I always thought that John Monie had a massive influence on Robinson.

I think that Monie moved him into his own home & he & his wife looked after him.

He certainly rewarded them with his contributions to Wigan's success.

I think that would be quite correct, Monie sorted out some of Wigan team who were giving away cheap penalties.

He made it very clear that they were letting the side down, making them defend more and burning up energy.

I always rated Monie as a coach and a man.

Gptcha,



If you were part of the set up back then could you let us have a list of other legendary players you rejected as not being up to it. I suspect it will be a long list to make up so after Wembley is fine.



If what you posted is true then it's an even worse failing on the coaches that they couldn't help an immature young lad realise his potential, unlike Wigan.



However, what I've heard is what is said above, it was a straight choice between Robinson and the son of the assistant coach and nepotism won out.

Yeah, Keiron Dixon is pretty close in terms of size. Outside chance someone would have turned him in to a hooker.

Always a threat from anywhere on the field with his pace off the mark especially his dummy half scoots. Best player in the world in the other code when he converted, even other converts like Rogers, Tuqiri and Saillor couldn't live with him. I couldn't comment on his attitude having never met him.

Saw a fair bit of Robinson, didn't see much of Stephens in the flesh until he turned up at Leeds.



He was the more complete half-back of the two for definite. Robinson had all the physical attributes to be a good player, but he was never going to be a scrum-half in the way that scrum halves were expected to be back then - an organiser, a ball-player, a kicker. Stephens had the edge at that age in all those departments.



Had Robinson come along ten years later, when the likes of Rob Burrow had changed the perception to an extent of what a scrum-half could be, then maybe the outcome would have been different. Like I say, credit to whoever at Wigan recognised that Robinson's abilities could be used in other positions.

You surprise me, for some reason I assumed you were on the younger end of the scale.

When Robinson was attracting interest from all and sundry the year was approximately 1990/ 1991.

Do the mathematics as they say.

One of the biggest ones that got away stories was Mick Shoebottom. Ken Trail the great Wakefield coach wanted to sign mick, his chairman at Wakefield was dragging his heels,in the end he gave ken the green light to sign mick.

Ken drove over to micks place of work I think it would have been bison concrete,the gateman said to ken if you have come to sign mick he has caught the bus to headingley, he is going to sign for Leeds.

I spoke to mick ,in ken trails pub in hunslet many years after mick had to give up the game.

I asked him on more than one occasion ,if ken would have got to you before you caught the bus up to headingley ,would you have signed for Wakefield. He never gave an answer either way, he just used to laugh.

Some interesting bits of info and stories in reply to my query (even if I don't know a lot of the names!). I like it when you all volunteer your knowledge in such ways - your wisdom and wiseness is valued (by me at least)

The guy that signed him was "superscout" Eric Hawley, a Leeds man working at Wigan. Hawley also signed a young Ellery Hanley from Corpus Christi in Leeds earlier in his career when he worked for Bradford Northern. Maybe Leeds should have paid more attention to the quality of their scouts back then. To miss out on 2 of the greatest players of the modern era from your home town was unfortunate to say the least.

Eric Hawley also scouted for Leeds, but I think he was something of a freelancer at times. I remember talking to him in the early 70's and he spent hours on the touchlines at both school and local club matches.

IIRC David Ward was the Leeds 1st team coach when Robinson was turned away. It apparently revolved around a game Robinson wanted to play with his current teammates that clashed with a trial match being held at Headingley. Robinson chose his mates and Leeds passed on a future great.



I have in the past posted a picture on here showing a very young Jason Robinson attending a colts training session at Headingley run by one of Ray Abbey or Norman Smith or possibly both.

Think it would have been Norman Smith back then, working from memory. Think Robinson is about five years younger than me, so it would have been around 1990ish?