AFTER years of berating the town of Warrington for not punching its weight when it comes to producing its own rugby league players I am only too pleased to see a few promising talents poke their noses through .... including three at Saints.

Andre Savelio, Matty Fleming and Duggie Charnock are three starlets who have been enticed to Langtree Park — and all three show considerable promise.

For years it was hard to fathom how towns like Oldham, Leigh and Featherstone could continue to generate international players, despite seeing their professional club outside the top flight, when a town as large as Warrington has not produced its own full Great Britain international since Mark Forster was flying down the wings in 1988.

It is a strange one, particularly as the Wire are, along with Saints and Leeds, part of that select group that has never dropped out of the top flight.

It is clear that more young players are coming through from the banks of the Mersey - and at their club level they are now pushing juniors through.

If a few of those in Warrington slip through their net and end up heading this side of Burtonwood then it is long overdue.

Let’s face it the Warrington club over the years has benefited massively from the input of gifted St Helens individuals.

This is by no means anywhere near a complete list - but it was Thatto Heath’s finest Alex Murphy who got the ball rolling at Wilderspool in the early 1970s - succeeding another Saint in Peter Harvey.

And in Murph’s time in charge Dave Chisnall and Derek Noonan played key roles in their trophy haul.

His successor Billy Benyon came within a chronic April fixture list of taking them to their first league title since 1955 - and again among the players were St Heleners Ken Kelly, Ian Potter and Brian Case.

Paul Bishop starred in primrose and blue in their 1986 Premiership win and obviously it was Lee Briers who was their talisman in guiding them to Wembley success in the noughties.

So in a way - I am really glad Warrington are beginning to pay their dues following on from their down payment of Hayes, Haigh and Leathem in 1996!

That said, it is swings and roundabouts.

And Saints have benefited hugely in the past from a strong Wigan input.

How much did Saints fans count their blessings that the Riversiders missed Chris Joynt and discarded Sean Long?

Still that is only justice for the Pie-eaters snaffling Andy Platt and Gary Connolly in their prime.

Swings and roundabouts - and there are plenty more on that with Tommy Makinson and Matty Smith showing that in the current era.