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Parramatta Eels Juniors

Poupou Escobar

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
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94,914
Joshuatheeel said:
Ok, here's some evidence/context around nrl squads being made up of players that have played open aged footy by 20 (happy to be corrected if any errors)

Canberra

Used 23 players this year, 16 debuted by 20, 7 didn’t make their NRL debuts by 20:

- 2 are UK players (Nicholson, Smithies), both debuted at 19 in Super league

- 3 debuted by 21 (Mariota, Horsburgh, Pattie), They all played NSW cup at 20

- Fogarty was 23 for his NRL debut and played reserves at 21

- Hosking was 25 for his NRL debut and played reserves at 21


Panthers

Used 28 players. 13 debuted by 20, 15 didn’t make their debuts by 20:

- 8 debuted by 21 (Jenkins, Laurie, Leota, Smith, To’o, Kenny, Martin, Henry) Jenkins/Laurie/Leota/Smith/To’o/Martin/Kenny player NSW cup at 20. Henry at 21

- Hassett debuted at 22, Riki at 26, Garner at 23, all played reserves at 20

- Geyer debuted at 23, Sommerton at 23, both played reserves at 21

- Toelau debuted at 25, played reserves at 22

- Eisenhuth debuted at 25, played reserves at 23. Had tumor in knee


So from 51 players:

- 44 players either played NRL or reserves by 20, only 7 did not, 86% of the players

- 49 players either played NRL or reserves by 21, only 2 did not (and one had a medical condition), that’s 96% of the players
Click to expand...
Pretty clear evidence of the value of Jersey Flegg in its current under 21s state. They had an under 21s comp decades ago, named Presidents Cup, and they got rid of it because none of the best 21 year olds played in it. They were all already in reserve grade or the NSWRL. Under 21s was seen as an unnecessary expense, so they cut it away and stuck with the under 19s as the highest tier of junior footy. Incidentally, back then the under 19s comp was known as Jersey Flegg Cup. It eventually made way for the under 20s National Youth Competition (Toyota then Holden Cup).

I'm sure Delboy knows all this, but it seems he needs a reminder.
 
JokerEel

JokerEel

Coach
Messages
16,369
Poupou Escobar said:
Pretty clear evidence of the value of Jersey Flegg in its current under 21s state. They had an under 21s comp decades ago, named Presidents Cup, and they got rid of it because none of the best 21 year olds played in it. They were all already in reserve grade or the NSWRL. Under 21s was seen as an unnecessary expense, so they cut it away and stuck with the under 19s as the highest tier of junior footy. Incidentally, back then the under 19s comp was known as Jersey Flegg Cup. It eventually made way for the under 20s National Youth Competition (Toyota then Holden Cup).

I'm sure Delboy knows all this, but it seems he needs a reminder.
Click to expand...

The Jersey Flegg Cup plays a vital role in the modern rugby league development pathway. It not only facilitates the progression of players to higher grades but also addresses retention challenges by providing a supportive environment tailored to emerging talents. Given the evolving nature of player development and the increasing professionalism within the sport, maintaining and investing in the Under-21s competition is both strategic and beneficial for the future of rugby league.

In 2024, the New Zealand Warriors utilized 51 players in their Jersey Flegg campaign. Notably, 12 of these players advanced to participate in the New South Wales Cup during the same season, indicating a clear pathway from the Under-21s competition to higher levels of play.

The Wests Tigers have integrated several players from their Jersey Flegg squad into their NRL top-30 roster, including talents like Justin Matamua and Josh Feledy. This demonstrates the competition's role in developing players ready for first-grade rugby league.

A comprehensive study on rugby league retention revealed that 40% of players who left the sport cited negative experiences or injury concerns as primary reasons. Providing a structured and supportive environment, such as the Jersey Flegg Cup, can mitigate these issues by offering appropriate development stages, thereby improving player retention rates.

The Jersey Flegg Cup serves as a crucial intermediary between junior competitions like SG Ball (Under-19s) and senior levels such as the NSW Cup. This structure allows players who are not immediately ready for senior competitions to continue their development in a competitive setting tailored to their age and skill level.
 
MarkInTheStands

MarkInTheStands

Coach
Messages
16,888
Flegg is a great development area for players out of Ball and to get them over 18 or 19.

But excelling at Age limit football is also different for different types of players.

For Forwards, unless they are Giants I would suggest they play Flegg against their own age then play some Reserve grade to see if their bodies are up for it.

For Backs, you will have players coming though based on speed and try scoring ability.

For halves, I would suggest unless they are freaks the would need to play against some of the crafty older heads in Reggies, to see if they can adapt.
 
A

ALX25

Bench
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