Beavers Headgear
First Grade
- Messages
- 9,505
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sundaynews/4608984a19773.html
From boys to men
Iro nurturing Junior Warriors talent
Sunday News | Sunday, 06 July 2008
WHILE the Warriors' top side has struggled for consistency this season, the club's under-20s players have gone from strength-to-strength under the guidance of former Kiwi-turned-coach TONY IRO. With plenty to be happy about, Iro sat down with Sunday News' league writer AARON LAWTON to discuss whether fans should share his optimism about the club's future
AARON LAWTON: Your Toyota Cup side is fifth on the table right now, what's the secret behind the success?
TONY IRO: All we have wanted the boys to do this year is keep improving. I think they've really taken that on board. They are always here early. They are prepared to work hard. We sit them all down on a regular basis and ask them to improve aspects of their game. They've all been happy to do that. It's been a big event for these boys, playing in an Australian competition, and I think they are playing with a lot of pride. They are the first Warriors side in the under-20s competition and they don't want to let the club down.
AL: A number of your boys have had the chance to step up and play in the first-grade side this year. Would you like to see more players given that opportunity before the season's end?
TI: I'd push every single one of them up into the first-grade side if I could. At the end of the day, that's what they are playing for. The dream these guys are trying to achieve is to play first-grade footy. We've had three go up this year (Sonny Fai, Russell Packer, Ben Matulino), which is outstanding. I think there's a few more in this squad who could easily handle the step up. Our ultimate goal is to win this competition but the bigger picture is that we turn these boys into NRL players.
AL: Has the under-20s competition been a success?
TI: The fact we've had a few boys go up this year has been good. I think the prospect of playing in the NRL is a lot closer for these boys than they probably would have thought. When we didn't have the under-20s competition and only had our development side, it probably looked, and was, a lot further away.
AL: In recent weeks the Warriors have announced several new Australian signings for next season. Is it a concern the club is still turning to Australians rather than the young talent coming through the ranks?
TI: The competition is so tough that you always have to look after your immediate needs. The players they have recruited for next year will do that for the Warriors. I think the signings made by the club are good, consistent, tough players. The players they have picked up won't really influence our young guys coming through. Ben (Matulino) and Russell (Packer) still have another year in the under-20s to go. The Warriors have done well in solving some of the immediate gaps in their roster. In three or four years' time, the benefits of this under-20s competition will be obvious and you will see more of our boys being plucked out of the side.
AL: Do you have reservations about your young players making the step up?
TI: You have got to be careful, given the intensity of the NRL, that you don't throw the lambs to the wolves. It's a brutal competition and these boys need to be eased into it. You can't expect these kids to be playing 25-odd first-grade games a year at their age.
AL: Without wanting to put pressure on a kid who hasn't played in the top side yet, Kevin Locke is already being talked up by people in the know Stephen McIvor and Matthew Ridge to name but two. Is he ready?
TI: I certainly think Kevin has the ability to play in the NRL. I've looked at a lot of other under-20s kids making their debuts and some have been surprising but most have handled themselves well. Kevin, I have no doubt, would be able to handle it. Having said that, he's not the biggest kid going around and he also has another year in the under-20s. For a lot of our boys, we haven't had the advantage of playing top age-group footy like the Aussie kids have. For Kevin, there's no real rush. He's only 19 but if his chance comes along this year, so be it. We shouldn't be pushing some of our boys too quickly. Most of the guys making their first-grade debuts across the ditch are the 20-year-olds.
AL: I'm going to put you on the spot here. Which kids are ready to make the step up right now?
TI: We've got maybe half a dozen kids that could probably step up right now if called upon. The club's just re-signed Daniel O'Regan and Mataupu Poching. Those two would have to be top of the list. They're two mature kids who won't be available for us next year and I think the fact the club has been prepared to invest some time and money into them next year probably shows that, if all goes well, they should get some opportunities. Leeson Ah Mau another kid who's been in our system for a few years he's an 18-year-old prop and while he has some things to work on, I'm certain he could handle the step up easily. I don't really want to name all the boys who are ready because that would put pressure on them.
AL: How does the contract situation work with this under-20s competition?
TI: Every club is on a $250,000 (AUD) cap and that's not a lot of money. That has to be spread across your top 20 players. There's also allowances for education and employment remunerations as well. We carry a squad of about 35 kids, which sounds a lot but we probably have about 10 out injured at the moment. You definitely need those numbers.
AL: Are the players all on individual contracts for different terms and amounts?
TI: Basically. The boys are on individual contracts depending on where we see them and how they are developing. Sometimes the players aren't keen to enter into long-term contracts because they want to measure their value and put some pressure on themselves. It's just like any NRL club we are just doing our best. We know we aren't going to get all the best kids all the time. Now we can at least offer them something. In previous years we've told them to train with the development squad and see what happens. Now we can say "here's the team, players are making the NRL side from it, come and play for us".
AL: Are you concerned about rival NRL clubs poaching your players?
TI: I've got no fears about that at all. In fact, if rival clubs are trying to poach our players we are doing our job. We've got to be smart about that. But not wearing my Warriors hat for a moment, if a club comes and grabs one of my boys and offers him more money than we can, good on him. I want to see these boys living their dreams. I want them to be playing in the NRL and hopefully playing for the Kiwis. If it has to be with another club it has to be. With the salary cap as it is, we can't afford to keep everyone. As much as I would love to see every player stay with the Warriors, the nature of the NRL will dictate otherwise.
