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The following is from the Daily Telegraph's website -
Which club has developed the most NRL players from the Under 20s?
by: Nick Campton
From: The Daily Telegraph
July 17, 2015 12:30PM
SINCE its inception in 2008 the National Youth Competition has been the preferred breeding ground for young talent in the NRL.
Some of the modern day greats of the game cut their teeth in the Under 20s and a number of clubs have built their success on the back of powerful junior sides.
With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at every club in order to figure out which team has gotten the best value from their Under 20s graduates, ranking them from 16th to 1st.
Programming note: Players are counted for the club with whom they made their Under 20s debut, not their NRL debut. For example — Peta Hiku played Under 20s for the Warriors but made his first grade debut for Manly, so he is counted as a Warriors graduate.
MANLY SEA EAGLES
Graduates: 12 (16th)
Hits: Manly operate on a different system to many other clubs. Instead of throwing as many players at the wall as possible and hoping a couple stick, they instead focus on developing two or three real quality players in each team. The result is an appallingly low overall total of first-graders produced by their system but the ones that have come through are all quality. Daly Cherry-Evans, Kieran Foran, Jamie Buhrer, Will Hopoate, Clint Gutherson and the Trbojevic brothers head an impressive list of prospects to come out of the perennial Under 20s stragglers.
Misses: Josh Drinkwater was hugely hyped when he came through the grades at Manly and was tipped for big things when he signed with the Dragons for season 2013. Injuries, ill-form and a lack of opportunity restricted him to just one NRL game before he had a year with London Broncos. Drinkwater’s personal form was strong, even if the Broncos struggled on the field, and he returned to Australia to link with Wests Tigers as backup for Mitch Moses and Luke Brooks.
They definitely should have kept: Apart from Hopoate and Foran, the only blue-chip player that Manly developed through their under-20s that they then failed to keep was Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. The Kiwi forward played 36 under-20s games for the Sea Eagles from 2008-09 and played six NRL matches towards the end of 2009 before signing a big-money deal with the Sydney Roosters.
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Graduates: 18 (15th)
Hits: For a team with such a large junior base the Cowboys have had a surprisingly small contingent of under-20s graduates. Jason Taumalolo and Michael Morgan are the two biggest success stories for the club but apart from them, Kyle Feldt, Ray Thompson and Sam Hoare there isn’t a whole lot to write home about in terms of homegrown products for North Queensland.
Misses: Wayne Ulugia had one of the most decorated under-20s careers in the competition’s history — he played more games (88) and scored more tries (50) than any other player — and he had a similarly fast start to his NRL career, scoring six tries in four first grade games at the end of 2013. However, Ulugia was sacked by the club shortly before the start of season 2014 and linked with Hull KR who also sacked him by June of last year. He currently plays for Queensland Cup powerhouse Townsville Blackhawks.
They definitely should have kept: One of the stars of the Cowboys 2011 grand final side, Chris Grevsmuhl was a phenom on both sides of the ball in the under-20s, crossing for 31 tries in 53 matches from 2010 to 2013. Injuries ruined his chances of playing first grade up north but a change of scenery proved to be just what Grevsmuhl needed — he’s been in fine form for the Rabbitohs this season.
CRONULLA SHARKS
Graduates: 22 (14th)
Hits: There’s a common theme to the best of the Sharks under-20s graduates — they make their debut for Cronulla, show some promise over the course of a season or so and then sign big money deals elsewhere. Such has been the case with Tyrone Peachey, Michael Lichaa, Chad Townsend and Tyson Frizell, which results in the Sharks not really getting much value from their junior systems. Of the players still at the club, Valentine Holmes is the pick of the bunch despite his age and relative inexperience. Holmes, who scored 24 tries in 32 under-20s matches, gives the Sharks an attacking dimension they’ve lacked for many years and the club will be desperate to hang on to the young Queenslander.
