I am often suprised at the lack of discussion on here in relation to snippets that make there way into League Express on a Monday morning that affect or reflect on our club. And whilst it may be late in the week I don't have much to be getting on with at the moment so will spend a few minutes putting to words my thoughts on this week's Warrington snippets.

There is a an interesting little news item with a few quotes from Rhys Williams titled "Wolves Benefit From Union Neglect" based upon how we have recruited players from north Wales as the Welsh Rugby Union has pretty much neglected young player development there. Early last season before his injury Rhys was the stand-out player in the reserves for me and must have been close to getting a run in first grade. He is now joined at the club by his younger brother Gavin.

I didn't realise until reading the snippet that Craig Harvey was also Welsh and new to the game last season. That might explain whilst at times last year I thought he looked "out of depth" playing for the Academy. Certainly from his performance for the u20's at the weekend there were plenty of hopeful signs that he has progressed a great deal, and rapidly, over the close season.

With these three and the Evans' twins plus I'm sure Clive Griffith's lad was on our books last year we have six true Welsh players signed-up which together with the Crusaders and Scorpions gives hope for the future of Welsh RL. It also shows that as a club we are willing to look beyond the traditional heartlands in the search for the best young talent.

Next snippet to catch my eye was a few quotes from King about whether top-line Aussies will continue to come to Super League given increases to the salary cap down under and the weakening of the pound. All interesting stuff but the bit to catch my eye was:

"King is one of a handful of former NRL players in Super League to suffer financially with his club, Warrington, .... refusing to countenance image rights contracts"

Now I thought that the given "web" experts had confirmed that Warrington were the club that was to be brought to its knees by the inland revenue due to us being mega-exposed to this issue. Now either the club has sorted it all out behind closed doors without any outward harm or perhaps we never were exposed to the extent the doom-mongerers would have you believe. Either way I think the club can put its knee-pads away as I think we have survived this one without being brought to our knees.


Finally (and after this post I should perhaps join them) what sort of cranks write letters to League Express? Weeks after the event there are still multiple letters maintaining that Morley gets away with murder every match and is the dirtiest player to ever walk the planet. There is even one this week who accuses Carvell of having one "[uof the worse disciplinary records in our game[/u". Has he ever been sent off?

Mind you its not all aimed at Warrington the award this week for paranoia above and beyond the call of duty goes to a J. Crompton from Bolton who in true Fox Mulder style reckons that Michael Maguire, behind a front of respectability at Wigan, is coaching a team of master-ninjas to assassinate the top players from opposition teams. I understand J. Crompton is a Saints fan so we should perhaps be relieved that he is not still bleating on about the RFL's anti-Saints conspiracy to slow the play-the-ball down and take all the skill and entertainment out of the game. We all miss the five quick scoots from acting half - it truly was the most entertaining rugby ever seen.


Anyway that's Warrington in League Express for this week.

Please don't do it every week......

I thought that was a very worthy post and i enjoyed taking the time out to read it. Thank you to the OP. Ignore the trolls.

Yes I enjoyed it too. Makes a change to read articulate musings.

"I don't have much to be getting on with at the moment"

Ha ha.

Really interesting post by the way.

I have read elsewhere that we have signed a further two players from North Wales; Kris Wilkes and Dale Blackmore, who are both Youth Internationals.

How refreshing to read about RL on a RL messageboard. Latchy, if it bores you, stay away. There is no need for comment.

great post.

Really interesting post, well worth the read!

It would be good if the Welsh national team could return to previous strength. Would help England and France develop if there was the possibility of a proper Tri-Nations.

Finally, something worth reading on here. Good stuff, Mr Y.

Interesting post and yes it's great to see Warrington having some Welsh players again, we've had some talent in the past.

John Bevan
Kevin Ellis
Jonathan Davies
Alan Bateman
Rowland Phillips
Iestyn Harris

Not so much with Dean Busby and Chris Morley though

Makes me wonder though, is there any talent in scotland and if so then who is nurturing it?

Iestyn Harris born and bred in Oldham is a Welshman ?

That Craig Harvey has got a cracking kicking game and is an excellent goal kicker. Now, his hands might not be the best in the world right now, and he might be a yard slow, but he's mastered what seems to be one of the hardest arts in the modern game and last week for the 20's was getting the ball to sit up in the in-goal for fun along with kicking one of the best 40/20's i've seen for a long time (he had no angle).

I'm surprised to hear he's only been playing RL for a year, very surprised. I like him, has Tommy Martyn style qualities.

=#FF0000Read the AUP 2.1 Personal insults will not be tolerated.

So you would say that Super League as of now is more entertaining as a product than it used to be? The slowing the play the ball down was in response to the NRL doing it, in a false belief that it would improve play and make it more entertaining. Now with the 2 referees and a better play the ball the NRL is once again far quicker, so it's gone full circle.

It's interesting to note that Mick Potter this week said, "The rucks were slower but there were a lot of calls that need to be looked at and I am investigating that now. I have made contact with Stuart Cummings [head of referees and I am waiting for outcome, but I was not happy the performance of the guy in the middle. I am trying to get him to be accountable like our players are. There were some six second play the balls which is unacceptable if you want to see some good rugby league. If you do not take action then you get a drab game of RL and I feel for the fans if you have to sit though that. I am addressing that with the officials at present." (From [urlhttp://www.saintsrlfc.com/news/2361[/url )

Reading between the lines I think Ian Smith will once again be conveniently refereeing somewhere else when Saints games are on, after Daniel Anderson succeeded in stopping him refereeing Saints matches a couple of years ago.

Ian Millward also recently said that Super League is doomed unless they improve the way the game is interpreted over here as it's a terrible specatacle. [urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/8550761.stm[/url

The NRL at the moment looks 100 times better than Super League. Slow play the balls = Boring. Ultra quick with messy play the balls is silly too, so we need to find the middle ground. Teams with good go forward should be rewarded with quicker play the balls and forward momentum, getting the opposition on the back foot and opening things up. If you are dominant in defense you can stop said momentum and prevent the rolling Cunningham, Roby, Cunningham-esque marches that used to destroy Super League teams.

Whats up lad?...Don't you get the chance to slag of Kev Penny on this thread?...

enjoyed that paul.
makes a change reading summat interesting on here, instead of the usual drivel and name calling.
please make it a regular feature, if not for me,just to get lwf back up.

nice one.

One for the clique.

What's the problem Cullens Pants / Natters still upset nobody wanted to join your "share-a-race-horse-with-a-baldy" clique.

Stick to spreading awful, malicious rumours about people suffering with cancer, its your level.

Can I clarify that personal insults about people's sexuality are ok but not about people's weight.

Strange that because one is how we are born whilst the other is self-inlicted by constantly shoving burgers and pies down your gob.

<throws half sausage and egg barm in bin>

Anything interesting in this week's League Express?

Not really.