Parramatta Eels Juniors

[Spooner]

We should just do what the Roosters do, just pluck from the top shelf. Forget developing juniors.

The Roosters run Harold Matt’s and SG Ball sides - the players aspire to play in these sides. The Roosters are successful at recruiting players to supplement their sides. Parra do also - Hollis from Wauchope and Hughes from Cronulla both recruited to play HM. Also Kyle Schneider from Newcastle I think brought in at Harold Matt’s. Now all three training with the top 30 squad.

 

[Spooner]

How are you supposed to keep Bailey Biondi-Odo when he has two young halves in NRL in Moses and Brown, two young halves in reggies, Salmon and Davies - all of whom are in the top 36.

Meanwhile the Dogs halves are rubbish.

Anyway we all gasped in shock when Zack Dockar-Clay went elsewhere for opportunities. He was going to be the NO.7 solution for NZ IIRC.

So you saying Bailey made the right decision then. The market forces sort themselves out. You win some and you lose some.
Storm and Roosters are exceptional at monitoring market forces - maybe they play the stock market on the side. The most talented club not only relies on having the best coaching staff but the best recruitment who needs to predict future market forces.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The Roosters run Harold Matt’s and SG Ball sides - the players aspire to play in these sides. The Roosters are successful at recruiting players to supplement their sides. Parra do also - Hollis from Wauchope and Hughes from Cronulla both recruited to play HM. Also Kyle Schneider from Newcastle I think brought in at Harold Matt’s. Now all three training with the top 30 squad.

The difference is they don't care about under 16s and focus on 20s and (to a lesser extent) 18s. We have been doing it backwards.

Over the past 20 years both cubs have won a couple of SG Ball titles. But where we've won 6 Harold Matts comps to their zero, they have won NYC/Flegg five times while we haven't won it this century.

 

[Cumberland Eel]

Not that there’s anything wrong with doing it backwards!

 

[strider]

The difference is they don't care about under 16s and focus on 20s and (to a lesser extent) 18s. We have been doing it backwards.

Over the past 20 years both cubs have won a couple of SG Ball titles. But where we've won 6 Harold Matts comps to their zero, they have won NYC/Flegg five times while we haven't won it this century.

I hope we do better next century

 

[Noise]

A bit like Nathan Davis. Highly touted junior but was never going to make it in the NRL. He overachieved playing the handful of games that he did. He was lucky he was playing in a garbage side for the most part.

Lol Nathan Davis. That guy was diabolical in defence in under 20s yet some people were still thinking he would be a decent first grader.

 

[strider]

Lol Nathan Davis. That guy was diabolical in defence in under 20s yet some people were still thinking he would be a decent first grader.

I think there are times when there just arent talented people coming through, yet people feel the need for there to be something, so they latch onto someone who has a good game every now and then

 

[T-Boon]

Lol Nathan Davis. That guy was diabolical in defence in under 20s yet some people were still thinking he would be a decent first grader.

How hard is it to teach someone to defend in RL though?
If anyone has good attacking talent in the under 20s but doesn't make it to the top due to their defence....well I would fire the entire coaching staff.

 

[strider]

How hard is it to teach someone to defend in RL though?
If anyone has good attacking talent in the under 20s but doesn't make it to the top due to their defence....well I would fire the entire coaching staff.

Defense is all about attitude and making decisions. I think plenty of people wouldnt learn.

 

[Noise]

How hard is it to teach someone to defend in RL though?
If anyone has good attacking talent in the under 20s but doesn't make it to the top due to their defence....well I would fire the entire coaching staff.

There are heaps of good attacking players in the U20s across all clubs. Most of them don’t make good first graders. Because their defence is shit.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

The difference is they don't care about under 16s and focus on 20s and (to a lesser extent) 18s. We have been doing it backwards.

Over the past 20 years both cubs have won a couple of SG Ball titles. But where we've won 6 Harold Matts comps to their zero, they have won NYC/Flegg five times while we haven't won it this century.

