From the NZ Stuff site:
Juniors snapped up by NRL clubs
16 September 2005
by JOHN COFFEY
Christchurch juniors as young as aged 13 are being groomed with the target of attracting professional contracts from National Rugby League (NRL) clubs by the ages of 17 or 18.
NRL officials are almost falling over each other signing teenage New Zealanders to scholarships and full-time contracts in their quest for the next Sonny Bill Williams or Benji Marshall.
At least five of the most promising youngsters in Canterbury are destined to be playing across the Tasman in 2006.
Lewis Brown, 19, and Charlie Herekotukutuku, 20, left after the first Bartercard Cup round in April to trial for the Cronulla Sharks, while playing at Griffith in the Riverina country district of NSW.
But the Sharks were beaten to their signatures by the Sydney Roosters after that club's Riverina scout spotted them in action.
The Sharks have since signed Canterbury age-group representative Brackin Karauria-Henry at 16 and Junior Kiwis forward Roger Tafua, 18, on two-year deals and included them in their elite training squad.
Canterbury Bulls scrum-half Quincy To'o To'o, 17, is to visit the Sharks operation with his parents later this month and seems likely to join Karauria-Henry and Tafua.
The Parramatta Eels have given a scholarship to Rulon Nutria-Hoani, 15, the only Canterbury member of the New Zealand 16-years team which plays in Australia from September 28 to October 8. Nutria-Hoani will stay in Christchurch to complete his schooling, but will attend two Parramatta camps and play trials next year as the Eels assess his potential.
Parramatta recruitment officer Rod Reddy was also impressed with the sharpness of To'o To'o when he attended a Bulls training session. Reddy has requested a video tape of Sunday's Bartercard Cup grand final against the Mount Albert Lions.
Nutria-Hoani (Christ's College), To'o To'o (St Thomas' College), and Karauria-Hunt (Christchurch Boys High School) are still at school. Tafua is a student at the New Zealand Institute of Sport.
"Parramatta are only looking at under-15s, unless there is someone exceptional," Bulls assistant coach David Perkins said.
"By then (15) they have had their own kids in their development programme for two years. They prefer our kids to finish their schooling in New Zealand."
The Sharks, who have arranged for Karauria-Hunt to attend Endeavour Sports High School in Cronulla next year, prefer to sign players at 17 or 18, Jeff Whittaker, their Christchurch contact, said.
A former Canterbury Rugby League coaching and development manager and now president of the Halswell club, Whittaker said Halswell was giving youngsters a chance to realise their NRL dreams from the age of 13.
"We'll put six 13-year-olds on scholarships at Halswell and develop them. They will be on a gym programme, we will help them with their education, and the likes of (former top players) Aaron Whittaker, Glen Coughlan, and Mike Dorreen are their mentors.
"Basically, we are looking at a three-year programme and hope the pick of them will then be good enough to go over for a camp.
"From that (at 16) they will be looked at for another 18 months for possible contracts with the Sharks," Whittaker said.
Linwood sends youngsters to Wests Tigers camps and the Aranui High School sports academy has annual coaching exchanges with the Brisbane Broncos.
"Having three or four NRL clubs here at the moment says something for the Canterbury development programme run by Terry Hermansson in the 16s and 18s and Phil Prescott at the Bulls," Whittaker said.
"Maybe the Warriors have to get down here and see that the people who are doing the job are doing it properly.
"Our job is to get the boys playing at the best level they can. If that's Bartercard Cup, then good. But we have players here on the verge of NRL contracts which shows the programme is working.
"By the time our kids get to the Bulls they are semi-professional in that they know about a gym programme, their weight and their diet. "The Aussie kids start at the age of 13 and this is the only way we are going to compete."
Rugby league in New Zealand would benefit from having more players in the NRL, "the best football competition in the world", Whittaker said.
He expected a flow-on effect in Canterbury as parents and youngsters became aware of the opportunities available to them.
Hermansson, a former Kiwis prop and current junior coach, said financial considerations influenced clubs to seek talented teenagers as opposed to proven, adult footballers.
"There is more risk but less cost to the clubs to take a 17 or 18 year-old over, as opposed to someone who is 24 and wouldn't shift for a few thousand dollars and an incentive contract," Hermansson said. "At 23 or 24, clubs have a better idea whether players will be successful. But they have to spend more to get them."
