Rumours and Stuff

[Delboy]

WT have two squads in each junior grade. It is actually a massive advantage. WT always prioritise one squad so Magpies and Balmain are always effectively a "A" squad and a "B" squad. These squads solidify in Matthews an Flegg where we are usually strong (Magpies) which is why we now have 7 <20yo's in first grade most of them came from our Matts two years ago. Our current Matts team were top of the table.

This is what a development club actually looks like.

Not quite the case. My grandson played Matts and Ball agst both sides, the Wests sides seemed all from the Campbelltown area , whereas the Tigers sides were recruited from Parra and Penrith and some from the Balmain junior league and some externals from country etc.
Completely different experience playing each side, fair to say the Wests teams seemed a step up from Balmain, not surprising given they chose from Group 6 and the area around Campbelltown which gave them a much broader base to select from.

 

[T.S Quint]

Hopefully he can find diamonds

Honestly, he could take the squad we already have and make the Finals, with some luck with injuries which we haven't had the last two years.

We have a lot of good players in the squad, with a couple of great ones.
If we can sort out the not-so-good players and either get them to play better or replace them with better options then we could go for top 4.

Quite a few 'ifs' in there though.

 

[T.S Quint]

Not quite the case. My grandson played Matts and Ball agst both sides, the Wests sides seemed all from the Campbelltown area , whereas the Tigers sides were recruited from Parra and Penrith and some from the Balmain junior league
Completely different experience playing each side, fair to say the Wests teams seemed a step up from Balmain, not surprising given they chose from Group 6 and the area around Campbelltown which gave them a much broader base to select from.

C'town represent!

Yeah boiz!

 

[Tiger5150]

Jack Bird (St George Illawarra Dragons, 2026), Royce Hunt (Cronulla Sharks, 2027), Jarome Luai (Penrith Panthers, 2029), Jaxson Rahme (2025), Jeral Skelton (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 2026), Sunia Turuva (Penrith Panthers, 2027).

Ah, so THIS is what a development club looks like.

Exactly!

Jahream Bula
Junior Tupou
Declan Casey
Tallyn Da Silva
Josh Feledy
Lachlan Galvin
Kit Laulillii
Luke Laulilii
Heath Mason
Justin Matamua
Jordan Miller
Fonua Pole
Alex Seyfarth
Tony Sukkar

add to that Latu, Sione Fainu, Ailamalo, Faataape, Johannsen, Porter, To'a, who debuted at Tigers but werent juniors and thats exactly what a development Club looks like. Tigers are shit and we are many other things, but clearly a development club is one. Lets bookmark and check back in three years and lets see if it worked.

 

[Tiger5150]

Not quite the case. My grandson played Matts and Ball agst both sides, the Wests sides seemed all from the Campbelltown area , whereas the Tigers sides were recruited from Parra and Penrith and some from the Balmain junior league and some externals from country etc.
Completely different experience playing each side, fair to say the Wests teams seemed a step up from Balmain, not surprising given they chose from Group 6 and the area around Campbelltown which gave them a much broader base to select from.

100% geographic location matters. Magpies train at Campbelltown, Balmain at Concord but where that isnt a issue, better players always go to Magpies. Magpies are always prioritised.

 

[Pazza]

Honestly, he could take the squad we already have and make the Finals, with some luck with injuries which we haven't had the last two years.

We have a lot of good players in the squad, with a couple of great ones.
If we can sort out the not-so-good players and either get them to play better or replace them with better options then we could go for top 4.

Quite a few 'ifs' in there though.

Yes I think the squad has a fair bit of talent in it. No reason we can't do well next season.

Long term... we need to turn into the sort of club that finds and nutures elite talent. We need to find the next Cameron Munster or the next Reece Walsh. We just Don't seem to develop this level of player, hayne is the only one in my time supporting the club.

 

[Eelementary]

WT have two squads in each junior grade. It is actually a massive advantage. WT always prioritise one squad so Magpies and Balmain are always effectively a "A" squad and a "B" squad. These squads solidify in Matthews an Flegg where we are usually strong (Magpies) which is why we now have 7 <20yo's in first grade most of them came from our Matts two years ago. Our current Matts team were top of the table.

This is what a development club actually looks like.

Finishing last in the lower grades, and First Grade, is what a development club looks like?

Huh...

 

[Chipmunk]

Try not to think of me, its creepy. I never think of you.

Its a cute funny graphic, it leaves out a couple of critical things.......
"Wests Tigers" didnt come last in Harold Matthews, Wests Magpies finished top of the ladder and runners up in GF.
"Wests Tigers" didnt come last in SG Ball, Wests Magpies finished 8th.
The NRL team had 7 players in first grade eligible for Jersey Flegg, 3 of them eligible to play SG Ball. Put Galvin, Latu, mason etc in NSW Cup/Flegg?Ball and they win.

Cute graphic but bullshit.

The Tigers came last in SG Ball and Harold Matthews though...

 

[eels_fan]

 

[Tiger5150]

The Tigers came last in SG Ball and Harold Matthews though...

Who came last in NSW Cup? Where did they come in Ball & Matts?

