NRL Scouting Combine?

[Gallus Gallus]

I've recently discovered the NFL's Combine scouting program which is a series of sport specific tests assessing speed, strength, power, agility as well as position specific skills. Some of events include 40yd dash, bench press and agility marker sprints. This has got me wondering why doesnt the NRL have a scouting program similar to this? whereby hopeful schoolboy league players have the opportunity to show what there made of and compete against each to decide the fittest, stongest and fastest and to also help earn them a contract or trial with a club. I think this event would prove very popular and would be similar to " Australia's Greatest Athlete" but would only include only those events specific to rugby league. heres a link to the website http://www.nfl.com/combine and post your thoughts?

 

[adamkungl]

tbh I prefer young players to show what they're made of on the field. What's wrong with the current system of clubs doing their own scouting?

 

[Raider_69]

NFL and RL whilst sharing some attributes are complete different sports

most of those tests are designed to test out the athletes explosion, which is an absolute vital componet of an NFL player, due to its stop start motion, they are explosive athletes, you see them run 100 yards and they are straight off on the oxygen tanks, they have no endurance what so ever.

RL is a continuous sport, you need muscular endurance to play this sport and subsiquent explosive power isn't as vital. So the tests wouldn't be a true indicator of what holds an athlete in good stead for a RL career

If you specified the program to be for endurance events, as per RL, no one would be interested because endurance events would likely be slower and far less entertaining. The beautiful thing about the NFL combine is a 40 yard dash takes 5 seconds, the cone drills about 4 and 8 seconds each. They are explosive and somewhat exciting, they are over in a matter of seconds and they results are instant...

seeing a front rower limber up 10 metres, run back, come up, run back 6 times to simulate a NRL defensive set of 6, would be boring as bat sh*t

Nobel idea but i just dont think it would translate into the NRL

 

[Shorty]

I'd daresay that backline footy players definitely need explosive power.
I think it'd be a good concept, but I don't think it's needed.

 

[Noa]

a combine as such wont work in the nrl. However i do think all clubs should be required to do there own tessting and make the results public, rather then the juvenile secrecy some clubs persist with

 

[Raider_69]

I'd daresay that backline footy players definitely need explosive power.
I think it'd be a good concept, but I don't think it's needed.

Im not saying they dont need explosive power, im just saying that is pretty much the bread and butter of NFL athletes. They are explosive athletes, and nothing else. NRL players whilst explosive arent nearly as explosive as NFL players, because they dont train to be

The drills that would be applicable to RL wouldnt be nearly as exciting to watch as those in the NFL, which are short, sharp, explosive actions. RL would require drills that test endurance aswell, which tbh, would be boring

 

[macavity]

I'd daresay that backline footy players definitely need explosive power.

yup, those backline stars like Fui Fui Moi Moi, Richie Fa'aoso and Dave Taylor....

Well, I guess in the case of the last one he does spend most of his time in the centres....

 

[Collingwood Storm]

NFL Combine and AFL Draft Camp are done because the teams can't just go out and sign the best young talent available.

Unless the NRL have some sort of draft for the young players coming through then there it would be pointless having something like this.

 

[ozjet1]

it's an absolutely pointless exercise in the NRL. it's used as a recruitment aid in the NFL, and also, the AFL (similar concept ripped of the NFL which they call the 'draft camp' tailored for attributes required for Australian Rules) because it allows all clubs to evaluate prospective recruits physical attributes prior to selection in the draft. the draft is the primary recruitment mechanism for new players in their leagues.

the NRL doesnt have a draft. as is the case in soccer, NRL recruits are juniors or come through feeder clubs, so are already recruited if they possess any talent. there's no need for such an evaluation at league level.

a lot of the time, the results dont reveal much anyway. if anything, they can actually cloud recruiting judgement IMO. some players might be fairly average in these tests, but possess the smarts on the gridiron/footy field to be outstanding. on the flipside, some players might be absolute beasts in the tests, but actually useless on the field - like Vernon Gholston.

 

[Crooky83]

hey Team,
Found this very interesting. I'm well aware of the COMBINE in the NFL. Some of theses tests are being used to test rugby league athletes. (depending on the strength and conditioning coaches)

With entertainment purposes aside, are most of you saying that you really wouldn't like to know who the fastest, strongest, fittest, most powerful (rl specific ofcourse) new talent are?

Without having to watch the tests, would you like to see the results?

 

[Loudstrat]

Given that the NRL would run it, only kids interested in the NRL would partcipate anyway.

That aside, a youth olympics (if that is what you are getting at) would be awesome.