Misses: Who could forget Karl Filiga, the can’t miss kid who was once described as the next Sonny Bill Williams? Filiga signed a three-year deal worth $200,000 with the Sharks before he ever made first grade but never came close to living up to the hype, playing just 11 minutes in his single NRL appearance. Ruined by injuries and burdened by impossibly high expectations, Filiga bounced around the lower grades at Parramatta and Canterbury for a while after leaving the Sharks at the end of 2009 before bobbing up playing for the Mudgee Dragons in Group 10 in 2013.
They definitely should have kept: The winding career of Blake Ferguson is well told and no doubt has a number of twists and turns left before it’s all over but it can’t be overlooked that he was originally a Cronulla Shark. His impact in the under-20s was minimal as he played just 16 games across 2008-09 and then 42 top-grade games for the club in 2009-10 before joining Canberra. Ferguson blossomed into an Origin player at the Raiders despite a number of off-field incidents and was finally sacked in 2013. After a year away from the game, Ferguson joined the Roosters and has since begun to show glimpses of his best amid injury troubles.
GOLD COAST TITANS
Graduates: 23 (13th)
Hits: The Titans are yet to develop a genuine star from their under-20s system but they have produced a good deal of solid first-graders and currently have a number of prospects who could develop into the sort of players the club needs to help claw their way up the ladder. David Mead and Kevin Gordon, the two most prolific tryscorers in club history, were two successes from the earlier years of the competition while Matt Srama, Ryan James, Will Matthews and Bodene Thompson are the best players to come through the ranks since. Kane Elgey, the 2014 under-20s player of the year, is a player for whom the club has very high hopes.
Misses: Jordan Rankin created headlines and history when he made his first-grade debut in 2008. At 16 years and 238 days he became the third-youngest first-grade player in Australian rugby league history. The local junior acquitted himself well on debut, setting up a try for Brad Meyers in a 32-12 defeat but then dropped off the map completely and didn’t play another first-grade game until 2011. He dipped in and out of the NRL side, appearing in 16 games from 2011-13 as a backup half/fullback before joining English club Hull FC.
They definitely should have kept: The Titans showed some real ingenuity in signing Scottish fullback Matty Russell from Wigan for season 2013 and the pinball-like custodian justified the gamble when he starred for the under-20s side that season before playing a leading role in Scotland’s giant-killing World Cup campaign at the end of the year. Quick, clever and with a gift for breaking tackles, Russell would have been a genuine option for first grade had he stayed in Australia. Despite his good form, Russell opted to sign with Warrington for 2014 and has since cemented himself as a crucial cog in the Wolves offence.
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Graduates: 24 (12th)
Hits: When you consider the junior base at their disposal and the tradition of homegrown talent in the Hunter region, Newcastle are perhaps the biggest disappointments when it comes to the Under- 20s. While things have improved recently — the Mata’utia brothers, Jake Mamo, Joseph Tapine, Kurt Mann and Danny Levi have all come through the system in the past few years — it’s still a disappointment that the Novocastrians have failed to cultivate much local talent.
Misses: Ryan Stig burst on to the NRL scene in 2011, playing 13 games and impressing with his cunning and shotgun left-foot step, but he was gone almost as quickly as he arrived. A blood clot in his eye ruled him out of the 2013 and 2014 seasons and a controversial Twitter rant resulted in the Knights declining to re-sign the Nambucca Heads junior.
They definitely should have kept: Such has been the ambivalence of the Knights under-20s that it’s difficult to pinpoint a star player who they should have retained. Kalifa Fai Fai Loa, Kevin Naiqama and Joel Edwards all played under-20s with varying degrees of success before leaving and developing into solid role-players elsewhere but that’s really been the sum total of the Knights junior systems until their minor-premiership winning Holden Cup team of last year. For a club with so much talent at their disposal it just isn’t good enough.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Graduates: 25 (equal 10th)
Hits: The Dragons have produced fewer than expected first-graders through the under-20s when you consider the vast nursery at their disposal but the club has managed to unearth some quality players, particularly in the forward pack. Trent Merrin is the best of the players to come through the ranks and the other standouts include Jack Stockwell, Adam Docker, Cameron King, Kane Linnett, Alex McKinnon, Mitch Rein, Charly Runciman and 2011 under-20s player of the year Jack de Belin.
