The junior footy weight/age debate is back

[adamkungl]

Assuming people saw the video of the giant 7 year old in the Bulldogs junior league.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/sports...lSF&utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=Twitter

That this debate is still going without action after years and years is frustrating. It's not that complicated.

The problem is the way it is framed as Age VS Weight - implying that kids should be divided by one or the other, leading to fears of giant 7 year olds forced to play with teenagers, and then nothing being done.

The answer is Age AND Weight. Can anyone spot a flaw in this system?

example (dont read too much into the exact weights I don't know what's appropriate)
Under 8s
Division 1: Open weight
Division 2: 30kg
Division 3: 25kg

Rules:
-If a child exceeds the weight limit in his/her age group they must play 1 year higher, or in a higher division.

-Weight limit applies only to a child who is at the age limit, ie. a child eligible for under 7s playing in under 8s is exempt from weight limit and can not be forced to move up yet another grade.

-If a district age group only has 1 division, that division will be weight restricted. Where there is more than 1 division the highest will be open weight.

-If a child is required to move up a division/age group and such an opportunity does not exist at their current club the League must assist with a transfer to the nearest appropriate club.

Moving up 1 year is not a big jump. Countless kids play up every week, school classes are conducted with 2 year age differences between kids.
The good of the game, potentially hundreds of smaller kids who's drop out or parents push them away, needs to come before the maybe hurt feelings of 1 giant kid (more likely his parents hurt feelings) here and there.

 

[Clifferd]

No way in hell that kid was 7 years old. Even if he followed the Paul Gallen diet

 

[adamkungl]

No way in hell that kid was 7 years old. Even if he followed the Paul Gallen diet

Well there's another issue entirely but there's no way we can prove it so we work with what we're given

 

[Pete Cash]

Weight limits can help sort out that nonsense without saying why does your 6 foot 4 ,120 kilos 8 year old son have a full beard ma'am

 

[POPEYE]

I've got a photo somewhere of my 40k grandson tackling an U/13 front rower the size of Nathan Brown in a gf

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Its been happening for a while, I remember playing where we had to tackle giants, around the legs btw, I know everyone is taught to tackle around the legs but it usually takes about 4-5 players to bring the big kid. Not that long ago I was the trainer for the Under 8's and there was a similar issue, the big kid would just walk over the top of the kids. I feel for the little kids who just want to play for fun and have to tackle the supposed 7 year old kid.

 

[Nice Beaver]

If they do not start implementing weight division gradings, in 10 years time 90% of the NRL will be Poly's.

People just will not subject their kids to the bigger kids.

Its a sport that is about direct collision.

Little wonder this Auskick shit is rife. That and soccer will get the vast majority of kids if its not fixed.

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

The simple solution is for Sam Kasiano to stop moonlighting as an Under 7's player.

 

[POPEYE]

If they do not start implementing weight division gradings, in 10 years time 90% of the NRL will be Poly's.

Peole just will not subject their kids to the bigger kids.

Its a sport that is about direct collision.

Little wondwr this Auskick shit is rife. That and soccer will get the bast majority of kids if its not fixed.

If the NRL gave more than just lip service to junior RL they would've realized how much anguish there is when mum's are asked if their tiny Teddie will play the game . . . all it takes is to get out and about

 

[Pedge1971]

I've got a photo somewhere of my 40k grandson tackling an U/13 front rower the size of Nathan Brown in a gf

You bought your grandson?

 

[POPEYE]

You bought your grandson?

You've been hanging around AG too long ol' mate . . . throw the water wings away

 

[betcats]

I'd shit myself if that kid ran at me.

Honestly you would think common sense would prevail and you'd just move that kid up a couple grades, as soon as those midgets catch up to him physically that kid will likely be shit.​

 

[T-Boon]

25 years ago coaches would tell kids "the bigger they are the harder they fall" as motivation/incentive to make a good courageous text book tackle around the hip and legs.
One massive problem for RL is that at the highest level that type of tackle (i.e. the type of tackle a little courageous guy who has been taught good technique can potentially apply to a big guy) is essentially an error in todays NRL and will result in a lethal fast play the ball.
Do you even bother teaching kids such a demanding technique when it isn't a fundamental part of the game at the highest level?

