Who was the last 'top quality' player the Wigan academy brought through? Gildart maybe (1st team debut in 2015)?

Its not meant as a criticism as such but whilst the academy has always been effective at developing a good quantity of SL / Championship standard players, perhaps not as effective in recent years at developing top quality.

Most of it.

I seem to remember that from from around 2009 to around 2018 nobody complained about our youth policy and how it was brought through, whilst at the same time saints weren't getting the best out of their youngster until around 2017?

I wonder what changed at wigan 2018 and at saints 2017 that changed that?

Oh, and once again and i will elaborate on later, they didn't say roads and IL choose the players etc. They said ultimately they are the ones that sign off on it, they said they had staff that Identifies and researches, they have different people who have input into it including the head and assistant coaches and but ultimately they sign off on the deal.
Pretty much how most sporting organizations work these days.

I haven’t got a clue to be honest with you Grimmy. I’d be surprised with a dad of the intellect of IL if they haven’t got good business skills but couldn’t comment if they the core skills to run a multi million pound sports club.

From what I’ve heard one of his son’s (apologies I don’t know which one) goes on Twitter occasionally to give updates and opinions on the club. Apparently he comes across very well and does appear to be pretty knowledgable about the club.

I suppose another issue could be geography in that they may not want to work in Wigan but live in Oxfordshire

The youth policy has been fantastic and it gives you huge pride to see successful Wigan teams with a healthy percentage of local juniors in it but I can’t help think we really pushed our luck too far in the last couple of off seasons. The set up of the academy system and cutting of the reserves means the jump to first team rugby from the level below is absolutely massive.

We coped for many years losing 6-10 first teams players (a mix of first choice and fringe players) and only bringing in 2 or 3 players and filling gaps with juniors but that happened too many years on the trot and it’s left us with a squad lacking in experience. The pack is just all wrong in balance terms and it’s really hurt us. One thing we absolutely cannot afford for 2022 is to lose more players again than we bring in. If we lose 6, we need 6 replacements IMO and ideally 6 experienced replacements. The four signings confirmed are all a decent age but the overseas lads again aren’t the most experienced but it’s better than it’s been. If we lose Hardaker he must be replaced in addition to signing a halfback and us not just accept a swap with somebody like Miller and then the halfback cap space (plus 75k) reported from last night isn’t being used. It doesn’t sound like they pleaded absolute poverty last night or levelled that we can’t spend up to the cap, so we can only presume they can. Tough to say without seeing much this season but it doesn’t feel like anymore juniors are ready to step up (Matty Nicholson maybe).

Still nothing on Wigan TV

If you currently look at the club website or Twitter feed, last night didn't happen.

Not sure I follow the whole KR and IL bashing here.
Haven't they delivered the most successful decade we've had pre COVID since the early 90s? Completed turned the fortunes of the club around from where we were 2005/2006. They've earned our trust & respect.

Not interested in George Burgess or Shaun Edwards. Old news.
Disappointing to hear Hardaker is likely leaving. We need all the top class players we can get and he definitely is one.
The coach and backroom recruits will be an important one.
Clearly the George Williams rumours were true at the time RE contract offer. Nothing we can do about a player not wanting to re-join (wonder why?). It feels like we are scraping about for a new halfback now.
Promoting youth definitely the right approach but we must not overly rely on youth like we are doing. You need that class and quality/experience to compliment - especially in the forwards.
Clearly the 25% stakeholder is looking at the next stage of the club after IL is (to be blu t) no longer here. Sensible and to be expected. The lack of PR over it could be for a host of reasons.

Huge year for recruitment for us. A new coach + halfback. Not easy to recruit. Very limited market too.

The supposed chat with the WEP, which was supposed to happen today, also didn't go ahead.

To be honest i started writing this reply 2rs ago, had a phone call from a mate and went through an hour and half with him about last night
I know you want to be outraged
But just to pre warn you, even though some people have said that it was recorded and will be show on Wigan TV, I haven't seen that anywhere and didn't hear anyone say that on the night.

