What's new
By:
Advanced search…
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

"At the end of the day, it's Newcastle. I don't really like that side anyway."

macavity

macavity

Referee
Messages
20,680
Interesting quotes from Latrell Mitchell - the NSW u20s fullback from Taree widely regarded as "the next big thing"

For most footballing fans, it will be the first opportunity to see what all the fuss is about. The Roosters have high hopes Mitchell will become the club's long-term fullback and they re-signed him until the end of 2019, knowing there were a dozen clubs circling should he become a free agent.
However, not everyone recognised his undoubted talent. Mitchell turned up for a trial with Newcastle's Harold Matthews team, but didn't make the cut.
"I had a go with them and they thought I was too lazy," Mitchell said.
"At the end of the day, it's Newcastle. I don't really like that side anyway. I'm glad I'm here."


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...s-mistakes-20150704-gi53fx.html#ixzz3feo6zifD
Click to expand...

I specifically asked MGids about the feedback he got from junior recruits, and whether our reputation was a problem.

He said that it was 100% positive and our sustained mediocrity had no bearing on our junior recruitment/retention.

"At the end of the day, it's Newcastle" seems to run counter to that train of thought. Not only did we fail to identify a boom talent.... but he is actually happy about that!
 
Burwood

Burwood

First Grade
Messages
5,003
Or alternatively, he was lazy and resents the club for stating this. If he was so happy to not be picked up, then why even bother trialling with us in the first place?
 
A

Alex28

Coach
Messages
12,020
Man... One of our legends comes from Taree. We should have first crack at anybody coming out of that entire group on the back of Bedsy...

In saying that, we have knocked him back. We at least got him in the front door.
 
macavity

macavity

Referee
Messages
20,680
I think you are missing the point... "It's only Newcastle, not like it's a good team who knocked me back"
 
The Showstopper

The Showstopper

Bench
Messages
3,329
Jesus! Another 'next big thing'. He is a young fella trying to come to terms with the fact he was knocked back. Sounds like a smug prick. Mulholland was that person who knocked him back BTW. The best going around at junior recruitment.
 
Last edited:
A

Alex28

Coach
Messages
12,020
Mac - it's easy to say that well after the fact. There might have been some regret if we were top 4 at the moment. He's landed on his feet at the club of the bottomless sponsorship bucket - of course the Roosters look better than us!
 
Burwood

Burwood

First Grade
Messages
5,003
Alex28 said:
Nor Josh Jackson. Nor Boyd Cordner.

We let some bloody good players go a little too easy...
Click to expand...

I'm all for calling out the club when they get things wrong, but how are we meant to compete with the likes of Canterbury and the Roosters when they throw crazy money at our juniors?
 
Nuffy

Nuffy

Bench
Messages
4,075
I think the Newcastle comment is just him being hurt.

But I do have an issue with us not seeing potential and the Roosters seeing it and acting on it.

Don't we back ourselves to get the best out of players and turn them around?

The roosters didn't steal him and it wasn't about money, it was Matts for gods sake, we just turned him down.
 
S

slotmachine

First Grade
Messages
7,440
He would have been 5 or 6 the last time we were any good. Can't blame him wanting to go to a club that can compete.
 
macavity

macavity

Referee
Messages
20,680
The Showstopper said:
Jesus! Another 'next big thing'. He is a young fella trying to come to terms with the fact he was knocked back. Sounds like a smug prick. Mulholland was that person who knocked him back BTW. The best going around at junior recruitment.
Click to expand...

Again, missing the point.

The point is he now sees us passing on him as a GOOD thing - i.e. I wouldn't be in as good a position if they had picked me up.

That is seriously messed up.
 
A

Alex28

Coach
Messages
12,020
He's about to walk into a career fullback position at a perennial top 8 club that will set him up for life. The opportunity is for his to f**k up.

Of course he is in a better position than if we signed him. But even if we did sign him, we probably would have lost him to the Roosters in the end any way.

I really don't give a shit what he thinks of us - of course he is butt hurt at being knocked back. We need to be worried at whether we know how to identify the best juniors, and focus on keeping the best of our juniors. We don't want to be a nursery for the rest of the NRL...
 
The Showstopper

The Showstopper

Bench
Messages
3,329
macavity said:
Again, missing the point.

The point is he now sees us passing on him as a GOOD thing - i.e. I wouldn't be in as good a position if they had picked me up.

That is seriously messed up.
Click to expand...

I am not missing any point. He was knocked back. He is talking trash. If it did not bother him he would never have said it to begin with. He said himself. We thought he was lazy. He probably was and Bennett had final say. Are you going to go off every negative statement you hear or read? If they think that about us then they can go elsewhere. In the last five years our recruitment had been very good. Smith, Scott, Tariq, Boyd, Gagai and to a point Leilua. Not one would have come here unless we had something. Tinkler created it. Now we get Hodko. Hardly a bad effort all things considered.
 
Last edited:
Noname36

Noname36

First Grade
Messages
7,067
Whats Doing said:
We also didn't show interest in Inglis either when he was at Newcastle
Click to expand...

Inglis was already signed by Melbourne when he came here. They put him here to continue developing because Melbourne didn't really have many junior clubs or schools with league programs.
 
TooheysNew

TooheysNew

Coach
Messages
1,143
macavity said:
Again, missing the point.

The point is he now sees us passing on him as a GOOD thing - i.e. I wouldn't be in as good a position if they had picked me up.

That is seriously messed up.
Click to expand...
Not a missed point at all. Of course he's going to say that. He's a kid with an ego.
 
A

Alex28

Coach
Messages
12,020
Honestly mate - what do you want us to say? It's the clubs fault that a gun junior who had his chance with us but was perceived to be lazy is glad he isn't with us?

I see your agenda - this argument just doesn't stack up.
 
macavity

macavity

Referee
Messages
20,680
The argument is, no recruit would say that about Brisbane, Souths, Melbourne, Easts, Canterbury....

To dismiss his words as sour grapes and not indicative of how our club is viewed in the "recruitment marketplace" is kidding yourself.

A club that bases itself on junior development needs to be seen as a "first choice" for juniors.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Top