I take your point also Vastman.

Though I do think Owen could have played by now, given the injuries we were suffering in the backs a few weeks ago. Her made the 19 but never made the squad. Regarding Bill Topou, he had been injured for a couple of months, and although dont think he is back to his best, having watched the game again from Thursday, he did seem in attack to be a handful, often beating the first man.

Both Owen and Tansey were sent out on loan, and neither side were interested in taking them on permanently.

I would rather fight to keep Jowitt, over both Owen and Tansey any day. He has shown more, in less time, and his salary at the moment is probably about 25% lower than his team mates.

One thing regarding where we are at, compared to the rest of the Super League, is that with Leeds and Huddersfield struggling, with the addition of Wigan and Saints being constantly hit and miss, there looks like maybe there is a shift now as to where the stronghold is in Super League. Warrington, Catalans and Hull have been the most consistent, but I dont think I would call them head and shoulders above anyone. With this, it is very wide open, and there is the potential there for any side at the moment, with a potential clean slate. We are one of these.

I said at the start of the season, and still agree to some point, that we are a bit quantity over quality in the backs. For me, Jowitt and Jonhstone have been head and shoulders above any of the others, whilst the others havent let us down. They all bring something different, but have something in their game that is lacking a bit.

I feel for us to continue our progression, we need to look at quality more than quantity to mount a more serious challenge, maybe reducing the squad size, by 1 say, and bring in a real quality centre.

We did look totally out on our feet against Hull KR, but could this be to do with the players increased training hours put in place pre season, that is just starting to catch up on us

I agree with most comments on here and I firmly believe MJ is worth a punt.
If we're to let the likes if MJ go what is the point of 1873?
As a fan who has stayed loyal to the 1873 cause and helped to develop such players as MJ, it would be nice to think loyalty to this club played as big a part as the lure of money.

Problem will come if Wire or Wigan slap 200k on the table for Jowitt or Johnstone. Are we in any position to knock that sort of fee back? I would guess probably not. Disappointing as it would be to lose either I think with time it is inevitable.

The cautionary tale I believe is generally for the players not the club.

Agreed, apart from one thinG - occasionally some players just want out to a silverware winning club as they see it and no amount of 1873 money can change that. In these cases the club isn't to blame IMHO.

If Hardaker is worth 300k I'd certainly not let them both go for that small amount - especially as Johnstone has a very long contract. However I do agree there will be a cash figure we just can't refuse.

Just a thought regarding the 1873, and raising money through it.

Do sponsors etc, get invitation to the membership of this automatically.

If not, just think of the extra revenue that could be created, say if all the companies involved with match and player sponsorship were invited to join the scheme say at a discounted group rate.

The crux of this one is whether we can/will pay for quality young talent.
If we value MJ as a "senior" player (as opposed to regarding him s an up and coming junior, then the kind of salary being mentioned (50k) doesn't seem excessive.
However, if we are still viewing him as a junior breaking into the first team, then, the salary seems crazy.

This situation could be measured by what we would be prepared to pay a very good quality FB, like BJB or someone like Mathers (based on where he was 4/5 years ago) and if we use this measure, we should probably bite the bullet and do everything possible to keep the lad.

The other issue here is the effect that "breaking the bank" has on the rest of the squad.

There could be plenty of ruffled feathers if other squad members feel that he was getting more than they were or that he was being "overpaid".

Finally, for a young player, still finding his way, playing at a low profile club is surely better that becoming a high(ish) profile signing at one of the top clubs.
Just look at Kevin Penny.
Everyone thought he was the dog's whatsits a few seasons ago and he was being talked about as the next big thing.
His situation went badly wrong and although he is doing ok now, nobody would want to go through those 2/3 seasons in the "wilderness".

Considering how poor we are without him, I'd pay him senior player wages

I've said my piece on this plenty of times in the past - I think young players easily have their heads turned, and agents don't help; it's in their interest to shop their young charges around for the highest payout - and it matters little to them whether the lad in question gets a game or not.

So if Wire have been into Jowitt's ear for some time, as has been alluded to, I'd very much like our club to check the legalities of their approach and, if it's broken the rules, stand up to them for once. If the approach has been legal and the lad's decided to go, there'll be little we can do - we can never outbid them. I really would hate to have to say I told to you so though, when he ends up stuck behind a big que of experienced players and dual registered at Swinton.

I don't know either way but it surprises me that if Warrington are interested in Max, and someone on this board knows about it, why no one on the Warrington board has mentioned it at all.

If he's our first choice fullback then I would think we have to treat him like a senior player, that includes paying him more. We would only go and spend that money on someone else anyway. If he's the long term future we should bend over backwards to keep him.

That's how I see it as well.
Ok it will be a massive wage hike but, if he goes elsewhere, we would probably offer his replacement something similar(ish) and it makes sense to defend our position and send a message to other clubs to look elsewhere.

Our chairman has said that we are no longer a selling club, this is the first real test.

It can also depend upon whether a players sees another club as more likely to win trophies and be continually challenging.Allied to that is the more likelihood of international recognition. If a player wants away nothing will stop him, no matter how much we complain and threaten to withdraw support etc. As I look back names come into mind such as DonRobinson, Bob Haigh, David Jeanes, Dave Smith,Trevor Skerret , and all the most recent ones.

Full back is such an important position and Jowitt is the first choice full back. He needs signing up on a long term deal with a competitive salary....he is a quality player who is only going to get even better.

Max is going nowhere, see the other thread.

That's good news - thanks for clarifying.

That's great news but tbh you could substitute almost any up and coming youngster and the issue would be the same.

But, as with Jowitt, there are always extremes. Were you as bothered when Richard Goddard went to Cas as when Nigel Wright went to Wigan?

Indeed there are. The difference with Goddard IO suppose was that it was mainly potential where as Jowitt has in a limited pried turned potential into reality. The crux of the argument is just how difficult it is to put a value on a young player that fit's with what he,his agent and other clubs think he's worth. Glad it's not me.

Although Goddard was good, he was never prolific.

Nigel Wright was absolute class and I dont know of anyone who wasn't disappointed when he went to the dark side.
Didn't we increase admission charges to try and keep him ?

It's been mentioned loads on here over the years about just how few quality youngster we produce at Wakefield and this is why we end up desperate to hang on to the good ones when they come along.

When you think back as to how long it's been since Ellis and Westwood came through the ranks, it's been a bloody long wait for Jowitt, Johnstone, Crowther and Annakin to break into the first team, rather than just make up the numbers.

I think that it's those lads being in the squad and contributing to the results that is the main reason for our improved form and they need looking after, paying properley and hopefully we can enjoy seeing them develop into top class players.

Well said Wrencat, I fully agree.

Also, as someone else posted previously, both Jowitt and Johnstone are now our fist choice players in their respective positions. This needs to be reflected upon in their contracts, regardless of age.

Older players have come in on higher paid contracts in the past, and haven't made the same impact as these have.

If older players spit the dummy out regearding contracts and salaries, then surely they are big enough, and old enough, to show their worth to the club.

Crowther out on loan.

Wrong, was out on loan.

Until today

And he's 19.