gong_eagle
First Grade
- Messages
- 7,655
Whiz-kid lands big deal
By James Hooper | March 02, 2008
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,23304368-5006066,00.html
MOST teenagers are flat out earning $12.90 an hour working part-time at McDonald's. By comparison blue chip Penrith junior Harry Seijka has just won the lottery. Seijka, 16, is the prodigy Penrith have identified as potentially the next Greg Alexander, signing him to a three-year contract worth $75,000 a season. The deal is a record for a future NRL star his age and, like all good halfbacks, Seijka possesses a healthy dash of cheek.
The day after agreeing to terms with the Panthers, the year 10 student went straight to St Dominic's College and told them he was quitting school effective immediately.
Next stop was the shoe shop, where he bought a pair of steel cap boots.
Part of Seijka's contract includes working a 44-hour week as a trainee groundsman at the Panthers' home base of CUA Stadium. Early starts, too, clocking on at 6am each morning.
"I didn't really like school that much. I liked the school footy part but not much else,'' Seijka said.
"My main goal is to try and play NRL one day. Next year I want to try and make the under-20s. I like the way Geoff Toovey played. He was a real hard bastard.''
The Australian schoolboys under-15 halfback last year, Seijka is such a hot talent he was targeted by the master tacticians Ricky Stuart and Wayne Bennett.
The Sharks have his older brother Sterling in the Shire club's junior system, but negotiations hit a snag and Cronulla recruitment manager Craig Wilson pulled the pin.
Bennett spotted Seijka at a junior carnival in Newcastle and instructed the Broncos to chase his signature.
It forced Panthers talent scout Peter Mulholland to telephone Bennett to plead Penrith's case. The club has nurtured Seijka as a junior since he moved to Sydney from Bathurst.
The agent who brokered Seijka's new contract, Allan Gainey, revealed the Cowboys were also interested.
"I've never done a young bloke at that age that's got that sort of money and I doubt that anyone else has either,'' Gainey said.
"He's a great kid, that's the way the game's going. Local juniors are the future and clubs are going to start signing them younger and younger.''
Seijka, originally a country boy, played up an age division in the Panthers' Harold Matthews under-16 squad last year and is captain of the same side this season.
"It crossed my mind leaving but I like Penrith, we've got a strong side and hopefully I can get an opportunity in the NRL down the track,'' Seijka said.
Penrith's long-term plan is to try to develop him into the next Greg Alexander. Panthers coach Matthew Elliott admitted there were similarities between the pair, given Seijka is a tall No7.
"There's no doubt Harry's a talent, we've identified him as a special kid,'' Elliott said.
Seijka's new deal means he will remain at Penrith until the end of 2011 and move into the club's top 25 roster next season.
By James Hooper | March 02, 2008
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,23304368-5006066,00.html
MOST teenagers are flat out earning $12.90 an hour working part-time at McDonald's. By comparison blue chip Penrith junior Harry Seijka has just won the lottery. Seijka, 16, is the prodigy Penrith have identified as potentially the next Greg Alexander, signing him to a three-year contract worth $75,000 a season. The deal is a record for a future NRL star his age and, like all good halfbacks, Seijka possesses a healthy dash of cheek.
The day after agreeing to terms with the Panthers, the year 10 student went straight to St Dominic's College and told them he was quitting school effective immediately.
Next stop was the shoe shop, where he bought a pair of steel cap boots.
Part of Seijka's contract includes working a 44-hour week as a trainee groundsman at the Panthers' home base of CUA Stadium. Early starts, too, clocking on at 6am each morning.
"I didn't really like school that much. I liked the school footy part but not much else,'' Seijka said.
"My main goal is to try and play NRL one day. Next year I want to try and make the under-20s. I like the way Geoff Toovey played. He was a real hard bastard.''
The Australian schoolboys under-15 halfback last year, Seijka is such a hot talent he was targeted by the master tacticians Ricky Stuart and Wayne Bennett.
The Sharks have his older brother Sterling in the Shire club's junior system, but negotiations hit a snag and Cronulla recruitment manager Craig Wilson pulled the pin.
Bennett spotted Seijka at a junior carnival in Newcastle and instructed the Broncos to chase his signature.
It forced Panthers talent scout Peter Mulholland to telephone Bennett to plead Penrith's case. The club has nurtured Seijka as a junior since he moved to Sydney from Bathurst.
The agent who brokered Seijka's new contract, Allan Gainey, revealed the Cowboys were also interested.
"I've never done a young bloke at that age that's got that sort of money and I doubt that anyone else has either,'' Gainey said.
"He's a great kid, that's the way the game's going. Local juniors are the future and clubs are going to start signing them younger and younger.''
Seijka, originally a country boy, played up an age division in the Panthers' Harold Matthews under-16 squad last year and is captain of the same side this season.
"It crossed my mind leaving but I like Penrith, we've got a strong side and hopefully I can get an opportunity in the NRL down the track,'' Seijka said.
Penrith's long-term plan is to try to develop him into the next Greg Alexander. Panthers coach Matthew Elliott admitted there were similarities between the pair, given Seijka is a tall No7.
"There's no doubt Harry's a talent, we've identified him as a special kid,'' Elliott said.
Seijka's new deal means he will remain at Penrith until the end of 2011 and move into the club's top 25 roster next season.