Misses: The ultimate “coulda been” has to be Beau Henry, a five-eighth of prodigious talent who’s had little luck since winning the 2009 under-20s player of the year award. Henry impressed in his NRL initial stint in Newcastle but failed to ever really kick on due to injuries and a lack of opportunity in a subsequent period with the Titans. Henry rejoined the Dragons for 2014 but transferred to Parramatta on a mid-season deal and now floats between the NSW Cup and Ron Massey Cup.
They definitely should have kept: An Arncliffe junior, Dean Whare played 51 games all over the backline for the Dragons under-20s in 2008-09 before heading to Manly. After scoring a hat-trick on debut and functioning as a utility option out wide, Whare headed to Penrith as one of the first signings of Phil Gould’s five-year plan and has since blossomed into one of the premier centres in rugby league and an automatic New Zealand selection.
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Graduates: 25 (equal 10th)
Hits: South Sydney have placed a real emphasis on talent identification during the Russell Crowe years and it shows in the returns they’ve garnered from their under-20s, particularly in the last few seasons. The three jewels in the crown are Adam Reynolds, Dylan Walker and Alex Johnston but Jason Clark, George Burgess, Apisai Koroisau, Luke Keary, Nathan Peats and Brad Takairangi round out a pretty strong graduate class for Souths.
Misses: With soft hands and clever passing skills, Matthew Mundine was a likely prospect who was named to the 2008 under-20s team of the year and played lots of quality football during an eventful two-season under-20s career. Despite his unquestionable ability, circumstances conspired against Mundine as he failed to ever really kick on once he aged out of the competition. A stint with North Sydney failed to yield positive results and he currently plies his trade for Concord-Burwood in the Ron Massey Cup
They definitely should have kept: Despite the Rabbitohs’ good track record in the under-20s there’d be a few Souths people who would still be tearing their hair out that the club wasn’t able to hold on to James Roberts, Josh Mansour and James Segeyaro. They all left the club for different reasons — Roberts was sacked, Mansour was not re-signed and Segeyaro suffered from attitude problems and homesickness in an unhappy one-season stint before he returned to Queensland — but all three have developed into elite NRL talents.
MELBOURNE STORM
Graduates: 27 (9th)
Hits: Particularly in the early years of the under-20s the Storm were ripping out young studs like it was going out of style. The core of their 2009 premiership-winning team progressed to first grade without skipping a beat as the likes of Jesse Bromwich, Matt Duffie, Jordan McLean, Gareth Widdop and Kevin Proctor came into the NRL and thrived. The production line has slowed down a little in recent years but the club has still managed to bring Kirisome Auva’a, Ben Hampton, Luke Kelly, Blake Leary, Cameron Munster and Robbie Rochow through the system. The club is also rightly proud of producing three homegrown juniors through their under-20s in Mahe Fonua, Young Tonumaipea and Richie Kennar.
Misses: Tough, skilful and just as talented as a youngster as his younger brother, Liam Foran seemed to have all the qualities the Storm relish in a playmaker. He played three NRL games for the club in 2008 in relief of their Origin stars but soon took up a nomadic lower-grade existence with the Warriors and Roosters. He had another shot at the NRL in 2011 when he relieved his brother in the halves on occasions before short stints with Salford, Wentworthville and London respectively. He now plays for Cessnock Goannas.
They definitely should have kept: The Storm generally doesn’t shed quality players if they can help it but Aiden Guerra and Joe Tomane both slipped through the cracks. Guerra made a handful of appearances for the club in the inaugural season of the under-20s in 2008 before signing with the Roosters and developing into a Test and Origin player. The powerful Tomane was a lower-grade star and showed flashes of brilliance for the Storm before signing a big money deal with the Titans that ended poorly due to ill-form and a lack of application. Tomane switched codes at the end of 2010, resurrected his career with the Brumbies, played 14 Tests for the Wallabies and is pushing for a Rugby World Cup berth.
