18th club, whose next?

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Great to see the Storm really focus on their HM and SG Ball programs, big positive

They should have done it years ago. They're only doing it now because the well is drying up in Queensland, NZ and PNG.

 

[Perth Red]

They should have done it years ago. They're only doing it now because the well is drying up in Queensland, NZ and PNG.

Id suggest they're only doing it now as the NRL is starting to finally mandate it and giving the clubs the extra cash to pay for it.

 

[Centy Coast]

It is, but should have been done 25 years ago. This part from Ponissi says it all:

“Having only had five Storm players come from Victoria in 25 years is just not good enough,” Ponissi said.​

​

In 2024, 100% of the Harold Matthews team will be made up with Victorian players, while a large majority of the SG Ball and Jersey Flegg teams will come from Victoria, as well as feeder clubs in NSW and Queensland.​

​

“The talent is here. The passion is here. Now, we have the pathway that will help us find the next five, six or ten players from Victoria to play for Storm. It won’t be a quick fix, but we know this will be a big step in the right direction.”​

The only reason they're doing this is because the well in SEQ, NZ and PNG is drying up. With PNG getting the next licence and NZ2 and Brisbane 3 almost guaranteed to get the other two, it's limiting the amount of underserviced RL areas they can pillage. It's probably the reason they're taking a pre-season game to Fiji.

And this is why clubs have to start developing talent in their own backyards because all the talent is being resourced from the other clubs.

 

[Perth Red]

And this is why clubs have to start developing talent in their own backyards because all the talent is being resourced from the other clubs.

That will always be the case. For most clubs theres actually very few players in the first team who played school age in their region then came through their HM/SG/JF etc. Probably 4 or 5 at most clubs in starting squad. Its much more common for a kid to be scouted from other areas and brought in at SG ball level or JF age, or signing players who've already debuted in NRL for someone else.

For all the criticism of Storms lack of Vic development they are one of the clubs with the most debuted players for the club, and not just out signing other clubs established players.

 

[Centy Coast]

That will always be the case. For most clubs theres actually very few players in the first team who played school age in their region then came through their HM/SG/JF etc. Probably 4 or 5 at most clubs in starting squad. Its much more common for a kid to be scouted from other areas and brought in at SG ball level or JF age, or signing players who've already debuted in NRL for someone else.

For all the criticism of Storms lack of Vic development they are one of the clubs with the most debuted players for the club, and not just out signing other clubs established players.

The Storm know that their player supply chain is about to dry up or be challenge now that the Dolphins are in the competition.
With the Broncos, Cowboys, Dolphins and the Titans fighting over QLD talent and it’s only going to get harder for clubs outside of QLD to compete.
Younger players are going to want to stay closer to home if they are able to.
The Storm have got strong feeder clubs in 2024 with 2023 QLD Cup Host Plus Premiers Brisbane Easts Tigers and 2023 NSW Cup Minor Premiers and Grand Finalists the North Sydney Bears.

 

[MugaB]

The Storm know that their player supply chain is about to dry up or be challenge now that the Dolphins are in the competition.
With the Broncos, Cowboys, Dolphins and the Titans fighting over QLD talent and it’s only going to get harder for clubs outside of QLD to compete.
Younger players are going to want to stay closer to home if they are able to.
The Storm have got strong feeder clubs in 2024 with 2023 QLD Cup Host Plus Premiers Brisbane Easts Tigers and 2023 NSW Cup Minor Premiers and Grand Finalists the North Sydney Bears.

Yeah naaaaahhhh....
Its Penrith.... its changed the thought process around how each club wants to recruit and manage the salary cap... most clubs are always short a few good players, and aren't able to bolster their top 30 with genuine replacements for the top 17...
Imagine storm having a whole state to themselves and still they need a feeder club to help feed them..
Why change thier process now... its not coz the dolphins have arrived, the dolphins have been around for some 70 plus years, the arlc are wanting all clubs to start developing too, including the storm,
It makes your cap easier to manage when there's local products that don't have to be spent extra to relocate them to Victoria

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

The Storm know that their player supply chain is about to dry up or be challenge now that the Dolphins are in the competition.
With the Broncos, Cowboys, Dolphins and the Titans fighting over QLD talent and it’s only going to get harder for clubs outside of QLD to compete.
Younger players are going to want to stay closer to home if they are able to.
The Storm have got strong feeder clubs in 2024 with 2023 QLD Cup Host Plus Premiers Brisbane Easts Tigers and 2023 NSW Cup Minor Premiers and Grand Finalists the North Sydney Bears.

