Quote ="upthecats"How much do we think % wise is on the player to make it right to the top?
If you are an outstanding junior (wherever you are) is it your clubs/coaches fault if you don't make it, or the player himself.....and how much blame to either?
We've seen a few go on to great things in the game and do very well.....the first 3 names that would come to anyone's mind would be....Ellis, Westwood, Brough.....
The first two were both exceptional players when they left us.....they left to better themselves in the game, as in winning things, and they were both successful in that.....did we hold them back, hinder them and prevent them being the players they became though? Broughy on the other hand still had issues first time he left....he undoubtedly had the talent, right from academy level....he had to go right round the houses though....including spells at Hull....Cas....us for a 2nd time and a drop to the Championship.....the last couple of seasons he's been great though......where is the blame apportioned to that it took him so long to be an established top quality Super League player?
Next there's the kind of players who looked excellent for us at academy level.....a few I can think of off the top of my head....Handforth.....Haughey.....Snitch.....Morton......Southernwood.....Cowling.....who left us and never quite kicked on and never came back and did any better than when they were with us......granted, the last 3 still have time on their side, but does anyone honestly see them back in Super League playing at a higher level than us?
Then there's the lads still at our club....Annakin, Walshaw, Wildie and Trout......will they get the chances and still have time to prosper for us.....it's still too early to write them off for me......2 of the 4 could go on to decent things.....2 could drop to the championship level like the last mentioned players......again though....how much onus is on those 4 players to knuckle down and fulfill the potential they showed at academy level and some of the promise they've shown when given the chance.....Agar has been criticised, but if these lads step up, come in and do the business week in week out then it will make it harder for him not to select them.....in all honesty though, have any of them given him that headache yet....and why not?
We've had an excellent record down the years with players not thought good enough for other teams but flourish in our colours and play their best stuff.....or players stuttering given a kickstart back to go on to greater things.....Look at Amor & Atkins for two fine examples of that......Amor an absolute beast, and any wakey fan who's watched him for the last 12-18 months knows that....but a coach who's coached Grand Final winning teams didnt think he was good enough yet Agar got the best out of him (despite the odd teething problem).....
Amor is the perfect example I was looking for.....at a great club, around great players under a coach who's won grand finals.....not thought good enough but comes to us....a lesser team, with lesser players and in many peoples eyes a lesser coach but still turns his own career round and will without doubt go on to do great things in the game....
So, back to Walshaw.....I think it's a bit disrespectful to Agar to suggest that he can't see what we all can in respect of the leg speed, turning as slow as a boat etc......there's got to be a large part of that down to the lad himself though....if you want to go on to be a top player in your chosen sport and there's areas where you need to improve then work your town halls off to get there....I still believe him and Annakin in particular could still do very well for us, just need to be patient and grab their chances with both hands when they come along....'"
Absolute nonsense - it's all Richard Agar's fault.