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS
Graduates: 28 (8th)
Hits: Despite never consistently contending in the under-20s, the Bulldogs have a very respectable track record in terms of the number of players produced and the quality of those players. A great deal of the current side, including Moses Mbye, David Klemmer, Josh Reynolds, Sam Kasiano, Josh Jackson and Tim Lafai are in-house talent while Ben Barba and Jamal Idris were among the stars of the competition’s early years.
Misses: Arana Taumata had a host of clubs before he came to the Bulldogs and he would have a host of clubs afterwards but it was Canterbury with whom he made his first-grade debut in 2008. Blessed with staggering natural gifts, Taumata was so talented that he played at more clubs than most Elvis impersonators — the Roosters, Broncos, Cowboys, Panthers, Tigers, Bulldogs and Storm all gave the talented New Zealander a crack before he went country, playing for Oakdale, Tumut and now Central Newcastle.
They definitely should have kept: Despite their strong record with converting junior stars into first-graders, the Dogs have a couple of big misses on their resume. East Hills junior Aidan Sezer had to travel to the Gold Coast for his shot at the NRL and wild man Martin Taupau played 21 games in four frustrating seasons with the club before switching to the Tigers. Interestingly, the Bulldogs also had Hurricanes winger and possible All Black Nehe Milne-Skudder and Melbourne Rebels lock Lopeti Timani on their books for a couple of seasons.
CANBERRA RAIDERS
Graduates: 29 (7th)
Hits: Canberra have always delved as deep into their juniors they possibly can and the result has been sustained success in the under-20s and a series of excellent players to come through the ranks. Their title-winning team of 2008 contained players like Josh Dugan, Daniel Vidot, Jarrod Croker, Shaun Fensom and Joel Thompson while in more recent years the Green Machine has brought through Shannon Boyd, Paul Vaughan, Brenko and Edrick Lee, Josh Papalii, Sam Williams and Jack Wighton.
Misses: Drury Low scored 54 tries in 60 under-20s games from 2008-10 but never really got a proper go in what was a crowded Raiders backline. Despite scoring three tries in his first two NRL games, Low had to travel to Canterbury for a real shot at first grade and was an able utility back for a couple of seasons before he cut his losses and joined Group 6 club Narellan Jets.
They definitely should have kept: It’s worked out well for all parties and you’d never get them to admit it, but there isn’t a Raiders fan alive who doesn’t lie awake sometimes on those cold Canberra nights dreaming of what life would be like if Anthony Milford had decided to stay. One of the premier young players in the NRL, Milford has skill and ability that few possess and is poised to become one of the best players in the game.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Graduates: 30 (6th)
Hits: Masterful recruitment from Peter O’Sullivan has resulted in the Roosters producing a number of fine players from their Under 20s despite their own meagre junior base. The likes of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Joey Leilua, Mose Masoe, Tom Symonds, Dylan Napa and Antonio Winterstein are the best to come out of Bondi in the last few years while they also boast promising prospects like Brendan Elliot and Willis Meehan. Queensland-born hooker Jake Friend and the departing Tuivasa-Sheck are the two best to come through the ranks at Bondi.
Misses: Another player burdened by unrealistic expectation, Tautau Moga was compared to everyone from Israel Folau to Greg Inglis when he first came on the scene three years ago following a stellar under-20s career that saw him score 20 tries in just 16 matches. Amid a storm of injuries in an unhappy season, the Roosters gave Moga his top grade debut midway through 2012 and he immediately lived up the hype, scoring seven tries in 14 matches. A succession of knee injuries cruelled his chances of securing a regular first-grade spot and he missed all of 2013 and the first half of 2014 as he recovered. Moga showed glimpses of his potential following a mid-season switch with the Cowboys but yet another knee injury earlier this year has put his career in the balance.
