Stefano Utoikamanu, Jake Simpkin & Shawn Blore

[Vic Mackey]

Over the past few years its been well documented how many gun players we've let slip through our grasp, whilst signing over the hill guys on big salaries or league journeymen to replace them. Now the fact that we have been able to sign these three kids shows a huge turn around from that club. I am going to preface this by saying that I haven't seen Stefano or Shawn play a minute of footy (apart from highlights), and have just seen one trial of Jake.

Yet here we have the highest rated under 20 prop and hooker in the country who have been joined by the 2018 NSW U18s captain (a side which featured Tommy Talau, Jock Madden and Stefano).

These are all guys who would have been sought after by plenty of clubs (we know about the hissy fit from the Eels over Stefano), yet we got them. Its been a decade since anything like this would have happened. Also keep in mind the clubs we got them from.

Stefano from Parra who have been top 4 two of the last three years
Simpkin from Brisbane who wanted to keep him, yet he moved after they resigned Jake Turpin
Blory from Penrith who pride themselves on keeping local juniours

Any time over the past decade can you imagine us beating these clubs for an in demand young player?

Now we know these kids could all flop, yet thats not really the point. It's showing that our club is no longer a last resort for players. In Maguire, Hartigan (who I believe is behind a lot of this), Hapipantelis and the new COE our club is now becoming an option. You start with the gun kids and then as it improves onfield the genuine stars look at you. Finally our club seems to be turning the corner.

 

[The unknown]

Success starts at the top imo and we’ve laid a nice foundation

Head Coach - Micheal Maguire (South Sydney 2014 Premiership, top 4 3 years consecutively, NZ Coach)

Head of Performance - Andrew Gray (Was part of the coaching staff when the Dragons won in 2010 & Sharks in 2016)

Recruitment Manager - Adam Hartigan (Roosters 2014-19)

These guys were the brains of some of the most successful teams of the last decade. But you pretty much summed it up best, there’s no way 3 years ago those same youngsters see this as a desirable destination.

The biggest scoop for me is Jake Simpkins, although I think Stefano is the most likely out of the 3 to be a star. But in Simpkins case being at the Broncos is a lot more desirable than the Tigers, facilities, closer to home and it’s not like they are stacked with numbers 9s.

To put it short I can’t see us not being a consistent top 8 side in the next 2-3 years...we may very well have our own Fifita and Haas at the Tigers (Blore and Stefano)

But I have been disappointed so many times so not holding my breath

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Love the optimism.

The front office is looking pretty impressive.

No Friday Night games, so I have to make do

 

[Das Hassler]

Over the past few years its been well documented how many gun players we've let slip through our grasp, whilst signing over the hill guys on big salaries or league journeymen to replace them. Now the fact that we have been able to sign these three kids shows a huge turn around from that club. I am going to preface this by saying that I haven't seen Stefano or Shawn play a minute of footy (apart from highlights), and have just seen one trial of Jake.

Yet here we have the highest rated under 20 prop and hooker in the country who have been joined by the 2018 NSW U18s captain (a side which featured Tommy Talau, Jock Madden and Stefano).

These are all guys who would have been sought after by plenty of clubs (we know about the hissy fit from the Eels over Stefano), yet we got them. Its been a decade since anything like this would have happened. Also keep in mind the clubs we got them from.

Stefano from Parra who have been top 4 two of the last three years
Simpkin from Brisbane who wanted to keep him, yet he moved after they resigned Jake Turpin
Blory from Penrith who pride themselves on keeping local juniours

Any time over the past decade can you imagine us beating these clubs for an in demand young player?

Now we know these kids could all flop, yet thats not really the point. It's showing that our club is no longer a last resort for players. In Maguire, Hartigan (who I believe is behind a lot of this), Hapipantelis and the new COE our club is now becoming an option. You start with the gun kids and then as it improves onfield the genuine stars look at you. Finally our club seems to be turning the corner.

And what i also like about having young guys come in from other clubs is it strengthens the gene pool. For me the big trap in developing and holding onto local juniors as the sole strategy for success is that most often the kids and their circle of friends...including family and girlfriends have all known eachother and been a big part of each other's lives for years before the young guys get to the NRL and in a lot of cases they cant stand the sight of eachother by the time they might get to first grade....bringing talent across keeps things fresh and the pressure lets the locals know their positions aren't a birthright.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Story today about Packer going nicely which is quite encouraging and if he’s fit and ready, he will put a bit of pressure on our forwards.

Even the hardest heart would welcome him back into the fray if he’s fit ...and raring to go with the best of his attitude and brutal power.

At the end of the day, the first grade spot should be earned because then it’s valued.

The signing of younger “cusp” players is good. Momo was on a slow but upwards trajectory last year. The trade is better for the players too as they will pick up ideas and further their experiences and relationships.

I’d like see the trade extended until the end of the third origin. The following week the last chance trade for the season, limit of two or three per clubs. It would be pretty exciting. Nobody is going to trade their best players.

