We have the Best Recruitment / Retention in the Comp

[Johnny Tobin]

Souffs just lost the best halfback they have ever had. Speaks volumes.

[DP1990]

I find it hard to believe that Cody Walker The Grub re-signed for only $600k. Surely Dolphins would have given him $900k minimum.

Great thread.

Back end deal courtesy of Russell Crowe

[Batemans Bay Rooster]

Culture is a word that gets thrown around by lots of clubs. I remember Michael Maguire on that Tigers documentary screaming "Wests Tigers don't lose close games!!" giving the players a spray after another loss. As if he could somehow help develop the culture just by saying that. By the reality is, they do lose close games. Lots of them. So it's all just talk. With us, when you hear our players and coaches talk, the Rooster culture is palpable. So much of it is down to Robbo. He has married the magnificent and proud history with a steely hard no excuses edge that is just incredible. Robbo has taken this great club to another level. And he's gotten EVERYONE to buy in. He is the greatest thing that's ever happened to the club.

[Kelby]

Souths' junior base has always been a strength - its representation in their Final side was impressive - but as the working class demographic withers, that base will likewise shrink. It's difficult to identify an area in their domain which is distinctively working class nowadays, certainly not Redfern, Maroubra or even Larpa.
Penrith, on the other hand is now (in NSW at least) the major League nursery and Gould showed the way to manage and tap that reservoir most effectively. No doubt he will repeat that transformation at The Dogs.
Success has ended the Transit Lounge but for how long? How reliable and loyal are The Chooks' business backers? Packer walked, lifelong supporter reportedly. How long before Robbo is lured away by the bigger lolly?

Stolen juniors remember. The boundaries need to be redrawn.

[milanja]

Stolen juniors remember. The boundaries need to be redrawn.

Is there any truth to reports a few of the junior clubs said there was no support given to them from easts back in the day, so they were happy to not be under the Easts banner anymore? Most recently the Paddington colts, who have now gone back to displaying the “Paddington” name. disappointing if true.

[mattyh]

i think a lot of what teams like the storm and roosters have is an overall package.

money ( helps off field as well - nicer restaurants, hotels etc )
facilities
post career opportunities
on field success
professional set up
business advise
good coaching
education
development of junior players
stable board
good and great players to play with

along with many things ive neglected to mention.

ask yourself how many of these boxes the tigers, warriors etc tick ?

[Mickie Lane]

With the signing of Smith, I thought I'd start a discussion on recruitment / retention and the salary cap.

We've openly stated that we play for premierships.

We win premierships, therefore we can get players to sign and re-sign for less (hoping to win a premiership), leaving room in the cap for the best players to come to us (leading to more premierships). Examples include Teddy, Cronk, Smith, SBW, even the recent resigning of Manu.

This is a great position to be in and I'd say that we are in this tier with the Storm only.

Then you have the Panthers. Their strategy is clearly to develop talent, keep the best and move the rest on. This is a great strategy because eventually they could become a long term winning club, with the added benefit of also growing talent. Some clubs seem to be taking this same approach, just with less success, like the Warriors.

I thought about clubs like Souths, Eels, Manly, Raiders, Sharks, being in the same category as us but these clubs don't have the same attraction. They lose good players like Mahoney, Apisai Koroisau, Bateman or they back end their contracts like Souths did in 2014, or the Sharks, or they spend 80% of their cap on three players like Manly have.

Some clubs think they can attract players, however they haven't had the success in recent years and its showing. Probably because of the salary cap. This includes teams like the Broncos and Bulldogs. The arrogance of the Broncos to say they don't have rebuilding phases.

Then you have clubs like the Tigers, Cowboys, Dragons, Titans, Knights. They cant get a break when it comes to recruitment. They have to pay market price (or overs) for their players. Its a downward spiral. Then when a talented player comes along, they leave these clubs to play for the Roosters

Premiership Tier
- Roosters
- Storm

Development Tier
- Panthers

Hot and Cold Tier
- Souths
- Manly
- Eels
- Sharks
- Raiders

Future Development Tier
- Warriors

Cant Buy a Premiership Anymore Tier
- Broncos
- Bulldogs

Struggling Tier
- Tigers
- Cowboys
- Dragons
- Titans
- Knights

Nice thread The Corner Post.
I personally think Easts, Melbourne, Penrith & Souths are all as powerful as each other financially & being able to keep the players they want & attracting players they want 98% of the time. Manly are a unique club because they are privately owned & will have the highs but sometimes they will slip. Parra, Canterbury & the Broncos are all the sleeping giants, I guarantee you that with in 5 years those 3 clubs will be up there with Easts, Melbourne, Penrith & Souths, Parra are actually already up there they just have bad luck in the big games.
The Warriors are the club that could dominate for who knows how long if they ever got their hands on Robbo, Bennett & Bellamy are almost at their use by dates but Robbo is in his prime & he's got another 20 years in him.

