As Wigan Warriors hooker Sam Powell prepares for his testimonial against Salford Red Devils on February 5th, he has praised the club’s academy for the players they are currently producing having been through the system himself.
“The players in our academy want to get better and want to improve,” Powell told Sky Sports.
“It’s great to see them coming in as boys, and as they progress to the reserves and the first team, they leave as men.
“The change you see in them is massive. If I look back now on my academy days, although it has gone really, really quick to where I am now, it was probably my most enjoyable days. There was pressure, but not like there is now – and you play with your mates as well so it’s really good.”
He believes part of the reason behind this the brilliant local clubs in the area which of course includes the likes of Wigan St Patricks and others.
“We’ve got some really good amateur clubs [in Wigan] and they want players in there,” he said.
“Now we’ve got an opportunity where we can get in there, we have to do it and as a club more than anything we’re producing our own.”
It is often said that Wigan, St Helens and Leeds Rhinos have the three best academies and that is why they are Super League’s most successful sides.
Thus, Wigan are in a good position to keep winning.
