BEN Lazenby says Warrington Wolves’ under 16s Academy squad for 2015 is indicative of the ‘great work’ being carried out at community level in the town.

Five junior clubs and six senior schools in Warrington provide more than half the squad that is the first rung on the ladder to a professional full-time playing career.

Lazenby, Wolves’ head of youth, junior recruitment and development, said he can only see these numbers improving thanks to the benefit of additional television funding in the sport.

“From the 36, 18 are from Warrington with the majority of the rest from the north west,” said Lazenby.

“We are seeing more and more people playing the game now in Warrington and progressing into the professional ranks and elite development programmes.

“This just shows the great work that is being done at grassroots levels in Warrington and Cheshire.

“With new money from SKY Sports coming in to boost the activity at grassroots level, we can expect the game to grow even more and continue to provide elite level players in our sport.”

Wolves see the bulk of their future elite players coming through their youth system.

Rhys Evans, Ben Evans, Gene Ormsby, Gareth O’Brien, Brad Dwyer, Glenn Riley, James Laithwaite, Ben Currie, Danny Bridge, Joe Philbin and Toby King have all shown in recent seasons that places in Tony Smith’s first team can be achieved after having been involved with the club from an early age.

Sons of two former Wolves internationals are among the 36 that will grow to 40 over the coming months.

The dads of Jack Roper and Louis Wainwright – Jon Roper and Mike Wainwright – gained youth representative honours together in the mid-90s before senior international duty came with Great Britain and Scotland respectively.

Wolves launched their newest squad at a ceremony attended by Lazenby, player performance manager Phil Jones, first team coach Richard Agar, under 16s coach Gary Chambers, chief executive Andy Gatcliffe, past players representative Roy Lester, and RFL head of talent and player development Dave Rotherham.

Wolves under 16s (player, club, school):

Liam Aspin (Waterhead, Saddleworth)

Matty Berry (Wigan St Judes, Southlands High)

Casey Brown (Rylands, Beamont Academy)

Tayler Brown (Newton Storm, Hope Academy)

Andrew Bulman (Wath Brow, West Lakes Academy)

Jake Carter (Barrow Island, Ulverston)

Jacob Chamberlain (Crosfields, St Gregorys)

Callum Corcoran (Rochdale Mayfield, Siddal Moor)

Regan Croft (Oldham St Annes, Royton & Crompton)

Ethan Duffy (Ince Rose Bridge, St Edmund Arrowsmith)

Nathan Filkins (Widnes Moorfield , Ormiston Chadwick)

Rony Frank (Latchford Albion, Bridgewater High)

Sean Halpin (Newton Storm, St Marys)

Liam Hampson (Burtonwood Bulldogs, Great Sankey)

Matt Heritage (Woolston Rovers, St Gregorys)

Brad Holroyd (Crosfields, St Gregorys)

Liam Jones (Beamont Academy)

Tyler Lancaster (Kells, Millom Comprehensive)

Dec Leonard (Rylands Sharks, Beamont Academy)

Bruce Martinus (Thatto Heath Crusaders, St Gregorys)

Harvey Massey (Leigh Miners, Bedford)

Matty Pye (Burtonwood Bulldogs, Culcheth High)

Ellis Robson (Oldham St Annes, Audenshaw)

Declan Rodgers (Barrow Island, St Bernards)

Jack Roper (Crosfields, Great Sankey)

Ben Smith (Newton Storm, Byrchall High)

Fynn Stanley (Rylands Sharks, Beamont Academy)

Tom Sutherland (Crosfields, Penketh)

Alex Tankard (Brighouse Rangers, Brighouse High)

Ryan Taylor (Crosfields, Altrincham Grammar)

Blake Turner (North Wales Crusaders)

Lewis Turner (Rylands Sharks, Beamont Academy)

Louis Wainwright (Crosfields, Great Sankey)

George Whitham (Cadishead, Wilmslow)

Jordan Williams (Crosfields, Great Sankey)

Jack Wilson (Burtonwood Bulldogs, Great Sankey)