New team in Harold Matthews and SG Ball

[Panther_Daz]

Rugby league
New name on the paddock


03Oct06
LOOK out for a new name in junior representative rugby league when the teams run out next year.

The Western Sydney Academy of Sport will field teams in the Harold Matthews (under-16) and SG Ball (under-18) cups.
Academy CEO Martin Bullock says the sides will cater for ``second-tier'' players from Parramatta and Penrith, who don't want to lose them to clubs with smaller junior districts.
The Eels and the Panthers will agree upon coaching staff.
The program is also backed by three Jim Beam Cup clubs: Wentworthville, Windsor and Cabramatta.
That trio will share the four home games in the eight-round competition.
The teams will wear the academy's colours of navy, sky blue and white.
Bullock doesn't expect them to beat the traditionally strong clubs.
``But we suspect we'll have enough talent to give North Sydney, the Central Coast Rip and Wests Magpies a bit of a run,'' Bullock said.
``Then again, there'll be a special incentive if we play Parramatta and Penrith.''
It's the two-year-old academy's first foray into mainstream competition in any of its sporting programs, now up to eight with the addition of league, AFL and golf.



Source PENRITH PRESS

www.penrithpress.com.au

 

[girvie]

I wonder if this side will be made up of players who are cut from the Eels and Panthers train-on squads.

 

[Panther_Daz]

I think that will be the case. Will be fairly strong teams still. The SG Ball team will be mainly under 17 players who didnt make the 18's team at their respective clubs.

 

[Spike]

Anything that Martin Bullock has been in charge of has been farked up.

 

[Big Mick]

i'd love the opportunity to coach this side. I think it could be brilliant.

 

[Stagger eel]

it's a bloody great initiative by MSA, Parra and Penrith..it'll make it difficult for the likes of Manly and the Roosters to pick the eyes out of the left over talent.

 

[Twizzle]

sounds fine to me

indicates the strength and depth of the westies

 

[raiders fan forever]

yeah great news

 

[Jeffles]

Will this weaken the competition? The Rip were already struggling and clubs like Norths and the Roosters that take the leftovers haven't been as competitive in recent years either. A new team in the fold will only weaken the competition.

I suspect this is something to do with "fighting" AFL and RU for young talent more than anything else but by 16 years of age, it would be hard to take up AFL and make a good go of it and RU is non existent out there.

Then again an extra team is nothing to sneeze at as it will mean more kids playing rep football. It is a balancing act.

 

[robbie123]

If a player is performing well and the parra or penrith teams are short players due to injury or similar, will they be able to take their contracted players out of this joint side to fill their normal side???

 

[brook]

.
``But we suspect we'll have enough talent to give North Sydney, the Central Coast Rip and Wests Magpies a bit of a run,''

:lol:

No word from Yappy? ;-)

 

[yappy]

Did my talking on the Magpies forum Brookita. It wouldn't be very 'politic' to say too much about the opinion of a former club GM though would it?

What I did say though was it was a shame we didn't get to meet this side in the rounds so that the boys could let Mr Bullock know first hand what they thought of his opinion of their ability. I suppose we'll wait and see if they are competitive enough to join us in the semis.

 

[brook]

Did my talking on the Magpies forum Brookita. It wouldn't be very 'politic' to say too much about the opinion of a former club GM though would it?

What I did say though was it was a shame we didn't get to meet this side in the rounds so that the boys could let Mr Bullock know first hand what they thought of his opinion of their ability. I suppose we'll wait and see if they are competitive enough to join us in the semis.

I agree its a pity the teams don't meet this year - I think it would have been a match worth draging myself out to campo to see :lol:

 

[The Real Story]

Their first test is a trial v the new CC Storm. Good test for both.

 

[Tim Brasher]

If a player is performing well and the parra or penrith teams are short players due to injury or similar, will they be able to take their contracted players out of this joint side to fill their normal side???

No they will not be able to take players from the Western Academy Side into their respective Parra and Panthers Teams. It is my understanding that Parra and Penrith will be selecting squads of 22 for this season from training squad of 35 players. All players not selected in the top 22 will be included in the Western Academy Side.

This is a great initiative for both clubs, who spend a considerable amount of time and money on their juniors and this is an ideal way to keep more juniors invloved with their respective organisations.