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Parramatta Eels Juniors

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,160
You're assuming the only constraints around a contract are legal ones. The PR angle is massive too. Do clubs really want to be seen to be hurting children? Won't some merkin think of the yoof?!?
 

T-Boon

Coach
Messages
15,150
768full-bill-oddie.jpg

Bill Oddie is a very keen birder. He may even be thought of as an ornothogist first and an entertainer second.
 

Happy MEel

First Grade
Messages
9,377
You're assuming the only constraints around a contract are legal ones. The PR angle is massive too. Do clubs really want to be seen to be hurting children? Won't some merkin think of the yoof?!?
Has that really been tested? I can’t think of any scenarios where a 17 or 18 year old has asked for a release, the club has refused and there has been any negative media. I think the more likely scenario is that the merkins who move on aren’t signed long term or the club they’re with no longer see them as a long term option.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,160
Has that really been tested? I can’t think of any scenarios where a 17 or 18 year old has asked for a release, the club has refused and there has been any negative media. I think the more likely scenario is that the merkins who move on aren’t signed long term or the club they’re with no longer see them as a long term option.
I think it just doesn't even get to the stalemate-played-out-in-the-media stage.
 

Obscene Assassin

First Grade
Messages
6,083
4 years? Is that normal? How old is this jnr merkin?

Yeah usually junior players are signed until the end of 20s. The only player that bucked this trend in recent years was Payne Haas who went from being contracted to the titans, warriors then finally the Broncos before he turned 18.
 

Happy MEel

First Grade
Messages
9,377
Erin Clark
Jackson Hastings
Payne Haas
Hastings signed with the Roosters as a 17 year old and stayed with them until he was over 20. I think it’s much more likely he was on a year to year deal as a 15 and 16 year old with the Saints and then the Roosters offered a bucket load from there. You have conceded yourself that the Roosters seem to focus heavily on recruitment from SG Ball.

WTF are you talking about with Payne Haas? He moved to QLD aged 13, signed a 3 year contract with the Broncos aged 16 and is still with them.

I have no idea who Erin Clark is. Perhaps women’s rugby league is different.
 
Messages
19,103
Hastings signed with the Roosters as a 17 year old and stayed with them until he was over 20. I think it’s much more likely he was on a year to year deal as a 15 and 16 year old with the Saints and then the Roosters offered a bucket load from there. You have conceded yourself that the Roosters seem to focus heavily on recruitment from SG Ball.

WTF are you talking about with Payne Haas? He moved to QLD aged 13, signed a 3 year contract with the Broncos aged 16 and is still with them.

I have no idea who Erin Clark is. Perhaps women’s rugby league is different.

He's Kylie Leuluai's sister.

He/she/it played for the Warriors and Raiders, but I think we originally signed by us as a kid and backed out like a dirty disloyal dastardly deerf**king dog. Other than that he's ok.
 

Happy MEel

First Grade
Messages
9,377
He's Kylie Leuluai's sister.

He/she/it played for the Warriors and Raiders, but I think we originally signed by us as a kid and backed out like a dirty disloyal dastardly deerf**king dog. Other than that he's ok.
Sounds like she gets around. Hardly likely to lock herself into a long term relationship.
 

Obscene Assassin

First Grade
Messages
6,083

Kooper lands Eel deal 15-minute spell alters Diment’s life forever
The Chronicle 20 Jun 2019 SEAN TEUMA sean.teuma@thechronicle.com.au
Photo: Nev Madsen
THE REAL DEAL: Toowoomba Valleys player Kooper Diment has signed a four-year contract with the Parramatta Eels after impressing in Darling Downs school rugby league.

RUGBY LEAGUE: A quarter of an hour was all it took for the Parramatta Eels to be convinced they had their man.

Kooper Diment has become the latest Toowoomba talent to be snapped up by an NRL club, with the western Sydney team signing the Valleys junior to a four-year contract.

Parramatta officials were at the U14-15s QSS Championships in Ipswich last month, where Diment was representing the Darling Downs.

Such was the impression that the second-rower made in his opening game, the Eels knew they needed him on their books.

“They said in the first 15 minutes of the first game they wanted me,” Diment said

“Anthony Field (Eels recruitment manager) thinks I’m good as a left-side second-rower. That’s where I played a fortnight ago when I went down there.”

Paramatta flew Diment down to Sydney to welcome him and see how he liked the area, as well as playing in a fixture for the Parramatta U16s against an invitational side.

“The experience was good to be around good blokes and players from Parra,” he said.

“It was tough, but fun. When you’re playing in tough games it makes you better.”

Diment has the option to move to Sydney to complete his high schooling and link with the Parramatta SG Ball (U18s) team, but for now he is focused on continuing to work hard ahead of the next team camp in January.

“The team will give me a program at the next January camp,” he said.

“They said they wanted to see how motivated I am and how much work I put in at home.

“Having a contract at 15 shows that I am capable of making the big league, so if I keep putting the work in I could make it.

“One of my dreams is to run out of the tunnel onto the big stage.”

Kooper isn’t the only member of his family with NRL ambitions, with older brother, and former Valleys junior, Brock snapped up by the Broncos, someone Kooper lists as an inspiration. “He’s a great player and I look up to what he does,” he said. “He’s one of my role models in life.”
 

Obscene Assassin

First Grade
Messages
6,083
Parramatta Eels Jersey Flegg
1. Michael Cheer
2. Solomone Naiduki
3. Sione Fonua
4. Tuimavave Afualo
5. Nabetelevu Turaganivalu
6. Joey Taipari
7. Bailey Biondi-Odo
8. James Porter
9. Kyle Schneider
10. Harry Duggan
11. Charbel Tasipale
12. Arron Shelford
13. Jesse Cronin
Interchange
15. Etu Vinny Lui
16. PJ Vaigalu
17. Sam Hughes
18. Bruce Ward
19. Peni Tohi
20. Joe Small
21. Ethan Le Blanc
22. JP Nohra
23. Jayden Yates

https://www.parraeels.com.au/news/2019/06/25/eels-jersey-flegg-round-16-team-list/

new player alert: Ethan Le Blanc, hooker from Norths Devils. Played Mal Meninga 18's last year
 

Obscene Assassin

First Grade
Messages
6,083

CONGRATS to Isaiah Vailalo, who has signed a contract with the Parramatta Eels!!
Isaiah began with Mini Miners at age 4, moving into Junior Miners from U10s and has had a big 12 months of representative achievements.
In 2018, he was overlooked for selection for the local Townsville Stingers U16 team but was fortunate enough to be accepted to play with the Mt Isa Outback side. He went on to be chosen for the NQ Marlins side and then made the QLD U16 team as well as the Townsville Blackhawks U18 side for 2019.He recently played at the U18 Schoolboys State Championships, where he was selected for Qld and heads to Canberra for the Nationals in a few weeks.
Isaiah is the second player from his age group to be offered a contract from an NRL club, with Adam Mitchell signing with the Broncos last year.
Both boys spent the entirety of their Juniors being coached by Roy Vailalo, with this team also taking out the TDJRL U15 Premiership in 2017.
Well done Isaiah, what a great accomplishment for you, and for our Miners Club, and we wish you nothing but the best...way to go!!!
 
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