It's pretty easy to focus on the imports, but in reality Wakefield have probably more home grown talent IN THE LEAGUE than just about any other team, the reality is that decent English players are at such a premium and we lack the funding to keep our best players.

Currently playing we would have a 1-17 that either started at trinity or were given a second chance by the club, I am sure I don't really need to list them ..
Brough, Moore, Atkins, westwood, murphy, Pitts, griffin, Ellis, ferguson, Hudson, fox, not to mention the current squad players and all the ones that are playing in the lower leagues that nearly made it

Those so called second rate Aussies have actually kept our club in sl

Mason, Snitch, Griffin, Griffin, Wildie, Davey, Morton, Walshaw, Wood

Yes they have but the idea now is that clubs shouldn't need to rely on quick fix, short term, second rate overseas players. Hopefully the security of 3 years, the introduction of the 1873 lottery and the stability of the new owner will see us moving away from the need to keep using these players.

Tongia, Winterstein & Leano all come over mid season in the last 2 years- how much do you recon that cost us? Flying half way round the world and relocating costs a fair few quid.

Maybe if we hadn't wasted Christ knows how many thousands of pounds on dross such as Lionel harbin, Alfie Songaro, Albert Talipue, Clinton O'Brian, Dallas Hood, Julian O'Neil, Frank Watene and many many more back in the day then we could have afforded to maybe keep the likes of Mason, Jackson, Hudson Westwood and then we wouldn't need to be drafting in the likes of Tim Smith, Vince Mellors, Sam obst (?) and other 2nd rate imports and journeymen.

Maybe with the money we are paying Mellars and Collis we could have had more of a chance of keeping Murphy.

The club and the coaching staff are fully aware of this need and we will hopefully see progress in this area over the coming years. The current junior players have a challenge to rise to the level required - physically and mentally - for SL - it's theirs if they want it!

I think the goal is to achieve what you've described above, but there is some recognition that it can't be done this season, so there has been some recourse to journeymen and imports. If we're still doing it at the same level in years 2 and 3, I'll start to worry.

I accept we kept our place in SL at Cas thanks to overseas players and from my memory there was Rooney + 1 gb player in the first 13 and if not for them we would be in oblivion. In fairness to those players, it meant a lot to them as well.(what was the team that day anyone?)
Last year, with minimal funds, we unearthered Johnson and Mariano who now look to have good prospects for an SL future. Mariano was way back behind 10 or more overseas players at HKR and their fans will see this as a big loss.

I understand the thought process, but who will be our Johnson/ Mariano from this seasons signings.
If SL clubs all made a mutual agreement to reduce the numbers, regardless of residency etc, we would still support our teams as it would be a level playing field, bank balances would improve and maybe England.

Wasnt it the Bradford game we only had March, rooney & Griff out of the 18?

I understand what people are saying with respect to building the squad up over a number of years to gradually include less overseas players, but my argument is that there are at least three of the current six and the potential eight overseas players who are not needed right now.

If the club forever looked to get around the loop holes they will never find themselves in a position to reduce its reliance upon them. There will always be an excuse, and there has been since the club made it back into the top flight. The only reason the young kids got their chance last season was down to the financial situation, as soon as the imports could oust them they did, and it could be argued that as they were introduced the performances of the team somewhat waned.

As I said early, drop one of Mellars or Collis, Tony and Southern and would the squad be hugely weakened? I think not.

Southern will be one of our best forwards next year, he is a quality player. I'd have loved Murphy to stay but to sign him would have probably cost what we are paying Mellars & Collis combined, thats the premium put on English players these days, even ones that are far from world beaters like Murphy. So which gives the most value for money to a club that can't spend the full cap yet and can't attract top class internationals? Sorry but the club are going down the only real path available right now to them if we want to be competitive. The difference this time will hopefully be that we have people in charge who know how to build a sustainable business and grow it so in three years time we can start moving down the preferred english player route. Until then we will have to grin and bear it.

I know absolutely nowt about what the players earn but most things boil down to simple economics and so there is probably logic in what you say.