[King Salvo]

Souffs just lost the best halfback they have ever had. Speaks volumes.

Bob Grant would get a few votes I suggest

[ism22]

i think a lot of what teams like the storm and roosters have is an overall package.

money ( helps off field as well - nicer restaurants, hotels etc )
facilities
post career opportunities
on field success
professional set up
business advise
good coaching
education
development of junior players
stable board
good and great players to play with

along with many things ive neglected to mention.

ask yourself how many of these boxes the tigers, warriors etc tick ?

Last time I went to Garbage Dump Stadium (Sharks stadium) I got a glimpse of their gym and it was just a little room with a few basic weights. Pretty much like they were training outta one of those garage-style gym setups. I'd say most GPS schools have a better setup (including the field + stands).

IMO there's 'NRL-grade' and 'NRL-grade'. Somebody said similar stuff about training at another club (I think Parra or Tigpies)... people get by but I reckon there's quite a few teams with sub-par facilities. IMO as a professional you'd see this shyte and be like 'oh fark this!!! My local gym + cricket field are in better nick... WTF?'

[Mickie Lane]

Souths' junior base has always been a strength - its representation in their Final side was impressive - but as the working class demographic withers, that base will likewise shrink. It's difficult to identify an area in their domain which is distinctively working class nowadays, certainly not Redfern, Maroubra or even Larpa.
Penrith, on the other hand is now (in NSW at least) the major League nursery and Gould showed the way to manage and tap that reservoir most effectively. No doubt he will repeat that transformation at The Dogs.
Success has ended the Transit Lounge but for how long? How reliable and loyal are The Chooks' business backers? Packer walked, lifelong supporter reportedly. How long before Robbo is lured away by the bigger lolly?

I maybe naïve Paddo Colt 61 but I believe Robbo is a Roosters man to the core like no one before him, no one could offer Robbo any better than what he has got the only thing that would have Robbo leave the Chooks is leaving for France with his family but I dont think it will happen. Robbo has gone from the bottom to the top & is now one of the most influential men in Rugby League & Nick & Co know it, what ever he gets offered by another NRL club the Roosters will better it. He is the Golden Egg mate & it will be Roosters for ever for Robbo.
Robbo is the ROOSTERS, Nick & them know it.

[Mad_Rabid_Rooster]

Stolen juniors remember. The boundaries need to be redrawn.

I agree mate. Imagine how strong we would be if we had the junior territory that we originally had, let alone what the Rabble have now (given they absorbed some of Newtown's as well). I agree that we and the Storm are at the top. Good and thought provoking thread.

[Mickie Lane]

i think a lot of what teams like the storm and roosters have is an overall package.

money ( helps off field as well - nicer restaurants, hotels etc )
facilities
post career opportunities
on field success
professional set up
business advise
good coaching
education
development of junior players
stable board
good and great players to play with

along with many things ive neglected to mention.

ask yourself how many of these boxes the tigers, warriors etc tick ?

The Warriors are the sleeping giants Matty they almost got it right with Gus & O'Sullivan but they missed the boat again but if they ever get the right coach like a Robbo they would challenge St Georges record of Premierships I think. They have the potential to be the All Blacks in the NRL with the right man running them.

[Paddo Colt 61]

[QUOTE=Mickie Lane;.......the only thing that would have Robbo leave the Chooks is leaving for France with his family but I dont think it will happen.

That's really what I was alluding to. Coaching at his level is more a man management/motivational talent than anything else and National French RL could be a big possibility (Happy wife etc). French RU might also be a possibility though like their counterparts everywhere that code is run by upper class snobs (Fascists in France's case).On another point, the territory that Easts once had - the coastal strip to Maroubra would not be anywhere near as productive these days for reasons that I have canvassed before. Souths did field two ex Coogee Wombats in the Final but two Swallows do not a Summer make.

[Fourteen]

I think roosters are in the right tier, we are looking good for the upcoming 2 seasons

[The Corner Post]

I honestly think if you don’t have a strong culture at the club no amount of recruitment will work.

You hear about it all the time, that everyone at the roosters from players, coaches and front staff buy into the culture and that’s what makes us so successful. It’s also what makes us a true destination club.

i don’t think the bulldogs have a good culture and with Gould there everyone will be looking over their shoulders

Good point. I questioned Brandon Smith for this reason, he seems to be larrikin, or maybe one of the boys. I believe we are after a Jake Friend style replacement - if so, can Smith fit this mold? Maybe a change of scene is what he needs.