yeah there is, was the first year last year 13-15 year old

What would the rest of SL do without Wigan and Saints? Other clubs need to step up. Some are showing signs of doing so.

Yesterday I went to watch the local under 15s derby between Thatto Heath and Blackbrook. Blackbrook won 46 - 4 and included in their team three Wigan scholarship players including Nathan Benson and my great grandson Nathaniel Twiss both of whom were on the scoresheet. I cannot understand the previous comments inferring that Blackbrook lads signing for Wigan is a something new. I remember when Nathaniel's dad, my grandson, played in an all conquering Blackbrook side, nearly half of them signed for Wigan including Andy Craig who made it to the first team before going to RU and playing for Scotland. Blackbrook has always been fertile ground for Wigan

I didn't mean that Wigan never sign anyone from Blackbrook just that traditionally its been known more of a feeder club for Saints, in my opinion anyway. Similarly Saints have signed from Wigan clubs- Makinson, Lomax, Welsby to name just 3.

it is pretty easy at that age group to have mismatches, some kids might be much younger that others even at the same age around 16 / 17, key is to make sure all the kids in these age groups progress to their best.

Your attachment has literally proved me right. He won player of the year for his age and division. There is no overall NWC player of the year award. This year 20 players will be 'player of the year' between u13s and u18s.

eh, of course it was for his age and division...the fact you thought otherwise is laughable, his age is the scholarship age now so was relevant, I realise in future I may need to spoon feed you, apologies

If he’s far better than Dodd at this age , then I expect him to skip Wigan and sign for Penrith Panthers very soon. Dodd was absolute quality in his Halton Hornets days , and was courted by several NRL clubs

I didn't, in fact I presented some of those awards

. I said the awards are by age and division, hence you could both be right about thinking a certain player had won 'player of the year', because there is no single overall player of the year.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Dodd go to Aus in the near future.

We did well to keep him 2 years ago. Melbourne were sniffing and have been for some time. This was before he was even playing first team regularly. He has been on good money at Saints from the off due to interest from Australia.

It’s such a shame that all the clubs with good academies look to be getting targeted for raids from down under now. Losing the new breed of stars, like KPP, Pryce, Dodd etc would be tough to take. These are the guys who should be driving this league forward.

The only upside of it is that the international side should see the benefit and we need to ride that for all it’s worth. It’s tough to do that though when the country who is picking these lads off has little interest in competing.

The Aussies have been after KPP and Havard for a while. Harry Rushton is doing well down there. Dodd knows his "value" and won't be afraid to ask for top $. Whether Saints will or can afford to match it only time will tell. It's a shame that we have to lose top talent but I never blame players for taking the opportunity, they're only a couple of injuries from seeing their potential earnings nosedive.

Dodd is a very talented and confident lad - he''ll back his ability in Oz soon enough I expect.

how can they both be nwc player of the year when they played at the same age and division?

They can't, I didn't know what age and division the other lad played in. Not every scholarship player comes from the top division.

no but he said the team and they are from the top division, thought you'd know that as both team won awards that night and you were there presenting

U16's play Huddersfield tonight at Ince Rose Bridge, I'll go down and have a look. Some outstanding talent in that that Wigan team. Kick off is 7 p.m.

Let us know how Noah Hodkinson plays.

Top prospect for wigan

Is he a centre? he was excellent v Saints.

Just read the game was abandoned after a bad injury to a Huddersfield player after 20 minutes.

Best wishes to the lad, hope whatever it is, that he’s ok.

Yes, a neck injury to the Huddersfield player as he went into make a tackle. Wigan were 16 - 0 up when the game was stopped.

He wears a skull cap. I think he played centre against saints. Has played half and full back also

He played fullback tonight, did well.

Wigan had a very impressive backrower in the game v Castleford, Number 12, I didn’t catch his name.