 

[StormHi]

I really love the idea of a draft "The Draft is one really exciting facet of the NFL and IMO it would help spread the talent evenly across the board to an extent with the proper restrictions etc. I like the idea of a test day.

 

[BranVan3000]

Im not saying they dont need explosive power, im just saying that is pretty much the bread and butter of NFL athletes. They are explosive athletes, and nothing else. NRL players whilst explosive arent nearly as explosive as NFL players, because they dont train to be

The drills that would be applicable to RL wouldnt be nearly as exciting to watch as those in the NFL, which are short, sharp, explosive actions. RL would require drills that test endurance aswell, which tbh, would be boring

Endurance can be trained into explosive athletes. If you're scouting you are looking for raw talent

 

[Eels Dude]

A Melbourne fan would say that given they don't produce juniors.

Such an idea doesn't interest me. Most of the time the strongest and fastest players at the gym or in sprint testing aren't the strongest and fastest on the football field.

 

[Crooky83]

Not really the direction i was headed. Youth olympics is already a reality within national schooling events and / or little athletics.
I was thinking More specific to Rugby League. I understand it would be limited to players only. I thought it would be a great place to start for selectors looking for different physical attributes. Regardless of talent, the more successful modern rugby league players are either freaks of speed, size, power and / or strength. Without that PLUS talent of course the "genetically challenged" players don't have much of a chance in the future of Rugby League. The only exception to this rule IMO is in the halves because of the success of past and current halves. Their physical attributes have to be somewhat acceptable to play so well - But it does make me think - someone with Thurston or Johns talent PLUS freak speed, size, power and strength to compliment would certainly be an eye opener.
I guess my main point is that i've been involved with selectors as a newcastle Knights junior who look for FAST wingers, Big and fast centres and then they "teach" them the skills needed to survive in the NRL. With an available list of physical attributes for each player (updated annually) - finding a massive, fast, powerful and extremely fit front rower would definitely have me GO to them to see how they play and put them in the eyes of selectors.
It's now a game of speed, endurance and power amongst men built like brick shithouses so it kind of makes sense to target physical attributes when scouting for players.
Wishing you all a very merry xmas and happy new year too.
Long live Rugby league.

 

[Crooky83]

Not really the direction i was headed. Youth olympics is already a reality within national schooling events and / or little athletics.
I was thinking More specific to Rugby League. I understand it would be limited to players only. I thought it would be a great place to start for selectors looking for different physical attributes. Regardless of talent, the more successful modern rugby league players are either freaks of speed, size, power and / or strength. Without that PLUS talent of course the "genetically challenged" players don't have much of a chance in the future of Rugby League. The only exception to this rule IMO is in the halves because of the success of past and current halves. Their physical attributes have to be somewhat acceptable to play so well - But it does make me think - someone with Thurston or Johns talent PLUS freak speed, size, power and strength to compliment would certainly be an eye opener.
I guess my main point is that i've been involved with selectors as a newcastle Knights junior who look for FAST wingers, Big and fast centres and then they "teach" them the skills needed to survive in the NRL. With an available list of physical attributes for each player (updated annually) - finding a massive, fast, powerful and extremely fit front rower would definitely have me GO to them to see how they play and put them in the eyes of selectors.
It's now a game of speed, endurance and power amongst men built like brick shithouses so it kind of makes sense to target physical attributes when scouting for players.
Wishing you all a very merry xmas and happy new year too.
Long live Rugby league.

 

[Billythekid]

I hate the combine and the way the NFL scouts for talent. Keep that sh*t away from the NRL.

Edit:Ok that stuff above sounds sort of reasonable and i am ok with that. As long as these tests don't become deciding factors for picking players. If it's just a way of identifying talent so you know who to keep an eye on that's ok.

 

[eozsmiles]

The combine takes on added emphasis because of the draft. Since all players are out there and available to be picked up by anyone, it makes sense for the workouts to be done publicly and in one spot rather than do a 2 day training run at 30 different cities. In RL the players are already signed up at this point so it doesn't matter. Plus the draft is massive in the USA, nobody in Aust cares about junior sport or feeder level comps, but in the USA the NCAA is humongous. ESPN probably could get a few million people to watch these kids go through their paces. It would be hard to find a RL fan that can name twenty U/20 players.

One thing that would appeal to many RL fans is that with the American system the rich powerful clubs don't have a mortgage on junior recruitment. You can't just send a scout to a junior tournament and sign up 50 kids, they have to go through the proper procedure that is designed to give every club a fair shake at recruitment. That should please all the Manly, Bronco, and Rooster haters out there.