The big-money offers that have
tempted local lads Stuart Reardon and Leon Pryce away from Odsal are proof the Bulls' academy system is producing top-notch talent, insists coach Brian Noble.
The club yesterday announced that Reardon would follow Pryce out of the Odsal exit door at the end of the season.
Noble, who last year handed Reardon his Great Britain debut, confirmed the club had fought hard to keep the
23-year-old back but had eventually been priced out of the market.
'We dragged Stuart off a park at West Bowling playing for their under-18s, so he's been with us a while," said Noble. "But the reality of the modern game is that other clubs
without salary-cap issues could offer him a lot more money than us.
"I tried hard to keep Stuart, he knows that, but at the end of the day, money talks. That's not a criticism of Stuart and it's not a criticism of the system. It's a very short career.
"I don't know what talents Stuart has off the rugby league field but not many people can do what he can on it. He's going to be well rewarded for that at Warrington and I'm proud to have been a part of his development. The fans should be proud of that too. They've helped him along the way to getting himself a terrific contract."
Three other out-of-contract academy products - skipper Jamie Peacock and forwards Lee Radford and Jamie Langley - have all attracted plenty of interest from other clubs, with Peacock believed to have accepted a huge offer from Leeds Rhinos while Radford has been strongly linked with his native Hull.
"If you can look at it negatively then yes, the club is losing another player," said Noble.
"But the positive side of it is that other people are wanting to sign our players. We are producing players of the right quality and long may that continue."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article