At the moment stands at 10. I was very surprised to find that teams such as Hull KR that have way over 100 years on our fledgling club in a rugby league heartland have as many as 9 of their own.

I find that a lot more shocking than a team preparing for their 3rd year in Super League and only their 6th year in rugby league altogether from a non traditional rugby league area.

Can we just reply with 'look at Rovers' every time somebody has a go at our Aussie Army from now on?

Wrexham is 30 miles from the RL "heartlands" of St. Helens, Warrington, Widnes. That's around half the distance from say Hull to Leeds. Hard to see why Crusaders really need to be allowed 14 overseas players.

Have you under a stone perhaps?

100 year history?

We came into existence in 2007, and you 2009, that's only a 2 year advantage because didn't you know there is nothing below Super League...?

lol, a whole country to yourselves to get players from and you still rely on Aussies!

Because, given the size of the UK talent pool, a 14-team elite league is a stupid idea?

Talking to your fellow Rovers fans?

All SL have too many overseas plauyers whether it comes uner Quotan Kolpak, Grandmother, Grandfather, naturalised Brit, or whatever the loophole might be.

It is a bit of a red herring to state that a 100 year history should mean that a club should automatically be able to call on a team full of locals. No club in Super League can do this. In Hull KR’s case, before entering SL in 2007, they had just spent 20 years in the lower leagues, where few clubs can afford to run a full academy set up. Only with a wealthy backer willing to put his own money in to youth development can this happen. Given that there is little protection, for lower league clubs against poaching from SL clubs, it is very unlikely that the majority of lower league clubs would spend what little money they have on academies.

Thus, Hull KR’s youth development did not start until 2007. They do have far too many overseas players, but I’m sure that will change. East Hull has been producing many RL players for the greater game outside of Super League, and has done so for many years. There is a sport called RL outside of Super League.

Let’s hope that Wrexham can one day match East Hull in that respect, as well as producing some top class international players. With the Scorpions, and with some considerable effort in setting up a thriving amateur scene in North Wales, this could happen.

Well said Pepe.

Just out of interest can some one list the Crusaders overseas players.
I can think of: Tony Martin, Witt, Sammut, O'Hara, Withers, Bryant.

Are Chan, Winterstein, Peek and Schifcofske still at crusaders.

Cheers (sorry for any spelling mistakes)

This.


Thread closed.

Hopefully they will now be able to consolidate and build for the future , but it in no way gives you licence to have a go at any other club

It was just a thread to remind those that point the finger to look in the mirror once in a while.

Not a dig in particular at KR but a prime example was their club so they were used off the top of my head.

If nothing else, and in danger of coming across a bit boy george, I'm looking forward to seeing Big Willie in Super League if nothing else. Stuart Fielden is having cold sweats and waking up 10 times a night just thinking about it.

As is Big Willie every time he thinks of Jamie Peacock!

Martin, Mellars, Witt, Sammutt, O'Hara, Withers, Bryant, Chan, Peek, Schifcofske, Hanbury, Frankenstein

(12 Foreigners at the Cru for the moment)

White, Kear, Dudson, Flower, Turkey & Murphy

(6 Welsh Born lads currently in the squad)

disgrace, kick 'em out!

Is it easier to convert an amateur RU player into a pro RL player, than "produce" a pro RL player from an amateur RL player then?

I'm presuming he means bringing a lad through your clubs scholarship system from a young age rather than picking up a lad of 18/19 and 'converting' them.

Also Gareth Thomas and Jordan James (dont know where they were born but they are Welsh)
Crusaders also have a Welsh head coach. How many Super League clubs have a British Coach? Not many

As long as SL Chairmen and coaches put club interests before those of the national team or the game as a whole, then despite rulings and caps on the number of overseas players any club can have, they will always have the maximum they are allowed. When Maguire was appointed coach at Wigan he will have been briefed to make them the most successful club in the league. To maintain last year's position he has signed three top Aussies in Finch, Hoffman and Adam Blair? You cannot blame him. But if the national teams needs were considered we would be developing more of our own talent and relying less on imported talent. Cricket have got it right according to Shane Warne. A vibrant County Competition with promotion and relegation, which exposes England's youngsters to top flight experience in the top division, which is then called upon by the country as and when it is needed. I know cricket has its own problems (and imported players) but it does seem to be getting the needs of the Counties (clubs) balanced with those of the national team at the moment. Let's hope our game can do the same.

My bad, 7 welsh born... Gareth Thomas is Welsh. Jordan James (albeit proudly welsh) is Bristol born

Hull KR have a much bigger talent pool to call on, they have one of the strongest amateur set ups in the country on their doorstep. Crusaders are part of the plan for building this in Wales. Hull KR have a ready made pool of players to pick from, Crusaders dont.
For them to be going into an SL season with a similar amount of overseas players as Crusaders is pretty pathetic.

This sport outside SL, has little to do with the poor youth development and lack of commitment to young british players by Hull KR.

Why is it any different to 'convert' a player than 'produce' a player? Crusaders cant take responsibility for the lack of progress over the last hundred years in Welsh Amateur Rugby League, so they are getting players where they can find them, this is a good thing.

If young Welsh players are coming through and they are good enough, then who cares whether they are converted union players or lifelong RL players, its a completely pointless distinction which you are only using to mitigate the relative success in this area by crusaders and a relative failure by other clubs.

Heartland clubs can also convert players, see Rory Kettlewell at Leeds as an example. In fact it is something Heartland clubs should be doing, if there is an RU player out there who can add to RL, bring him in, and well done to Crusaders for doing this whilst heartland clubs with all their inherent advantages have chosen to ignore british youth and bring over average antipodeans.

Did you miss the four Aussies which left the club too? Hell you didn't even manage to name the correct players that have joined Wigan.