Love the way NSW cup side looks. Mostly juniors with potential or young cheap recruits on the up. Barely any guys over 25.
This is how you want your depth to look like. Lets hope we find a few diamonds in the rough.
Much better then filling it with old has been with no upside. I don't care about experience. Your top 17 in NRL have the experience. Guys who may push for a spot or fill in don't need it. You want young guys on the up.
Exciting times
It can be helpful to have a couple of older players in that group to help teach youngsters the ropes of life as a professional footballer and with the younger also-rans in becoming lifelong also-rans.
Whilst it’s a different environment (although similar probably exists in NFL), there’s a NBA player named James Johnson, he’s nearing 40, on $2m this season and plays shit all game time. The sole reason he’s in the squad is because he’s also an occasional MMA fighter and a scary mofo. He’s there to maintain discipline at training and helping team focus.
You can having best coaching staff in world, but having guys who are equally doing the tough stuff can help convince younger players.
I’ve been convinced for awhile that we’ve been lacking that even in NRL side. I think it played a big part in why we signed Ofahengaue. It potentially helped us in overlooking JAC’s red flags too.