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Rumours and Stuff

Soren Lorenson

First Grade
Messages
7,666
True, but even Pennys have not been able to field forwards from local juniors.

Just like us and Dylan Brown or Rheed Mahoney, many (most?) are recruited at SG Ball level outside their catchment from NZ or QLD or Darwin or NSW Country.

Yeah, and Im not trying to be critical cause obviously or pack is top 3ish in the comp atm. But we have all these young guys in our system at some point and it's rare they go on to extablishing themselves in 1sts with us. I'm sure there's a whole lot of reasons and when I think about it, elite forwards are really spread out all over the comp and very few are genuine juniors of their own clubs.
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
78,301
Yeah, and Im not trying to be critical cause obviously or pack is top 3ish in the comp atm. But we have all these young guys in our system at some point and it's rare they go on to extablishing themselves in 1sts with us. I'm sure there's a whole lot of reasons and when I think about it, elite forwards are really spread out all over the comp and very few are genuine juniors of their own clubs.
Yep, it's not like we're not trying. Have a look at the kids who are invited to Jnr Reps trials.

 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
92,762
They were preferred to players like Twall and Stefano.
Were they preferred or were they just cheaper? Given the forwards currently on our books we wouldn’t have a lot left over to pay others. It’s nice to have strong backups but they need to be cheap. That won’t be the case if other clubs are throwing money at them.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
92,762
True, but even Pennys have not been able to field forwards from local juniors.

Just like us and Dylan Brown or Rheed Mahoney, many (most?) are recruited at SG Ball level outside their catchment from NZ or QLD or Darwin or NSW Country.

Yep, merkins are drinking the Kool Aid when they parrot the ‘junior development’ line pushed by the rich clubs. If they were so good at development why do they poach all the best young players from poorer clubs? The secret of success is junior recruitment, not junior development. These kids are all getting the same training programs and playing the same standard of opposition. What separates them are attitude and ability; traits inherent to the player. It’s why clubs spend so much on scouting. They want to get the ones most likely to become first graders. If you could develop any kid into a first grader there wouldn’t be so much demand for the best ones.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
92,762
Yeah, and Im not trying to be critical cause obviously or pack is top 3ish in the comp atm. But we have all these young guys in our system at some point and it's rare they go on to extablishing themselves in 1sts with us. I'm sure there's a whole lot of reasons and when I think about it, elite forwards are really spread out all over the comp and very few are genuine juniors of their own clubs.
Because they peak a bit later, there’s a period where talented young forwards are only good enough for the top 17 at a weak club. If there’s no good reason for them to remain at their current club (like a heavily back-ended contract or employment for a family member) they will chase the money at Wests or similar.
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
78,301
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