Warriors sign Leeds teenages for juniors

[Philip_Smith007]

http://www.nrl.com/warriors-sign-leeds-teenagers-for-juniors/tabid/10874/newsid/73454/default.aspx

The Warriors have signed two teenage forwards from English Super League club Leeds to play for their under-20 team next year.

Club general manager football operations Dean Bell said snaring highly rated 18-year-olds Jordan Baldwinson and Mason Tonks emphasised the club's willingness to look everywhere for the best talent.

"This is the start of something new and something we see working very well for our club and for the game generally," Bell said.

"We're seeing more and more evidence of players from Super League clubs having success in the NRL."

Baldwinson, who has already played at Super League level, captained the England under-18 side against France this year.

He said in a statement that the shift to Auckland was an important step in his career and he had set a goal of playing in the NRL.

 

[Scorpio30]

LOL That's great...at under 20 level the Warriors really fail to source big mobile and hard running forwards in their catchment.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

They should of announced this once the Tomkins deal came through jesus these 2 nuffies are still boys and unproven ffs our club know how to kill excitement

 

[NZ Warrior]

The headline should read "Warriors sign 2 white English players, how dare they!"

Some of you need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. The Warriors may be able to get some sort of transfer fee, if an ESL club sign them from us. This could be some sort of investment initiative, which would be a very smart business move.

We have one of the best junior squads going around. If we can develop a few junior ESL players, and profit from them, once they get transferred, why not make that move. If the ESL juniors are quality players, then that raise the bar for our local talent to achieve. It's all about competition!

 

[JoeD]

I'm a firm believer tha the best teams have a good mix of players that complement eachother. If these boys can bring a different style or technique to the team all the better.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

The headline should read "Warriors sign 2 white English players, how dare they!"

Some of you need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. The Warriors may be able to get some sort of transfer fee, if an ESL club sign them from us. This could be some sort of investment initiative, which would be a very smart business move.

We have one of the best junior squads going around. If we can develop a few junior ESL players, and profit from them, once they get transferred, why not make that move. If the ESL juniors are quality players, then that raise the bar for our local talent to achieve. It's all about competition!

A transfer fee would be included in the salary cap I'm pretty sure which wouldn't really be all that smart. I know if you pay a transfer fee it gets included but not 100% sure if you are receiving it what happens

 

[NZ Warrior]

A transfer fee would be included in the salary cap I'm pretty sure which wouldn't really be all that smart. I know if you pay a transfer fee it gets included but not 100% sure if you are receiving it what happens

If you are receiving a transfer fee, wouldn't that be a credit to your salary cap???

 

[Izz]

This is a good move, imo.

 

[palmheads]

Got a mate who supports Featherstone (near Leeds) and he had this to say...

"...have just read that NZ Warriors have signed Jordan Baldwinson and Mason Tonks from leeds rhinos. i have seen both these lads play several times and they are outstanding prospects in my opinion..."

I reckon the UK have realised Super League will never be able to produce an England/Great Britain team to beat the Aussies, so now they are actively encouraging their talented young players to come over here to play in Australian based comps. These 2 sound like good ones!

 

[BrisbaneRhino]

Every year we'll see a few 19-year olds come to Aus/NZ to get a game, because there's no open-age reserve team or SL juniors past U19s. When players hit 19 therefore their only option (if not a first-team squad member) is to 'dual register' with a lower grade club. Quite a few would probably prefer to chance their arm down under than play for the likes of Hunset (Leeds' twinned team).

What makes this different is it's the first time I can remember an NRL side actively scouting for untried SL juniors. Most of the lads moving to Aus are doing it on a wing and a prayer and a backpacker's visa.

I'd agree BTW about different styles of player complimenting each other. The Warriors never have problems producing big dynamic forwards, but IMO never seem to have enough of the workhorses who can play long minutes with few mistakes and generally tidy everything up in both attack and defence. Not sure if the 2 lads mentioned fit that bill though.

 

[Rich102]

Strange times. I wouldn't have thought we would need to recruit overseas juniors.
That said I can see benefits from UK based players coming to play here in our U'20s.
Just so long as we have first option on them when they finish their term with us.

Will watch this with interest.

 

[ozbash]

Will watch this with interest.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/265101203599833/402575546519064/?notif_t=group_activity
Its all on on f/book, Rich... get in there !!

 

[LeagueNut]

Didn't last long...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/10050353/Young-English-recruits-head-back-to-UK

Young English recruits head back to UK

The experiment to bring two young English players to the Warriors is over, with both Mason Tonks and Jordan Baldwinson returning to the UK to play Super league.

The 19-year-olds left Leeds last season with the intention of working through the Warriors' youth setup and making it in the NRL.

However, they struggled to hold down places in the Warriors' under-20 team were farmed out to Northcote in the Fox Memorial Cup in an attempt to adjust to the physicality of footy in the southern hemisphere.

Today it was agreed they would end their time in New Zealand and head home as soon as this weekend.

The pair have been signed by their former club for next year, but will join the Bradford Bulls on loan for the rest of the 2014 season.

"It's all happened quickly but it's a big opportunity for Jordan and Mason to go home to play in the Super League," Warriors general manager of football Dean Bell said.

Baldwinson was used in the Warriors' preseason trials against both Gold Coast and Super League-Challenge Cup champions Wigan in February. Tonks played in the Wigan match.

Baldwinson made five NYC appearances, the last of them against the Raiders on Saturday where he scored a try in the team's 54-0 win.

After the game he hoped he'd be able remain in the Junior Warriors team for the rest of the season but it was not to be.

"I've had a great time here at the club and it's been brilliant coming out to live in New Zealand but I'm really excited going home to play in the Super League," Baldwinson said today.

Tonks, used twice in the NYC, added: "I've loved my time with the lads and have really enjoyed the experience of living here but I'm also looking forward to the chance to further my career."

 

[Diesel]

At least they were willing as 18 yo to come to the other side of the world and give it a go. Interesting to read they're going back to Leeds and are on loan to Bradford for 2014, would that be FG or reserves/juniors?

 

[sup42]

i thought Tonks was a flop.

Baldwinson worked hard off the ball , constantly running lines.

Highly annoying watching him bypassed by our playmakers.

 

[Skinner]

The Tigers were not particularly impressed with these lads...pity really

 

[tangalife]

Gee I thought there were big wraps on these kids...

 

[Scorpio30]

i thought Tonks was a flop.

Baldwinson worked hard off the ball , constantly running lines.

Highly annoying watching him bypassed by our playmakers.

The first time I've notice him playing was against the Raiders and that's what I took out of it...playmakers totally ignoring him.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Meh, not overly fussed. Its a low risk gamble that didnt really work out.
The Warriors didnt lose anything on these lads, and these type of signings could unearth a potential gem.
I'd like for us to continue doing these kinda signings

 

[Penrose Warrior]

The easiest thing to do seems to be to blame Dean Bell, but I didn't have a problem with it as an experiment and I probably wouldn't if they did it again.

Yes, we have local talent coming out of our eyeballs. But I have no issue with bringing a couple of kids over to see what a different culture brings to the mix in the 20s, see if they are capable of progressing through.

The only problem is homesickness, which obviously we don't get with local kids.