Melbourne Storm open Sunshine Coast Academy

[johnny plath]

Just read that the Storm announced the opening of their Academy to be based on the Qld Sunshine Coast and that their U20s will be based there,and will play all home games there from 2016. Currently the Storm have feeders in the Intrust Cup in the SC Falcons and Easts Tigers, so essentially the bulk of the Storm operations are based in Qld, with only the NRL team based in Melbourne. In terms of expansion and growing the game, how do people sit with this decision, is it a good model or a step backwards?

https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/2015/08/28/club_launches_storm_.html

https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/2015/08/28/storm_academy_faqs.html

hope the links work, not real tech savvy

 

[CC_Roosters]

Just read that the Storm announced the opening of their Academy to be based on the Qld Sunshine Coast and that their U20s will be based there,and will play all home games there from 2016. Currently the Storm have feeders in the Intrust Cup in the SC Falcons and Easts Tigers, so essentially the bulk of the Storm operations are based in Qld, with only the NRL team based in Melbourne. In terms of expansion and growing the game, how do people sit with this decision, is it a good model or a step backwards?

https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/2015/08/28/club_launches_storm_.html

https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/2015/08/28/storm_academy_faqs.html

hope the links work, not real tech savvy

Well that puts an end to any participation in the nsw cup or pathways which would be the logial home for them geographically. It will also mean there home grown Victorian players will have to move to queensland to finish their football development as well not sure if that will help or hinder Victorian players chances.

Perhaps an indicator of the future U20 format, I guess Melbourne will now fall into the Queensland cup pathway by default in the likely new state based under age structure

Lets give it a chance to see how it goes, it more or less formalises there previous queensland centric model anyway. And it ties up a very important sunshine coast region with a permanent pathway to the NRL

 

[Foreign Legion]

I think it would be good for a Victorian kids

 

[Lockyer4President!]

Seems sensible after reading the explanations in the FAQ.

-Player parents are probably happier sending their kids up to the Sunny Coast than to Sydney.
-Club is happy since it keeps that QLD-Storm connection strong.
-NRL is happy since it'll provide a pathway for a huge, growing heartland area that probably won't be getting a national team anytime soon.

 

[thorson1987]

Seems sensible after reading the explanations in the FAQ.

-Player parents are probably happier sending their kids up to the Sunny Coast than to Sydney.
-Club is happy since it keeps that QLD-Storm connection strong.
-NRL is happy since it'll provide a pathway for a huge, growing heartland area that probably won't be getting a national team anytime soon.

I don't agree with basing the Thunderbolts up there.

By all means have the U/16's and U/18's up there, but the NYC boys should be based in Melbourne.

 

[mave]

Well that puts an end to any participation in the nsw cup or pathways which would be the logial home for them geographically. It will also mean there home grown Victorian players will have to move to queensland to finish their football development as well not sure if that will help or hinder Victorian players chances.

Perhaps an indicator of the future U20 format, I guess Melbourne will now fall into the Queensland cup pathway by default in the likely new state based under age structure

Lets give it a chance to see how it goes, it more or less formalises there previous queensland centric model anyway. And it ties up a very important sunshine coast region with a permanent pathway to the NRL

The same NRL pathway that the NSWRL blocked Manly from cultivating?

 

[thorson1987]

The same NRL pathway that the NSWRL blocked Manly from cultivating?

Didn't stop it.

Just said you guys wouldn't be able to field Harold Matts and SG Ball unless you had an affiliation with a team in NSW Cup.

Just like what the NSWRL said to us when we decided to no longer have an affiliation with a NSW Cup team.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

I think the Storm should do what is best for them, and that probably means keeping this Vic-QLD relationship strong, as well as the fact that Vic junior investment is far less likely to produce the great NRL players...

But if this creates a void in Victorian development pathways, the ARLC need to step in and fill it.

This kind of thing is why i am against clubs running junior development pathways. Im actually turning around on a draft if it meant establishing the independent (ARLC run) junior comps until U-21s.

 

[Perth Red]

Despite all their advantages WA and now NT are stronger than Victoria. Typical RL view of expansion tbh. Lack of investment and vision will keep our game the geographically minor sport it has always been.