Ricky Wright

[Monte2carlo]

And here lies the problem, DRINK.

How many times last season did our little superstars not want to travel on Saturdays last season hmmm

Monte

[whitehavenRLforever]

I  know  a  few  of  the  acadamy  lads  and  whilst  they  keep  themselves  fit ,   many  haven't  got  it  to  go  that  extra  mile  as  they  say.  There  happy  to  pick  up  a  wee  bit  of  cash  playing  acadamy  and  maybe  the  odd  chance  of  1st  team   but  they  don't  have  that  desire  to  kick  on  and  be  another  Haven  legend.

When  you  look  at  teams  like  Wigan, Saints, Leeds  or  any  other  SL  side  they  have  quite  a  few  U21's  coming  through  playing  regular  1st  team  football.  We  don't  and  were  now  having  to  rely  on  ageing  players  hanging  on  in  there  to  get  by.  Either  some  of  these  lads  come  on  soon  or  were  going  to  be  in trouble.  We  can't  rely  on  the  BOD  bringing  in  outside  players  or  overseas  lads  all  the  time.

IMO  this  is  the  crossroads  for  quite  a  few.  I  know  there's  a  bit  of  competition  for  places  and  some  will  feel  how  can  they  drop  a  travelling  bloke  for  a  local  one  but  for  me  the  chance  is  there  for  a  few  under  PC.  Question  is  how  many  are  prepared  to  go  that  extra  mile  to  get  it ?  Only  time  will  tell

[haven lad 06]

The academy lads who play for wigan saints leeds bradford etc know they can make a living for themselves if the play regular first team rugby in super league our academy lads cannot do that they have other jobs and another life outside of Whitehaven rlfc

[cbandg01]

'scuse me,

Why can't our Academy 'lads' (god bless them) see they can make a living out of RL by playing in the Academy at 'haven, as opposed to those doing so in SL teams?

If SL Academy players can why can't our lot.

Lets not be soft on our Academy players or expose our own daftness on this subject.

If any Academy player applies himself and reaches the right standard they will make a living by finally making it to SL............look at those Cumbrians who have made it in SL teams in the past......

OR

........are you suggesting that none of our lot have enough belief in themselves to apply themselves and try for it , by pushing to improve their individual standard and get spotted by a SL team while doing their very best at 'haven ?

I think you are ....... and YES unfortunately I think that is the problem with some of our Academy players ... they get some cash for playing (to add to their existing earnings), .......and they don't seem to have enough (or in some cases any) ambition to see the bigger picture of the possibility of regular exposure in first the team and possibly SL. (Easy money and Sat night recognition is all they aspire to)

If they don't try to fly with the eagles they scrat around with the chickens .... so what do we have in our Academy ?  Those who want to be eagles or chickens ?

As I said earlier, hope Cresta can bring the eagles out in the few who have the potential ... but don't presently realise they have it.

[haven lad 06]

how am i being daft? because i think people playing in a super league acadamy team will think they have a better chance of making a living off rugby then people in a NL1 team? they are 17-20 odd year old lads who probably want to go out and enjoy themselves i cant be certain but i would put money on young lads who play rugby down leeds bradford wigan etc go out and get drunk on a weekend is it not just possible that they are better players?

[whitehavenRLforever]

I  think  several  of  the  acadamy  lads  if  they  applied  themselves  like  their  counterparts  at  Wigan, Leeds  etc  etc  then  they  could  be  almost  if  not  just  as  good.

Big  difference  is  the  lads  at  SL  level  want  it  that  bit  more so  are  prepared  to  put  that  extra  in  to  get  it.

[Monte2carlo]

I think there is a pattern developing here.

Our u21 could be as good as SL or if they applied themselves they could  be first teamers.  Could the coaching staff be at fault in not encouraging them enough ?

Monte

[shavenhaven]

I think there is a pattern developing here.

Our u21 could be as good as SL or if they applied themselves they could  be first teamers.  Could the coaching staff be at fault in not encouraging them enough ?

Monte

A big reason is also money, a player who works with me gets ?30 for a game but if he is asked to work the weekend he gets almost ?300 extra from his employer.
Its a big difference and lads cant be expected to turn down work from their main income just to play rugby.

[Keith]

You can blame all sorts of reasons for the young lads of today not performing to the best of their ability but in my book it boils down to a lack of 3 things.

Attitude - too many think they are immediate superstars without having to put in the hard yards first.
Desire - not many show a great sense of desire to get to the very top, maybe because they have everything they want at an early age!!!
Honesty - too many like the drink and I'm sorry but excessive drinking and RL don't go together in the modern game.    They can kid themselves if they wish that it does but they will only end up on the scrapheaps of young hopefuls.

[jonah1]

There is alot of you out there talking alot about fordy, shackley, bamba etc, and nobody has mentioned pobs! The season before last he won supporters player of the year. Last season although he got a couple of injuries he was ever present in that squad. And also you say about them not applying themselves and being too much of a **** head. Pobs goes fell running up dent twice a week, and hardly goes out.