From boys to men
Iro nurturing Junior Warriors talent
Sunday News | Sunday, 06 July 2008
WHILE the Warriors' top side has struggled for consistency this season, the club's under-20s players have gone from strength-to-strength under the guidance of former Kiwi-turned-coach TONY IRO. With plenty to be happy about, Iro sat down with Sunday News' league writer AARON LAWTON to discuss whether fans should share his optimism about the club's future
AARON LAWTON: Your Toyota Cup side is fifth on the table right now, what's the secret behind the success?
TONY IRO: All we have wanted the boys to do this year is keep improving. I think they've really taken that on board. They are always here early. They are prepared to work hard. We sit them all down on a regular basis and ask them to improve aspects of their game. They've all been happy to do that. It's been a big event for these boys, playing in an Australian competition, and I think they are playing with a lot of pride. They are the first Warriors side in the under-20s competition and they don't want to let the club down.
AL: A number of your boys have had the chance to step up and play in the first-grade side this year. Would you like to see more players given that opportunity before the season's end?
TI: I'd push every single one of them up into the first-grade side if I could. At the end of the day, that's what they are playing for. The dream these guys are trying to achieve is to play first-grade footy. We've had three go up this year (Sonny Fai, Russell Packer, Ben Matulino), which is outstanding. I think there's a few more in this squad who could easily handle the step up. Our ultimate goal is to win this competition but the bigger picture is that we turn these boys into NRL players.
AL: Has the under-20s competition been a success?
TI: The fact we've had a few boys go up this year has been good. I think the prospect of playing in the NRL is a lot closer for these boys than they probably would have thought. When we didn't have the under-20s competition and only had our development side, it probably looked, and was, a lot further away.
AL: In recent weeks the Warriors have announced several new Australian signings for next season. Is it a concern the club is still turning to Australians rather than the young talent coming through the ranks?
TI: The competition is so tough that you always have to look after your immediate needs. The players they have recruited for next year will do that for the Warriors. I think the signings made by the club are good, consistent, tough players. The players they have picked up won't really influence our young guys coming through. Ben (Matulino) and Russell (Packer) still have another year in the under-20s to go. The Warriors have done well in solving some of the immediate gaps in their roster. In three or four years' time, the benefits of this under-20s competition will be obvious and you will see more of our boys being plucked out of the side.
AL: Do you have reservations about your young players making the step up?
TI: You have got to be careful, given the intensity of the NRL, that you don't throw the lambs to the wolves. It's a brutal competition and these boys need to be eased into it. You can't expect these kids to be playing 25-odd first-grade games a year at their age.
AL: Without wanting to put pressure on a kid who hasn't played in the top side yet, Kevin Locke is already being talked up by people in the know Stephen McIvor and Matthew Ridge to name but two. Is he ready?
TI: I certainly think Kevin has the ability to play in the NRL. I've looked at a lot of other under-20s kids making their debuts and some have been surprising but most have handled themselves well. Kevin, I have no doubt, would be able to handle it. Having said that, he's not the biggest kid going around and he also has another year in the under-20s. For a lot of our boys, we haven't had the advantage of playing top age-group footy like the Aussie kids have. For Kevin, there's no real rush. He's only 19 but if his chance comes along this year, so be it. We shouldn't be pushing some of our boys too quickly. Most of the guys making their first-grade debuts across the ditch are the 20-year-olds.
AL: I'm going to put you on the spot here. Which kids are ready to make the step up right now?
TI: We've got maybe half a dozen kids that could probably step up right now if called upon. The club's just re-signed Daniel O'Regan and Mataupu Poching. Those two would have to be top of the list. They're two mature kids who won't be available for us next year and I think the fact the club has been prepared to invest some time and money into them next year probably shows that, if all goes well, they should get some opportunities. Leeson Ah Mau another kid who's been in our system for a few years he's an 18-year-old prop and while he has some things to work on, I'm certain he could handle the step up easily. I don't really want to name all the boys who are ready because that would put pressure on them.
AL: How does the contract situation work with this under-20s competition?
TI: Every club is on a $250,000 (AUD) cap and that's not a lot of money. That has to be spread across your top 20 players. There's also allowances for education and employment remunerations as well. We carry a squad of about 35 kids, which sounds a lot but we probably have about 10 out injured at the moment. You definitely need those numbers.
AL: Are the players all on individual contracts for different terms and amounts?
TI: Basically. The boys are on individual contracts depending on where we see them and how they are developing. Sometimes the players aren't keen to enter into long-term contracts because they want to measure their value and put some pressure on themselves. It's just like any NRL club we are just doing our best. We know we aren't going to get all the best kids all the time. Now we can at least offer them something. In previous years we've told them to train with the development squad and see what happens. Now we can say "here's the team, players are making the NRL side from it, come and play for us".
AL: Are you concerned about rival NRL clubs poaching your players?
TI: I've got no fears about that at all. In fact, if rival clubs are trying to poach our players we are doing our job. We've got to be smart about that. But not wearing my Warriors hat for a moment, if a club comes and grabs one of my boys and offers him more money than we can, good on him. I want to see these boys living their dreams. I want them to be playing in the NRL and hopefully playing for the Kiwis. If it has to be with another club it has to be. With the salary cap as it is, we can't afford to keep everyone. As much as I would love to see every player stay with the Warriors, the nature of the NRL will dictate otherwise.
