Agreed, though obviously the benefit of pokie funding in rl in nsw and Q’land means it’s a bit different here. I’m sure if the nrl clubs had to pay for jnr development it would be very different. Nrl clubs should run the elite u16, U18 etc and the state bodies manage the jnr systems which is kind of what happens in reality but it doesn’t stop the likes of the nrl panthers whinging at losing players developed by the panthers pokie company.
Long gone are the days (you will find an exception here or there) where players, in any sport that I've been involved in, want to play for their local club, they just want to play at the highest level they possibly can.
Not only that, taking away junior development from the clubs removes the complexity and arguments around other clubs poaching juniors who have had a tonne of money sunk in to them.
If we take the last 20 years as an example the largest rugby league junior nursery, Penrith, has won one competition. Parramatta and Wests Tigers have won one between them. Yet the Roosters have been in 7 Grand Finals and won 3 competitions.