Storm are between a rock and a hard place. Redcliffe are muscling in on the Sunshine Coast. Brisbane Tigers are seeking an NRL licence. Perth Red is getting worried because he's a Storm fan.

The takeaway from all of this is the Storm were lazy and greedy. They thought there would be an unlimited supply of talent from SEQ to raid because Brisbane only had the Broncos. Now they're learning the game is serious about giving Brisbane the representation it deserves at NRL level. If the Storm invested in the VRL years ago then they wouldn't be in such a precarious position.

 

[mongoose]

Storm are between a rock and a hard place. Redcliffe are muscling in on the Sunshine Coast. Brisbane Tigers are seeking an NRL licence. Perth Red is getting worried because he's a Storm fan.

The takeaway from all of this is the Storm were lazy and greedy. They thought there would be an unlimited supply of talent from SEQ to raid because Brisbane only had the Broncos. Now they're learning the game is serious about giving Brisbane the representation it deserves at NRL level. If the Storm invested in the VRL years ago then they wouldn't be in such a precarious position.

The Storm have been up the top of the table for 18 straight seasons (barring 2010). Even if you take out their salary cap cheating years, they still came away with 3 premierships. I somehow don't think they will be regretting how they've been run...

 

[Canard]

The Storm have been up the top of the table for 18 straight seasons (barring 2010). Even if you take out their salary cap cheating years, they still came away with 3 premierships. I somehow don't think they will be regretting how they've been run...

And clearly they do junior development well.

The team might be in Brisbane (Norths or Easts) or the Sunny Coast (Falcons), but they have always identified and developed Kiwis, NQers, NSWers etc etc.

The conceit that @Get Rid of The Donkeys is playing on, is that QCup level sides are made up of local residents, and not next tier and developing talent from all over the Rugby League diaspora.

NQ has had a side for 30 years in the NRL, and will kids from the area sign with Souths, Roosters, Bulldogs etc all the time.

 

[Canard]

It's also galling to suggest that the Storm should be responsible for the entirety of a whole state's Rugby League system.

Whilst the Dolphins have done nothing to develop the QRL but field a team in its various grades.

 

[Colk]

And clearly they do junior development well.

The team might be in Brisbane (Norths or Easts) or the Sunny Coast (Falcons), but they have always identified and developed Kiwis, NQers, NSWers etc etc.

The conceit that @Get Rid of The Donkeys is playing on, is that QCup level sides are made up of local residents, and not next tier and developing talent from all over the Rugby League diaspora.

NQ has had a side for 30 years in the NRL, and will kids from the area sign with Souths, Roosters, Bulldogs etc all the time.

and vice versa. The cowboys (like every other club) have players from NZ, NSW, Pacific Islands and Brisbane in their top 30 squad. Clubs recruit from as many places as they can and it would be negligent if they didn’t.

 

[Canard]

and vice versa. The cowboys (like every other club) have players from NZ, NSW, Pacific Islands and Brisbane in their top 30 squad. Clubs recruit from as many places as they can and it would be negligent if they didn’t.

Exactly.

The conceit that a local team suddenly means no juniors will ever leave the district is clearly not supported by facts.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

and vice versa. The cowboys (like every other club) have players from NZ, NSW, Pacific Islands and Brisbane in their top 30 squad. Clubs recruit from as many places as they can and it would be negligent if they didn’t.

Here's a post from the nutcase you're responding to [on the Cowboys' plight if a third Brisbane team is introduced]:

The Dolphins admission to the comp has hurt the Cowboys more then any other team in the NRL, in terms of talent retention.