 

[Perth Red]

Looking at that video though there was only one kid on the pitch significantly bigger than the rest. If half the team were much bigger than the other half there might be a stronger argument. You cant change a whole system for the odd kid who comes along much bigger than the rest. Any stats on how big a problem this is, or is it a knee jerk to a one off when much bigger kids emerge every now and again?

 

[Perth Red]

25 years ago coaches would tell kids "the bigger they are the harder they fall" as motivation/incentive to make a good courageous text book tackle around the hip and legs.
One massive problem for RL is that at the highest level that type of tackle (i.e. the type of tackle a little courageous guy who has been taught good technique can potentially apply to a big guy) is essentially an error in todays NRL and will result in a lethal fast play the ball.
Do you even bother teaching kids such a demanding technique when it isn't a fundamental part of the game at the highest level?

tbf that old style tackling technique is also much more likely to lead to concussions so maybe its a good thing?

 

[POPEYE]

I'd shit myself if that kid ran at me.

Honestly you would think common sense would prevail and you'd just move that kid up a couple grades, as soon as those midgets catch up to him physically that kid will likely be shit.​

I've said it often before but the only argument junior coaches can tell parents is that 'One day the weight will be a hindrance, your little bloke will catch up to the size that matters"

 

[unforgiven]

Assuming people saw the video of the giant 7 year old in the Bulldogs junior league.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/sports...lSF&utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=Twitter

That this debate is still going without action after years and years is frustrating. It's not that complicated.

The problem is the way it is framed as Age VS Weight - implying that kids should be divided by one or the other, leading to fears of giant 7 year olds forced to play with teenagers, and then nothing being done.

The answer is Age AND Weight. Can anyone spot a flaw in this system?

example (dont read too much into the exact weights I don't know what's appropriate)
Under 8s
Division 1: Open weight
Division 2: 30kg
Division 3: 25kg

Rules:
-If a child exceeds the weight limit in his/her age group they must play 1 year higher, or in a higher division.

-Weight limit applies only to a child who is at the age limit, ie. a child eligible for under 7s playing in under 8s is exempt from weight limit and can not be forced to move up yet another grade.

-If a district age group only has 1 division, that division will be weight restricted. Where there is more than 1 division the highest will be open weight.

-If a child is required to move up a division/age group and such an opportunity does not exist at their current club the League must assist with a transfer to the nearest appropriate club.

Moving up 1 year is not a big jump. Countless kids play up every week, school classes are conducted with 2 year age differences between kids.
The good of the game, potentially hundreds of smaller kids who's drop out or parents push them away, needs to come before the maybe hurt feelings of 1 giant kid (more likely his parents hurt feelings) here and there.

Your post does have merit, the problem I see with this issue and you solution is that putting the bigger kids up one age range isn't going to make a significant difference. A lot of the bigger kids are bigger than kids 3 or 4 years older than them. The smaller kids are still going to be trying to tackle kids much bigger than them, the only difference will be that the big kids are a year younger. If you start playing the bigger kids 2 or 3 years up in grades than you are really disadvantaging them. It really is a difficult situation.

 

[Nice Beaver]

If the NRL gave more than just lip service to junior RL they would've realized how much anguish there is when mum's are asked if their tiny Teddie will play the game . . . all it takes is to get out and about

Mate you assume that that slimy turd in charge has anything but his own self interests at heart.

The FIRST thing any CEO of the NRL should be looking at is juniors and grass roots.

Its such a cluster f*ck ATM that any changes will take some time to have an effect, so need addressing ASAP.

This Auskick stuff did not spring up overnight. It was a long concerted effort.

Sadly, we have a useless turd in charge who seems more intent on lip service and swanky lunches than doing anything to actually ensure the future of the game.

Rant over.

 

[mave]

tbf that old style tackling technique is also much more likely to lead to concussions so maybe its a good thing?

Much more likely cause no-one gets taught it properly anymore perhaps?

 

[thorson1987]

The simple solution is for Sam Kasiano to stop moonlighting as an Under 7's player.

Junior Paulo playing under a different name again.