BL: Central Coast article

[Frenzy.]

The allegiance between the Cronulla Sharks and the Central Coast was strengthened recently when 12 Sharks, including David Peachey, JAson Stevens and Michael Sullivan, and coach Stuart Raper, delighted almost 300 junior players at the inaugural Sharks/Central Coast Rip rugby league coaching clinic at Berkeley Vale.

The youngsters who attended the clinic were put through their paces on a series of skills stations headed by some of the best players and coaches in the business, as well as up and coming talent from the Rip/Central Coast Academy of Sport Harold Matthews and SG Ball squads.

Central Coast Rip Chairman Garry Tiernan said such junior clinics were only the beginning of the club's plans of maintaining the development of rugby league throughout the Central Coast.

"This is the start of a unique relationship with the Sharks, which will provide the youth of the Central Coast access to NRL players and the chance to learn the best game of all, rugby league," he said.

Another initiative of the Sharks support was for the Rip to provide each of the 15 junior clubs on the Central Coast the opportunity to nominate one player in the 12-15 year age group to attend the NSW Junior Blues Camp at Narrabeen free of charge.

<<Names of selected players deleted>>

A highlight of the Junior Blues Camp is the chance for four camp participants to be selected as State of origin ballboys.

 

[coolumsharkie]

This is the greatest thing our club has ever done...

Our Cronulla Sharks can look forward to a great future with much success.We now have a talent pool that may even exceed the Broncos!!

 

[sharknows]

Luts just hope we don't forget about our own local juniors please.

 

[Frenzy.]

Luts just hope we don't forget about our own local juniors please.

Yes, it is vital because we don't have many juniors actually. Only 207 teams in 2004. That's down a long way from the days when we had the third biggest juniors behind Penrith and Parramatta.

What's telling is the breakdown.

U/6 - U/9 mini league - 77 teams - 25% are girls who won't go on to NRL

U/10 - U/12 mod league - 51 teams

U/13 - U/16 - 52 teams

U18/ - A Grade - 27 teams

The main ages for recruitment and rep teams are the U13 - U/16 teams. You may get some late bloomers out of the U/18 comp (7 teams).

That's only realistically 59 teams for the senior club to be looking at. Not many when you look at how few and far between elite players are.

The CC figures for 2004 (incomplete) have us sharing a further 167 teams - U/6-U/16 - not counting four clubs I couldn't get figures on.

 

[mightybears]

so you don't think the powers that be want you moved to the singolands?

 

[spirit of league]

great move by the sharks

i still feel for the bears and the CC community. shafted

 

[sharkmachine07]

it is a grate step for the sharks well done we are spreading the club around well done

 

[sharknows]

Yes, it is vital because we don't have many juniors actually. Only 207 teams in 2004. That's down a long way from the days when we had the third biggest juniors behind Penrith and Parramatta.

That rings alarm bells for me. Our allegiance with Newtown is looking a smarter move by the minute. Does this indicate that the club has basically given up with the local juniors as our main source of developing talent?

 

[imasharkie]

And speaking of Newtown and junior teams I'd ask Da Vinci this question.
Do we get the junior teams included with our teams?

 

[coolumsharkie]

Yes, it is vital because we don't have many juniors actually. Only 207 teams in 2004. That's down a long way from the days when we had the third biggest juniors behind Penrith and Parramatta.

That rings alarm bells for me. Our allegiance with Newtown is looking a smarter move by the minute. Does this indicate that the club has basically given up with the local juniors as our main source of developing talent?

I dont think so personally but you got to admit its better than sitting on hands and hoping that we get another ET/Rogers ect from that group...

Which I might add has brought NO premiership success

A master stroke imo!

 

[Grunta]

Have you seen the rip jersey? The sharkies logo is 10 times the size of the Rip logo. (former Panther) Steve Carter was on the front page of the local paper this week wearing a Rip jersey and all you could see was a huge Sharkies logo. It was brilliant!!!

 

[Frenzy.]

And speaking of Newtown and junior teams I'd ask Da Vinci this question.
Do we get the junior teams included with our teams?

Well not as far as being able to say we have x + x + x = xxx

But we have access to them and if the scouting and recruitment is spot on first go at the elite kids.

Nothing stops other clubs from having a sniff though