 

[eels_fan]

All three players were members of the SG Ball Grand Final winning team in 2023 and have been rewarded with contract extensions for the development squad in 2025 with Charlie and Richard moving into the Top 30 in 2026

Eels extend contracts of three pathways players

The Parramatta Eels have extended the contracts of Charlie Guymer, Saxon Pryke and Richard Penisini for two years until the end of the 2026 season.

www.parraeels.com.au

 

[Tiger5150]

Finishing last in the lower grades, and First Grade, is what a development club looks like?

Huh...

Yep....in the early stages. Lets bookmark and look back in three years.

Taylor, Cleary and then Madge under the moronic management of Pascoe and the board, completely crushed this club. When they sacked Madge and appointed Sheens, his #1 priority was to re-establish the club as a development club as they were 2004-2012. With the clean out of the board and appointment of Richardson, this strategy has been strengthened and re-affirmed. This is an easy decision when our Harold Matts team was undefeated champions 2 years ago, but our current Matts are dominant as well and there are many in the pipeline. We had massive numbers of local juniors in NRL this year and the youngest first grade team in NRL history.

Yes we are shit, that is unarguable, but it is also unarguable that we are actually throwing everything at being a development club and we will know if it is successful and if we can keep these kids together in 3 years.

Penrith made the 8 twice in 12 years before a juniors first strategy. Tigers, Parra & Penrith are blessed with juniors.

 

[eel01s]

Hang on, so once again we are giving out top 30 spots to players who are not even proven at KOE Cup level? I am talking about Rich Penisini. He hasn't come back yet from an ACL and we extend him? Was he getting offers from other clubs?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

WT have two squads in each junior grade. It is actually a massive advantage. WT always prioritise one squad so Magpies and Balmain are always effectively a "A" squad and a "B" squad. These squads solidify in Matthews an Flegg where we are usually strong (Magpies) which is why we now have 7 <20yo's in first grade most of them came from our Matts two years ago. Our current Matts team were top of the table.

This is what a development club actually looks like.

You poached a bunch of youngsters from Manly ffs. Buying kids and giving them top 30 contracts isn’t the stuff of a development club. It is overpaying for youth.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Unless someone is coming from the clouds like a Brazel or playing guymer out there. We're going to have to recruit someone

Tyrese Lokeni

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yes I think the squad has a fair bit of talent in it. No reason we can't do well next season.

Long term... we need to turn into the sort of club that finds and nutures elite talent. We need to find the next Cameron Munster or the next Reece Walsh. We just Don't seem to develop this level of player, hayne is the only one in my time supporting the club.

These days this sort of elite junior is identified and widely known by the age of 14. They are in huge demand, which is why Mt Druitt local Sua’ali’i was signed by Souths and then poached by the Roosters before he turned 18.

 

[Tiger5150]

You poached a bunch of youngsters from Manly ffs. Buying kids and giving them top 30 contracts isn’t the stuff of a development club. It is overpaying for youth.

Three Latu bros and Feledy are from Blacktown (why arent they at Parra?)

Jahream Bula
Junior Tupou
Declan Casey
Tallyn Da Silva
Lachlan Galvin
Kit Laulillii
Luke Laulilii
Heath Mason
Justin Matamua
Jordan Miller
Fonua Pole
Alex Seyfarth
Tony Sukkar

Are not from Manly. You are full of it as usual.

 

[Pazza]

These days this sort of elite junior is identified and widely known by the age of 14. They are in huge demand, which is why Mt Druitt local Sua’ali’i was signed by Souths and then poached by the Roosters before he turned 18.

Sure and we gotta get a seat at the table

 

[Tiger5150]

These days this sort of elite junior is identified and widely known by the age of 14. They are in huge demand, which is why Mt Druitt local Sua’ali’i was signed by Souths and then poached by the Roosters before he turned 18.

ok then I have 4 questions for you on this basis.

1. What are Parra doing about their juniors and the pathways to NRL?
2. What are Tigers doing about their juniors and the pathways to NRL?
3. What are Penrith doing about their juniors and the pathways to NRL?
4. What is a development club?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yep....in the early stages. Lets bookmark and look back in three years.

Taylor, Cleary and then Madge under the moronic management of Pascoe and the board, completely crushed this club. When they sacked Madge and appointed Sheens, his #1 priority was to re-establish the club as a development club as they were 2004-2012. With the clean out of the board and appointment of Richardson, this strategy has been strengthened and re-affirmed. This is an easy decision when our Harold Matts team was undefeated champions 2 years ago, but our current Matts are dominant as well and there are many in the pipeline. We had massive numbers of local juniors in NRL this year and the youngest first grade team in NRL history.

Yes we are shit, that is unarguable, but it is also unarguable that we are actually throwing everything at being a development club and we will know if it is successful and if we can keep these kids together in 3 years.

Penrith made the 8 twice in 12 years before a juniors first strategy. Tigers, Parra & Penrith are blessed with juniors.

Harold Matts is Mickey Mouse. We’ve won about half of all Matts comps and by SG Ball all the junior ‘development’ (poaching) clubs have caught up. It’s pretty much not an advantage, just somewhere for player managers to park their clients and shop them around for senior contracts when they turn 18. Like what happened with Mitch Moses back when the Tigers were a ‘development’ club.