 

[macnaz]

We also have the Concord Centre of excellence in the making so overall it's a great time going forward for the club, BUT so do many clubs and if the players dont buy in it's all worthless.
Just glad we have Madge directing them .

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

We also have the Concord Centre of excellence in the making so overall it's a great time going forward for the club, BUT so do many clubs and if the players dont buy in it's all worthless.
Just glad we have Madge directing them .

Big points to Marina Goh for getting this locked in

 

[The Rosco]

Well said, Vic. Great thoughts.
The roosters have always grabbed the best juniors from schoolboy carnivals and Flegg, etc teams. They put these kids into their ( very good) system, and call them their own.
Hartigan is the key to all this. He would have been following these guys' progress for a long time. Madge, the COE, etc are all part of the rich tapestry, but Hartigan is recruiting for us just like he did for the roosters for the last 5 yrs or so.
I'll just pause to let that timeframe sink in.
The recruitment of Hartigan is on the same level of genius as when the Roosters recruited Russel Fairfax( the recently deposed head of NRL salary cap affairs) to oversee the Roosters salary cap affairs.

 

[gordsy]

Big points to Marina Goh for getting this locked in

This is why every club needs football people and business people on the board. You can't have all business as football clubs, are different from businesses but if you have all jobs for the boys, bring back the biff type league people well then you have an nrl that is what is now. Thank goodness we have both.
Imagine if we could piss off momo, reynolds and packer, with another 2 mill to spend we could have an even better roster.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Well said, Vic. Great thoughts.
The roosters have always grabbed the best juniors from schoolboy carnivals and Flegg, etc teams. They put these kids into their ( very good) system, and call them their own.
Hartigan is the key to all this. He would have been following these guys' progress for a long time. Madge, the COE, etc are all part of the rich tapestry, but Hartigan is recruiting for us just like he did for the roosters for the last 5 yrs or so.
I'll just pause to let that timeframe sink in.
The recruitment of Hartigan is on the same level of genius as when the Roosters recruited Russel Fairfax( the recently deposed head of NRL salary cap affairs) to oversee the Roosters salary cap affairs.

Agree mate, that’s where it all begins. We all give the Roosters shit for buying comps yet for every Tedesco, Cronk, Keary, Crichton that they buy there’s the Latrell, Manu, Radleys that they got as kids.

When you have good juniours like we did with Teddy, Brooks, Moses, Woods etc it’s mainly good luck, but when you secure good kids from elsewhere it’s good management

 

[gordsy]

Agree mate, that’s where it all begins. We all give the Roosters shit for buying comps yet for every Tedesco, Cronk, Keary, Crichton that they buy there’s the Latrell, Manu, Radleys that they got as kids.

When you have good juniours like we did with Teddy, Brooks, Moses, Woods etc it’s mainly good luck, but when you secure good kids from elsewhere it’s good management

They also don't cop dickheads either, Look at Latrell , he started to get out of control and they gave him the arse. Willie Meehan, Fergo, Pearce, Carney and others, all quietly told to go else where when they became too much of a pain the arse.

 

[super_coach]

Well said, Vic. Great thoughts.
The roosters have always grabbed the best juniors from schoolboy carnivals and Flegg, etc teams. They put these kids into their ( very good) system, and call them their own.
Hartigan is the key to all this. He would have been following these guys' progress for a long time. Madge, the COE, etc are all part of the rich tapestry, but Hartigan is recruiting for us just like he did for the roosters for the last 5 yrs or so.
I'll just pause to let that timeframe sink in.
The recruitment of Hartigan is on the same level of genius as when the Roosters recruited Russel Fairfax( the recently deposed head of NRL salary cap affairs) to oversee the Roosters salary cap affairs.

Don’t you mean Ian Schubert instead of Fairy Fairfax

 

[stryker]

I like pinching juniors from elsewhere as long as we arent selling the farm to pay for them.

 

[The Rosco]

Don’t you mean Ian Schubert instead of Fairy Fairfax

"insert name of blonde dodgy roosters bloke here". Yeah, it was Schubert . . .

 

[The unknown]

I like pinching juniors from elsewhere as long as we arent selling the farm to pay for them.

Good to be the poachers for once rather than being the ones poached

 

[Tigerm]

Its exciting and great news for us, now all we have to do is get them to deliver.

 

[The Rosco]

Good to be the poachers for once rather than being the ones poached

Like being the pitcher, and not the catcher.

 

[WA Tiger]

I always thought that -within reason - a meal always tastes better when someone else cooks it..

 

[axl rose]

Love the optimism.

The front office is looking pretty impressive.

No Friday Night games, so I have to make do

View attachment 38190

One day they will make a great NRL game, maybe.

 

[Kilkenny]

Shawn Blore is a huge talent but is coming of a knee reconstruction, hasn’t yet played at NRL level so he it yet to prove himself at the highest level. I hope he is a gun for you guys I always hope our juniors do well when they move on from us for whatever reason. In this case it it purely about greater opportunities so I really hope he makes the transition.