They definitely should have kept: There’s been a number of Roosters under-20s players who have found success at other clubs or even other codes. Promising Cowboys backrower Ethan Lowe came through the ranks with the Tricolours, as did Bulldogs flyer Curtis Rona. Current New South Wales and Australian prop James Tamou appeared in the competition’s inaugural season before heading north while rangy backrower or centre Anthony Gelling seemed to have a big future with the club before his embarrassing sacking midway through 2012. He’s since taken up with English club Wigan. Alofa Alofa moved to Rugby union following his ageing out and went on to win a Super Rugby title with the Waratahs and play for Samoa.
PENRITH PANTHERS
Graduates: 31 (equal 4th)
Hits: After a rough couple of seasons in the early years of the under-20s the Panthers got their act together in recent times and have converted their vast junior base into regular success. The result has been a steady stream of first grade talent. Much of the side that unexpectedly charged to within a game of the grand final last year were developed in-house including Matt Moylan, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Sam McKendry. The two younger Jennings brothers (Robert and Greg), Bryce Cartwright, Waqa Blake and Reagan Campbell-Gillard have come through more recently while a host of others, including Tim Glasby, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Matt Lodge and Joseph Paulo have found success elsewhere.
Misses: A phenomenon at schoolboy level who was always a class above in the under-20s, Bathurst-born playmaker Harry Siejka was one of the most promising young playmakers in the game when he debuted for Penrith at the tender age of 19 in 2011. Thrown into the deep end among a mire of misery for the Panthers as they entered the first stages of their rebuild, Siejka showed flashes of promise but continued to grind in the lower grades in 2012, playing just another two NRL games before heading to New Zealand in search of an opportunity. However such a chance was not forthcoming and Siejka returned to Australia midway through 2013 to link up with the Dragons. Siejka then travelled to England to try his luck in Super League, first with Wakefield Trinity and then with Championship side Bradford.
They definitely should have kept: The Panthers cup has overflowed with talent so it’s inevitable that a few are going to slip through the cracks but Lachlan Coote and Wade Graham were all but shown the door. Coote has overcome a host of injury struggles to emerge as a key component of the Cowboys’ success this year while Graham has developed into a fine all-round player with the Sharks. Blake Austin is another who the Panthers would have liked to have kept a hold of — the Doonside junior played two-and-half seasons with the club in the under-20s and another three floating between reserve grade and first grade before leaving for the Tigers and eventually finding a home with the Raiders.
BRISBANE BRONCOS
Graduates: 31 (equal 4th)
Hits: The Broncos have always put their faith in developing strong, homegrown talent and it’s no surprise to see them so high on this list. The core of their 2008 grand final side is still with the club including Alex Glenn, Matt Gillet, Ben Hunt, Josh McGuire and Andrew McCullough while other players to come through include Gerard Beale, Corey Oates, Dale Copley, Josh Hoffman, Kodi Nikorima, Lachlan Maranta, Tariq and Korbin Sims, Jordan Kahu and Jharal Yow Yeh.
Misses: Destructive backrower Caleb Timu was a bustling backrower who gave defenders nightmares on the edge of ruck and was duly rewarded with a spot in the under-20s team of the year for 2012. With rugby league stardom seemingly at his feet, Timu decided to undertake a two-year Mormon mission from 2014 onwards. At the time, he said that he was unsure if he would return to rugby league following its completion.
They definitely should have kept: A two-time member of the under-20s team of the year, Dane Gagai was let go by the Broncos for disciplinary reasons in 2012 before blossoming into an Origin player with the Knights. He was heavily linked with a return to Brisbane for this season but re-signed with Newcastle until the end of 2017. Jessie Mogg, who played eight games in the under-20s in 2009, went on to play for the Brumbies in Super Rugby and appeared in three Tests for the Wallabies.
PARRAMATTA EELS
Graduates: 34 (3rd)
Hits: The Eels have had more hits than most in the under-20s but the trouble for the club has been identifying which were the right ones to keep. Sure, they’ve had a couple of winners — Tim Mannah has been one of the most consistent players for the club amid a storm of turmoil, Tepai Moeroa looks to have something special, Pauli Pauli’s potential is close to limitless and Semi Radradra scores tries for fun. But they’ve also lost players like Trent Hodkinson, Jorge Taufua, Daniel Tupou and Tony Williams. Given the enormous size of their junior base there’s always going to be a few that slip through the cracks and all things considered the Eels have gotten a lot of mileage out of their under-20s teams.