Another Brisbane team will likely be curtains for the Cowboys long term sustainability as a competitive team.

Now we know why he's against a third team in Brisbane. His claim is complete bullshit, too. The only front line Cowboys player who chose to leave for the Dolphins was Gilbert. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow couldn't lock down a spot in the starting side. Lemuelu was stuck in Queensland Cup.

Melbourne Storm lost more players than to the Dolphins.

 

[Centy Coast]

Yeah naaaaahhhh....
Its Penrith.... its changed the thought process around how each club wants to recruit and manage the salary cap... most clubs are always short a few good players, and aren't able to bolster their top 30 with genuine replacements for the top 17...
Imagine storm having a whole state to themselves and still they need a feeder club to help feed them..
Why change thier process now... its not coz the dolphins have arrived, the dolphins have been around for some 70 plus years, the arlc are wanting all clubs to start developing too, including the storm,
It makes your cap easier to manage when there's local products that don't have to be spent extra to relocate them to Victoria

The Dolphins may have been around for 70 plus years but they didn’t compete in the NRL lol

 

[Canard]

Here's a post from the nutcase you're responding to [on the Cowboys' plight if a third Brisbane team is introduced]:

​

Now we know why he's against a third team in Brisbane. His claim is complete bullshit, too. The only front line Cowboys player who chose to leave for the Dolphins was Gilbert. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow couldn't lock down a spot in the starting side. Lemuelu was stuck in Queensland Cup.

Melbourne Storm lost more players than to the Dolphins.

I thought I was on ignore?

 

[Wb1234]

The Storm know that their player supply chain is about to dry up or be challenge now that the Dolphins are in the competition.
With the Broncos, Cowboys, Dolphins and the Titans fighting over QLD talent and it’s only going to get harder for clubs outside of QLD to compete.
Younger players are going to want to stay closer to home if they are able to.
The Storm have got strong feeder clubs in 2024 with 2023 QLD Cup Host Plus Premiers Brisbane Easts Tigers and 2023 NSW Cup Minor Premiers and Grand Finalists the North Sydney Bears.

Which is why adding Perth is dumb

we will have storm and Perth bumming off others juniors and both will end up weak

unless the Perth bud guarantees something like 3 to 5 million in junior funding from day one so they can be productive

 

[Canard]

PNG is unsustainable, that's a cold hard fact.

PNG has produced less players then Victoria, and even if it produces any talent, they will immediately be pilfered by the rest of the NRL.

Being the No1 sport means nothing if it can't be monetised.

 

[Perth Red]

Which is why adding Perth is dumb

we will have storm and Perth bumming off others juniors and both will end up weak

unless the Perth bud guarantees something like 3 to 5 million in junior funding from day one so they can be productive

Rubbish, theres plenty of young kids out there looking for a chance. The game has just been pretty poor at linking them up into pathways and ARLC has been generally really shite at propagating grass roots participation Storm have done an excellent job of this and no reason why Perth cant do same. I hope we'll look to the UK for a new pathway opportunity, theres a ton of great young english talent that could make it in NRL if brought across.

 

[Wb1234]

Rubbish, theres plenty of young kids out there looking for a chance. The games has just been pretty poor and linking them up into pathways and ARLC has been generally really shite at propagating grass roots participation Storm have done an excellent job of this and no reason why Perth cant do same. I hope we'll look to the UK for a new pathway opportunity, theres a ton of great young english talent that could make it in NRL if brought across.

Maybe you could look at a wa pathway lmao

a weakened storm wouldn’t be a good result for rugby league

indeed unless Perth can demonstrate a huge ongoing investment in its own juniors then they shouldn’t get a team until the storm start producing nrl players regularly from Victoria

 

[Maximus]

PNG is unsustainable, that's a cold hard fact.

PNG has produced less players then Victoria, and even if it produces any talent, they will immediately be pilfered by the rest of the NRL.

Being the No1 sport means nothing if it can't be monetised.

And they apparently need $600m just to be able to produce some juniors. I'm sure Vic could produce a lot more juniors with $600m of govt money to spend.