Recruitment is going to be a whole lot different from now on.
The Union signings dried up in 1995 when they went pro. NRL players may now not want to come over due to the new TV deal over there and the weakness of the £ against the $Aud. Also the HMRC rules over the tax scams that clubs used to get around the cap make it less lucrative for NRL players.
So just where are quality signings coming from then?
It appears to me that we are going to have to produce our own. That is Wigan as a club and British RL as a sport. Clubs have seen this coming for some time hence some who've been raiding other club's scholarship schemes as their own town or city and club aren't producing their own.
IL again appears ahead of the game with the rumoured move into Wales by the club. There is plenty talent there and bringing some of it to Wigan will help us broaden the scope of recruitment outside of the traditional areas. These though are hardly being ignored with Cumbian lads continuing to be signed as well as the best of our local players.
The days of big name Aussies do appear to be over. Our three last year were more to do with Melbourne's SC problems than any other reason, although Lima and Finch could well see their careers out at Wigan.
Signings from now on will be completely different from what's gone before.
At Wigan we have the best youth system in RL and I, for one, can't wait to see some of these lads who've been starring in the U20 and on DR.
If we have the best youngsters well why not sign those up who look like they're going to make it in Super League.
We'd be foolish as a club not to sign and develop the best of the best.
There's one thing IL and this management team at Wigan are not and that's foolish.
Those are the signings I'm looking forward to.