Maybe we have to start at 16s and younger? Roosters have more money and more pull than we do, so if we wait until players are 18 to sign them we're going up against the roosters. If we go out and sign a 16 year old to a 4 year deal we don't have to go contend with the roosters.

 

[Noise]

Maybe we have to start at 16s and younger? Roosters have more money and more pull than we do, so if we wait until players are 18 to sign them we're going up against the roosters. If we go out and sign a 16 year old to a 4 year deal we don't have to go contend with the roosters.

Madness signing a 16 year old for 4 years. If he is any good then when he is 20 and most likely ready for first grade all teams can have a crack at them anyway and we have just wasted a shitload of time and money developing them. And if they don't turn out any good we have also wasted 4 years worth of time and money.

 

[Twizzle]

we should have hung onto the Fluffy Kitten

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

How hard is it to teach someone to defend in RL though?
If anyone has good attacking talent in the under 20s but doesn't make it to the top due to their defence....well I would fire the entire coaching staff.

There are some men you just can't reach.

You can certainly improve a guy's tackling technique, but their decision-making is a lot harder.....and centre is the toughest spot on the field for that.

 

[Glenneel]

...we have just wasted a shitload of time and money developing them. And if they don't turn out any good we have also wasted 4 years worth of time and money.

Been doing this for years and doubt we'll change.

 

[T-Boon]

Madness signing a 16 year old for 4 years. If he is any good then when he is 20 and most likely ready for first grade all teams can have a crack at them anyway and we have just wasted a shitload of time and money developing them. And if they don't turn out any good we have also wasted 4 years worth of time and money.

Exactly. We would be better of having a goal of never winning Harold Matthews again.

Kids want to play in our HM team because we have the reputation of being the best, most elite at that level. If they do play in the Eels HM team that does not mean they are likely to be loyal and if they miss out on our HMs team we have scorned them so they hate us.

Save the money. Focus on top grades.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Exactly. We would be better of having a goal of never winning Harold Matthews again.

Kids want to play in our HM team because we have the reputation of being the best, most elite at that level. If they do play in the Eels HM team that does not mean they are likely to be loyal and if they miss out on our HMs team we have scorned them so they hate us.

Save the money. Focus on top grades.

I reckon the only reason our HM is successful is that we have one of the biggest juniors league comps and with a large percentage of “islanders” (they just mature earlier).

I don’t think it’s anything to do with us focusing on HM, it’s just we have a larger base to pick players.

Not sure but I reckon most clubs HM sides are made from local players where as, recruiting happens more at that SG ball level.

 

[rugby league fan]

Is Valance Harris still at the club?

Yes still at the club.
Unfortunately ruptured ACL late in season and required surgery. 12 months recovery so wont be due back until late next year if at all in season 2020..

 

[T-Boon]

I reckon the only reason our HM is successful is that we have one of the biggest juniors league comps and with a large percentage of “islanders” (they just mature earlier).

I don’t think it’s anything to do with us focusing on HM, it’s just we have a larger base to pick players.

Not sure but I reckon most clubs HM sides are made from local players where as, recruiting happens more at that SG ball level.

Agreed.
It is a problem.
For example, I don't think our club could develop players like the Trbojovics. They would just get beat out of the game in the 14-16 age bracket in the Parra juniors. I think it is why Qld has developed halves a lot better than NSW for 15 years now. They have a chance to develop in Qld.

 

[Spooner]

I reckon the only reason our HM is successful is that we have one of the biggest juniors league comps and with a large percentage of “islanders” (they just mature earlier).

I don’t think it’s anything to do with us focusing on HM, it’s just we have a larger base to pick players.

Not sure but I reckon most clubs HM sides are made from local players where as, recruiting happens more at that SG ball level.

Jed Edwards (now training with Titans first grade), Hughes and Hollis and Bailey Biondi-Odo (now with Bulldogs) recruited for Harold Matt’s.