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2014 new boys thread!

Poupou Escobar

Poupou Escobar

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If they're not going to have a genuine reserve grade they should go back to under 23s and keep under 20s as a junior rep team. Bring back Jersey Flegg.
 
Poupou Escobar

Poupou Escobar

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Chipmunk said:
So obviously no 'academy' there at the Tigers then, because if they had one he wouldve been signed up until after he was 20.
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Not if they didn't want to keep him. And they obviously didn't want him that much or they would have.

We only had four NYC players signed up past their under 20s eligibility, and yesterday Stagger reported one of them got the arse.
 
Chipmunk

Chipmunk

Coach
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17,376
Avenger said:
I agree. However they got rid of that concept to cut costs.
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Maybe you could have an Under 23s comp and have an allowance of a maximum of 4 over 23 players in it to give you the ability to have some older fringe first graders still in your squad, or have some place to drop them at least.
 
Poupou Escobar

Poupou Escobar

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Avenger said:
I agree. However they got rid of that concept to cut costs.
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They got rid of reserve grade to cut costs. Junior rep teams don't cost much since most players aren't on contract. And plus you don't have to transport and accommodate them every second week.

So it couldn't cost much more to raise the age limit of the NYC to 23. And that would better offset the loss of reserve grade by giving young blokes a few extra years to develop.
 
O

oldmancraigy

Coach
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11,958
Just some random thoughts re: U23s as the age range

It would be physically daunting for the 18-19 year olds to be up against 22-23 year olds. It would probably increase the quality of the competition (actually, no doubt it would) - but I think it would prevent the younger blokes coming in, and would require an U19s comp to be set up as well. It might be the end of the 'life after league' apprenticeship idea as well?

I reckon keep it at U20s, but let teams include a set number of blokes up to a predetermined age.
Example: Each week the NYC team can have 4 blokes who are 21-23 provided those blokes don't make up the top 25 wages.

That way you get the more talented kids transitioning up to NRL level, while giving late bloomers the chance to play on.
 
S

Springs

First Grade
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5,682
oldmancraigy said:
Just some random thoughts re: U23s as the age range

It would be physically daunting for the 18-19 year olds to be up against 22-23 year olds. It would probably increase the quality of the competition (actually, no doubt it would) - but I think it would prevent the younger blokes coming in, and would require an U19s comp to be set up as well. It might be the end of the 'life after league' apprenticeship idea as well?

I reckon keep it at U20s, but let teams include a set number of blokes up to a predetermined age.
Example: Each week the NYC team can have 4 blokes who are 21-23 provided those blokes don't make up the top 25 wages.

That way you get the more talented kids transitioning up to NRL level, while giving late bloomers the chance to play on.
Click to expand...

Why? 18-19 year olds come up against first graders in the NRL. All comps outside the NRL have all U18s players go straight into either firsts or reserves where there's all age groups. And before the U20s comp was introduced all 18-19 year olds came up against U23s in Jersey Flegg.

Change it back to Firsts-Reserves-U23s. We should have three Parramatta grades playing on the same ground on the same day. If we can't have a comp-wide reserve grade at least have a NSW wide reserve grade and have Parramatta reserves play before firsts at every home game.
 
Poupou Escobar

Poupou Escobar

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91,563
oldmancraigy said:
Just some random thoughts re: U23s as the age range

It would be physically daunting for the 18-19 year olds to be up against 22-23 year olds. It would probably increase the quality of the competition (actually, no doubt it would) - but I think it would prevent the younger blokes coming in, and would require an U19s comp to be set up as well.
Click to expand...

That's why I said it would need to run in conjunction with Jersey Flegg (under 20s junior rep team).

It might be the end of the 'life after league' apprenticeship idea as well?
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Not necessarily. Even fulltimers in this 'industry' have plenty of free time.

I reckon keep it at U20s, but let teams include a set number of blokes up to a predetermined age.
Example: Each week the NYC team can have 4 blokes who are 21-23 provided those blokes don't make up the top 25 wages.
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That's how some overseas soccer leagues run their 'reserve grade' competition where it is age restricted (e.g Italy). But in rugby league it would be even more in need of some caveats, because there is a greater chance of injury when two players of vastly different physical development play against each other.

That way you get the more talented kids transitioning up to NRL level, while giving late bloomers the chance to play on.
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Wouldn't it just be easier to have an under 23s reserve grade and bring back Flegg for the under 20s not good enough for under 23s?

It's a pipe dream anyway. I want to see 35 man squads all on at least minimum salary, but the star players don't want to share so much of the pie.
 
Poupou Escobar

Poupou Escobar

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91,563
Springs said:
Why? 18-19 year olds come up against first graders in the NRL.
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Only the ones who are physically up to it.

All comps outside the NRL have all U18s players go straight into either firsts or reserves where there's all age groups. And before the U20s comp was introduced all 18-19 year olds came up against U23s in Jersey Flegg.
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Jersey Flegg was under 19s back when I wasn't good enough to make it. SG Ball was under 17s and Harold Matts was under 15s.

Flegg has never been higher than under 20s. But there used to be an under 21s (called Presidents Cup) below reserve grade, right up until sometime in the 90s, and until the 80s there was also an under 23s.

Change it back to Firsts-Reserves-U23s. We should have three Parramatta grades playing on the same ground on the same day. If we can't have a comp-wide reserve grade at least have a NSW wide reserve grade and have Parramatta reserves play before firsts at every home game.
Click to expand...

I don't think there's enough money for three grades of paid players (or rather, the most influential players don't want to share that money).
 
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