilderspool. There is something good about going to grounds where you cant see properly, but the atmosphere is very often great!

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:18 pm  

Smith isn't really that good. He seems to play well in the big matches, which is obviously a good think but I don't think he's a particularly amazing talent.

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:20 pm  

I do hate it when clubs or fans start calling each others clubs when the issue is a much wider rugby one.

I sadly heard it all on there though and it depresses me somewhat to see attitudes like that.

We had "the cap was designed to ensure junior development" when in fact it had the opposite effect due to Aussie imports being cheaper down to the exchange rate.

I think it is fantastic that Wakefield have changed from a team dependant on overseas players to one reliant on British talent, although i am assuming the 9 Accademy products includes Brough, Blaymire and Southernwood which is not stricktly true.

It has nothing to do with Wakefield or Wigan though it has to do with the rugby league as a whole.

They bang on about Leeds, although seem to forget there wage bill was significantly higher than Wigans in the "glory years", and seem to think its OK for Smith to go to union as Leeds will have 2 more just as good waiting for a chance....if only that were true!

We clearly need a cap, Wigan fans more than any should understand this but one that inhibits a clubs growth is simply idiotic and ensures that we will continue to lose our top junior talent and there is nothing we can do about it.

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:25 pm  

jonh wrote:

i am assuming the 9 Accademy products includes Brough, Blaymire and Southernwood which is not stricktly true..

No not Southernwood but we'll have to agree to disagree on Brough and Blaymire who both spent 2 to three years in Wakefields Academy.

If were going to be pedantic then I'll have to throw in last year's dream team second row pairing of Gareth Ellis and Ben Westwood.

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:39 pm  

If were going to be pedantic then I'll have to throw in last year's dream team second row pairing of Gareth Ellis and Ben Westwood.

So it isnt just wigan who let academy players go then.

Just think how good teams would be if they didnt let some of their juniors go

Warrington spring to mind with Harris and Sculthorpe! Both went on to be men of steel!

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:45 pm  

Sharpy_4a wrote:

So it isnt just wigan who let academy players go then.

Just think how good teams would be if they didnt let some of their juniors go

Warrington spring to mind with Harris and Sculthorpe! Both went on to be men of steel!

We fought tooth and nail to keep both Ellis and Westwood, especially Ellis who actually turned down more money from Trinity in order to pursue his dream of winning trophies.

Gareth has since shown the same ruthless ambition that saw him leave Wakefield by leaving Leeds for the West Tigers in Australia.

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:50 pm  

Got told about this 5 weeks ago and i know what club he's going to

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:53 pm  

The Clan wrote:

No not Southernwood but we'll have to agree to disagree on Brough and Blaymire who both spent 2 to three years in Wakefields Academy.

If were going to be pedantic then I'll have to throw in last year's dream team second row pairing of Gareth Ellis and Ben Westwood.

I think although they were in the system Wakefield did not make them, they had to move away from the club to realise there ability.

I agree about Ellis and Westwood both great players, and well done to the club for recognising and nurturing there talent, frustrating that they were taken or allowed to leave in Westwoods case.

Wigan are criticising for letting there players do the same when they are not reaching there potential in there own environment.