Has the club published a short-term/mid-term/long-term strategic plan and made it availlable to the public?
If so then the fans' forum would be the arena to measure progress against targets.

It is often used as active recovery directly after the end of the season ie it is active shares simillar demands of the energy system, improves handling and keeps the body ticking over while getting away from the rugby overkill.

Adam Foggert was also a good basketball player although his brothers or cousins not sure which took it on and became England Internationals (although granted i think at the time that may not have been that difficult).

another agent Milward signing - Wayne McDonald, I still can remember that season, despite me trying not to

When we were starting the Liverpool Buccaneers some years ago there were two lads came over from the Wirral. Alex Asher and Ollie Cooper.

Alex was signed by Mike Rush for Saints within days after seeing his height and pace. Alex played up to the U21s for Saints and in the same team this year. Out with a foot injury now.
Ollie was signed by Rushy when he turned 16. I saw him at 15 and although he'd never played League he could catch and pass a ball all in the one movement. Looked a natural. Again played U18 and I think U21s for Saints. Had a lot of injuries so now gone back to Caldy RU.

These were the only two lads from the Wirral and the two were signed. There are 17 Union clubs over here almost all with 4 teams inc colts. I've spoken to people from Saints and Widnes and they are not interested at all in scouting this area. I just think there are bound to be quality players in numbers and they are worth looking at.

Striking that Wigan's top five all time try scorers were from Union. Boston, Offiah, Lake, Norgren & Ring, as was our top points scorer Jim Sullivan.
None of them found at Pats or Judes.
Rouges has a very good point here and one which I agree with him the club should take up.

I'm not going to start naming clubs and people but I know someone who took their child away from one amateur club and on to a more high profile amateur club due to scouts only ever watching his previous club once. Now a scout from Wigan, Widnes, Warrington, Saints or Leigh sees him each and every week.

Did Millward sign him?

This is fast becoming one of the sorest points in local amateur RL. But I don't blame amateur clubs for looking after their own interests. I blame the people at Wigan RL who don't even cast an eye over all the amateur clubs in Wigan, let alone all the clubs in the NW.

Its stunning really. I have been involved in recommending 2 players to the club that the club would never have known about as they were playing in Yorkshire, there is 0 network over here as far as I can see.

Look at the NRl model where an ex-player like Artie Beetson is employed by the Roosters and travels the length of the country and the Pacific Islands looking for talent yet we look no further than the end of our noses.

And sometimes, ref my post above, they don't even seem to be looking that far.

its the same at alot of clubs. Saints favour Blackbrook and Thatto Heath, as they are our chairmans favourite clubs. its hardly hard to go to different clubs each week.

In my opinion the coaches of all the local clubs should be used as scouts and made to feel a part of the main set up, each club should work to build up relationships with all the clubs in the area, with open dialogue so they can be used to recommend certain strong players at there club, not just a select 1 or 2 clubs.

A scout in my opinion should be employed out of the area NOT in the area when with a bit of basic people skills, throw a bit of kit at the coaches make them feel a part of the clubs structure even on a basic level they can be used to highlight the best local talent.

Its stunning that a brand professing to be as big and world renound as ours basically harvests 2 clubs for talent id.

thats a very good idea

No mate its just common sense soething that seems in short measure in our game.

It would be so easy to do.

Chuck some kit at them (tracksuit etc) a quarterly coaching clinic with the players and staff make them feel a real part of the future of the club. They recommend players as the initial scout then the club send someone to watch them and give them the pro analysis.

To me the role of a scout is not to look at the local kids they should take care of themselves and require little effort, a scout should do just that look at the bigger picture ie nationally with a view to unearthing some of the undiscovered gems that will undoubtedly be going undiscovered in a far flug corner of the country, its all about being proactive and not relying on an attitude of apathy.

It's a very cheap way of doing it too.
When does your fans forum start tonight?

I think you are wrong there. My lad plays for another team in St Helens and scouts watch his team regularly.

You won't get in.... It seems that Warrington fans have bought all the tickets for this too!!!

I'll lock this and when the 'exclusives' from the FF come on, they can start a new thread to save confusion.