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We have by far the best academy and junior set up in Super League. Our ability to produce international players is fantastic although this approach is somewhat diminished by selling the same players. We should be there or thereabouts every season but we are not! What is the problem? My view is that our recruitment doesn’t marry with our production of young players. When we have got it right we have been successful e.g. the signing of the Melbourne boys, the recruitment of Bateman. When we have recruited well we have had a great season when we have not we have struggled, this is one of those poor seasons!

Well, we have been, with Leeds, the most successful team over the last decade, so it is only this year that is has gone wrong. We have basically no coach, and coach is by far the most important position in the club. Get Flannagan in, and with the talent available we would easily be top 5. Get him and 2 marquee players (one for Williams), and we will be winning things again in a jiffy, thrilled by Smithies turning into the next Bateman, and Harry Smith learning to steer us around the park.

Exiled Wiganer wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 2:51 pm Well, we have been, with Leeds, the most successful team over the last decade, so it is only this year that is has gone wrong. We have basically no coach, and coach is by far the most important position in the club. Get Flannagan in, and with the talent available we would easily be top 5. Get him and 2 marquee players (one for Williams), and we will be winning things again in a jiffy, thrilled by Smithies turning into the next Bateman, and Harry Smith learning to steer us around the park.

While i agree with you in terms of our recent success - a boat full of holes will still float for a while.

I think weve ridden our luck massively and its about to run out and all i can see is a 2005/6 situation happening again. The club aren't stopping the rot and the past should have shown us that leaking talent and not investing longer term in the club wont work. Over reliance on players that have already played too long will kick us

All teams have peaks and troughs of success but while Saints for example have dipped out of success theyve never looked too far from it. We couldnt look further from success right now, we beat the leagues bottom team by a last gasp drop goal - we arent in a good state at all and relegation is a very real possibility

Maybe, time will tell. We won a lot of matches, and big matches, only last year. In 2005/6 we were already 7 years of poor decisions from a Grand Final winning side. What changed between last year and this was that we appointed a stop gap, who has turned out to be over promoted and left in situ o long. I will wait and see what happens when we have a good coach before concluding which way we are headed one way or the other.

I should say that, if we do not replace Williams, get another marquee player and put in place a good coach, then the future will be very difficult, and not much fun.

It’s great that we have a great academy team and youngsters that come through but all that can go to waste if there thrown in at the deep end with a squad that lacks direction, with average, lack of quality players.
You need a good balance with a squad that can help the youngsters and improve them as players.
We lack quality within the squad and it’s shown, no leadership on the field and no star quality players. You could put Zak in that bracket but with such a weak pack he can’t show his qualities as we get battered up the middle. We need a better pack that can draw players in and create space out the outside

shaunedwardsfanclub wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 1:55 pm We have by far the best academy and junior set up in Super League. Our ability to produce international players is fantastic although this approach is somewhat diminished by selling the same players. We should be there or thereabouts every season but we are not! What is the problem? My view is that our recruitment doesn’t marry with our production of young players. When we have got it right we have been successful e.g. the signing of the Melbourne boys, the recruitment of Bateman. When we have recruited well we have had a great season when we have not we have struggled, this is one of those poor seasons!

Letting your best players go and replacing them with much inferior players.

bertina wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:09 pm

shaunedwardsfanclub wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 1:55 pm We have by far the best academy and junior set up in Super League. Our ability to produce international players is fantastic although this approach is somewhat diminished by selling the same players. We should be there or thereabouts every season but we are not! What is the problem? My view is that our recruitment doesn’t marry with our production of young players. When we have got it right we have been successful e.g. the signing of the Melbourne boys, the recruitment of Bateman. When we have recruited well we have had a great season when we have not we have struggled, this is one of those poor seasons!

Letting your best players go and replacing them with much inferior players.

That's the reason.

Just think if we'd kept Tomkins, Bateman and Sutton, plus signed Hardacker and Greenwood, how strong out squad would be.

jobo wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:13 pm

bertina wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:09 pm

shaunedwardsfanclub wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 1:55 pm We have by far the best academy and junior set up in Super League. Our ability to produce international players is fantastic although this approach is somewhat diminished by selling the same players. We should be there or thereabouts every season but we are not! What is the problem? My view is that our recruitment doesn’t marry with our production of young players. When we have got it right we have been successful e.g. the signing of the Melbourne boys, the recruitment of Bateman. When we have recruited well we have had a great season when we have not we have struggled, this is one of those poor seasons!

Letting your best players go and replacing them with much inferior players.

That's the reason.

Just think if we'd kept Tomkins, Bateman and Sutton, plus signed Hardacker and Greenwood, how strong out squad would be.

couldn't have because of salary cap

Fujiman wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:06 pm

jobo wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:13 pm

bertina wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:09 pm
Letting your best players go and replacing them with much inferior players.

That's the reason.

Just think if we'd kept Tomkins, Bateman and Sutton, plus signed Hardacker and Greenwood, how strong out squad would be.

couldn't have because of salary cap

I find that a far too convenient an excuse fuji.

Whatever happens when players go - salary cap, can't recruit - salary cap, overseas signings - we can't compete with "their" salary cap. Other teams manage it. This "salary cap" excuse only comes from Wigan whist in our current cost-cutting mode

If you remember from the close season, a discussion between the Hull chairman and IL was supposed to have explained that both teams were cutting costs. I wonder how IL feels to see now Adam Pearson is splashing the cash on revamping his team whilst we continue our bargain basement squad filling

wall_of_voodoo wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:52 pm

Fujiman wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:06 pm

jobo wrote: ↑Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:13 pm

That's the reason.

Just think if we'd kept Tomkins, Bateman and Sutton, plus signed Hardacker and Greenwood, how strong out squad would be.

couldn't have because of salary cap

I find that a far too convenient an excuse fuji.

Whatever happens when players go - salary cap, can't recruit - salary cap, overseas signings - we can't compete with "their" salary cap. Other teams manage it. This "salary cap" excuse only comes from Wigan whist in our current cost-cutting mode

If you remember from the close season, a discussion between the Hull chairman and IL was supposed to have explained that both teams were cutting costs. I wonder how IL feels to see now Adam Pearson is splashing the cash on revamping his team whilst we continue our bargain basement squad filling

Call me old fashioned but I think we pay a premium in wages because of who we are (ala as man utd do) but even so you wouldn't be able to pay those players you mentioned their market value IMHO.