You raise a lot of good points.
Why do they need to develop Victorian players? Particularly when there is only four teams in Queensland.
Because once Bellyache is gone, the next coach no matter who he is will not be a super coach of that we can almost guarantee right?
So therefore even though you say that there is only 4 teams in QLD, that is still a lot of competition for the best talent and lets not forget all the other teams that scout there way more intensely now then only a few years ago. Then you add the extra teams that will also be put in including another Brisbane team and you can see that the QLD pilfering days are going to be much harder in the near future to say the least.
So don't you think having their own nursery in their own backyard would be of much greater advantage to the Storm then having to entice young players to leave their home State or city when there would be at least 5 clubs to choose from where they don't? Not to mention that if they did invest way more and started to develop NRL quality players from Victoria(Melb) it means that more and more kids are getting into it and therefore the knock on effect in greater rusted on supporters would grow their bottom line too and we may actually get some real traction in that State in extra public interest, media, stadium attendance may actually allow for sellouts and Victorian TV ratings may go up and then real dollar value grows even further in our TV rights.
The stronger all our junior development is, can only benefit all of RL. As the saying goes a rising tide lifts all ships. Right?
The goal of the NRL should be that all clubs plow at least $3m dollars a year into their junior development. From what I am hearing they have all stuck their greedy little hands out during the current expansion negotiations. The clubs aren't to happy about the expansion plans and are demanding that each club be given $4m to allow for a new team to be brought in.
I hope the ARLC is strong enough to win this fight and tell them all to go get stuffed, but if history is any guide the clubs have way to much power and will in the end get what they want to the determent of the games junior development and expansion overall.