Now the reason I say this is if your going to post every 24hrs saying still nothing, then don't be surprised if your still saying it in months and months time.

I mentioned earlier that people were complaing about there being no twitter feed, to be honest, and I dont do twitter etc, I've asked other people and they say they haven't seen anywhere were the club didnsay they would tweet it out, if they did, they did. But I certainly didn't see it.

I can see other peoples replies, to be honest I'm not doing individual replies but!

Are you guys sure that wigan did day theybwould tweet? That they did say they would edit and out on Wigan TV?
Or could it be that someone on here or twitter said it and everyone now believes rather wigan said they would????

Like I say if it was officially said I apologise

Before I whinge I want to say that what IL has done for this club is fantastic and as a fan of the club I am very grateful.

I find this forum immensely frustrating. I cannot understand why the club have not released a transcript or put this forum on Wigan TV for the rest of us.

I’ve no problem with them not streaming it live, it wouldn’t take long to edit out (if there was any) bad language or behaviour that is inappropriate and upload it to Wigan TV, or at the very least state their intention to do so. It kind of feels like they are saying if you couldn’t attend you’re not important to us.

I can only say it one more time
They gave a 2/3minute explanation as to why they didn't want to show it.
It made sense to me, and I can only say that I understand people being suspicious, but their explanation made sense.
Unfortunately I'm not going to explain it because that in itself would lead to more questions etc.

What I will say is that the closed nature of it imo allowed them to be more open about things.
A friend who went last night said that all the people saying it was whitewash etc would have got exactly that if it was streamed etc because by nature the answers given by the club would have to be sanitised etc and then everyone would have said it was a whitewash etc.

Now we're obviously going to go round in circles
And I'm not going to deny that those that weren't here will be happy with this (although I find cadoo and crunchers repkies amongst others encouraging) but i can say that in a very troubled period what I feel (and every person I've spoken to that was there said the same) was that it was a very very good meeting, lots of openness and lots of transparency and info.

They did - [urlhttps://twitter.com/WiganWarriorsRL/status/1430449059278594049?s=20[/url

So another lie to add to the list.

The way they've handled the communication (or lack of) around this speaks volumes.

Fair enough, as I said I hadn't seen any (dont do twitter etc) and the main website release didn't say anything.
What other lies are those then?

The club did say on their twitter feed there would be regular updates on social media.

Edwards.

So I've just found out, and as I say I hadn't seen it anywhere and it wasn't on the website release I saw. Not sure how twitter works etc but if someone has replied saying that I'm guessing it wasn't IL or Rads themselves, however, it is a mistake (or for the rabid few a lie) which i am sure they will burn in hell for.
So I will then say again i haven't seen anywhere were its mentioned about it ever being shown on Wigan tv edited or not so my reply to Tricky was that to keep saying "Still nothing on Wigan TV" when I'm pretty sure they said it wouldn't be shown is a bit futile.
But hey, if it gives people somethig to get angry about good luck to em.

Well I do want "a list"
But I'll start with this for now, what lies did they tell on Tuesday about the Edwards situation ?

See page 13.

I already have
I don't see anywhere where you explain what lies they told?
Just that you know their version of events were lies

I suppose the questions are

If you weren't there, how do you know know what they said ?
And which bit of what they said were lies?

Saying you're going to do one thing via the official club account and then not doing it makes it a lie in my book. Don't know about you but I don't like being lied to and as already said I know for a fact the version of events given about Edwards wasn't correct.

I know because I was told by someone there at the forum who also knows what actually happened. I also know someone close to the process who told me what did and more importantly did not happen during the Edwards process. Saying anything else might identify the person involved which I'm not going to do.

Well thats cleared that up then

Yep, the club certainly cleared up they were willing to pull the wool over supporter eyes. Those that want to can keep drinking their 120 limited edition Kool Aid.

I really have no idea what that means but so be it