Misses: Monstrously big and faster than a man his size has any right to be, Jacob Loko tore defences apart from the moment he picked up a football and was regarded as a long-term first-grader by the Eels. A solid debut year in the NRL in 2011 precipitated a host of knee injuries and Loko wasn’t seen again in first grade until 2013, but the once vaunted power and speed had sadly vanished. A mid-season switch to the Bulldogs and a couple of off-field indiscretions seem to have his NRL career on the brink of disappearing.
They definitely should have kept: Albert Kelly was often courted by trouble during his Australian career but he showed plenty of the speed, skill and footwork that made him such a talent in his early years with Parramatta. Kelly played 23 under-20s games for the club in 2008-09 before joining Cronulla in 2010. The Kempsey junior was sacked by Cronulla and linked up with the Knights, who sacked him midway through 2012. Kelly found a new lease of life on the Gold Coast and struck up a sensational combination with Aidan Sezer but departed the club at the end of 2014 and has since become a crowd favourite with Hull KR.
WESTS TIGERS
Graduates: 38 (2nd)
Hits: Underrated with their junior development and talent identification, the Tigers have been consistent contenders in the under-20s, winning the competition in 2012 and making the grand final in 2009. James Tedesco, Luke Brooks and Mitch Moses are the most-hyped players to come through their system and Aaron Woods is the most decorated but names like Rob Lui, David Nofoaluma, Curtis Sironen, Sauaso Sue and Marika Koroibete have all become consistent first-graders. The flow of talent is still continuing to trickle through with the likes of Mania Cherrington and Kyle Lovett getting their first taste of NRL in 2015.
Misses: In seven seasons of the under-20s, nobody has ever had a year quite like Jake Mullaney in 2009. The Eaglevale-St Andrews junior swept all before him on the way to an incredible total of 29 tries and 103 goals for a ridiculous tally of 322 points as he led the Tigers to a grand final berth. Lightning quick and adept at breaking tackles, Mullaney was let go by the Tigers as the club opted to instead commit to James Tedesco. However, Mullaney made his belated NRL debut for Parramatta in 2012-13 and served ably as Jarryd Hayne’s backup before heading to England where he’s had stints with Salford and Bradford.
They definitely should have kept: The Tigers had a potential all-Origin front row on their hands when Andrew Fifita came through the ranks but despite his obvious promise he was allowed to leave at the end of 2011 in order to create salary cap space for Adam Blair. The Tigers also would like to still have the services of giant Fijian winger Taqele Naiyaravoro, who has since joined the Waratahs and was recently named in the Wallabies squad for the Rugby Championship.
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Graduates: 47 (1st)
Hits: The undisputed champions of the under-20s, the Warriors have three premierships to their name and have produced more players than any other club. The hits are almost too numerous to mention — Shaun Johnson and Ben Matulino are probably the two best but they’ve also cultivated Elijah Taylor, Konrad Hurrell, Solomone Kata, Sam Lisone, Albert Vete, Russell Packer, Tuimoala Lolohea, Ben Henry, David Fusitu’a and Glen Fisiiahi, just to name a few.
Misses: The story of Omar Slaimankhel is well known. The son of refugees from Afghanistan, Slaimankhel was a try-scoring machine in his three seasons in the under 20s, running in 47 from 51 games and playing in back-to-back premiership teams in 2010-11. A dual code star at schoolboy level, Slaimankhel made his first-grade debut in 2012, playing five games on the wing, but then opted to join Japanese rugby club Canon Eagles. Slaimankhel returned to rugby league midway through 2015 when he signed for the Roosters.
They definitely should have kept: There’s only so much room in New Zealand and a steady torrent of ex-Warriors have travelled across the Tasman to fill out NRL squads around the country. Peta Hiku, Sosaia Feki, Sio Siua Taukeiaho and Isaac John are the best of the expats.
