EVEN before a ball has been thrown or kicked in anger in 2022, Warrington Wolves have a big decision to make.

The hope of everyone involved at The Halliwell Jones Stadium is that Daryl Powell's appointment will take care of the here and now.

However, finding a replacement for academy head coach Paul Anderson is arguably an equally critical call as they look to make sure the future they have invested so much in remains brightly.

Having balanced his role bringing through youngsters from the Wire academy with that of England Knights head coach, Anderson has now taken on a full-time role with the RFL.

> More on Paul Anderson's departure from Warrington Wolves can be found here

Paul Anderson will now work full-time for the RFL having previously balanced his role with Warrington with his position as England Knights head coach. Picture by SWPix.com

Paul Anderson will now work full-time for the RFL having previously balanced his role with Warrington with his position as England Knights head coach. Picture by SWPix.com

His remit is to ensure the pathway to the senior England team is well-stocked – something he appears to have done well with Warrington.

Since he took on his role in 2019, seven academy graduates have made their first-team debuts while three more – Cole Oakley, Morgan Burgess and Tom Whitehead – made matchday 17s without getting off the bench.

While players coming through the academy were not as plentiful as the club would have liked before, there is genuine excitement about the crop of youngsters Anderson has helped develop.

The likes of Ellis Longstaff, Connor Wrench and Josh Thewlis took their chances at more regular first-team minutes in 2021 while it is hoped half-back Riley Dean will have profited from spending the year on loan in the Championship.

All four are likely to see plenty of Super League action in 2022 while behind them is a queue of talent waiting to follow.

Ellis Longstaff made a big impression on the first team in 2021. Picture by Mike Boden

Ellis Longstaff made a big impression on the first team in 2021. Picture by Mike Boden

Burgess, Whitehead and Jacob Gannon – all middle-unit players – are said to be the next cabs off the rank while there is a real buzz from within the club about the potential of Denive Balmforth, a hooker/loose forward who broke into the under 19s team in 2021.

Warrington made a point several years ago of investing significantly into their academy and while it is now starting to bear fruit, there is still much work to do.

Who will be the next player to come through the Wire academy? Picture by Bob Brough

Who will be the next player to come through the Wire academy? Picture by Bob Brough

It is clear they still lag behind the likes of Wigan, St Helens and Leeds, who have all had scores of Super League-ready youngsters steadily joining their first-team ranks for many years.

The aforementioned trio of clubs have all been able to build title-winning teams at different stages and one of the key pillars of their success has been their production line of young talent.

In order to bridge that gap, choosing the right person to build on the foundations laid by Anderson and head of youth Pete Riding, who remains with the club, is of paramount importance.

Of course, it goes far beyond merely the coaching – talent identification too is vitally important – but it is clear Anderson's work has made a difference.

This is another decision the club simply must get right.