Buzz: Matt Lodge to Roosters

[redwhiteblue]

and send scouts to the domain lunchtime games and sign up the best talent

Funny when I typed out all those place names, I realised I don't go into town for work anymore. Our office is on Kent St and I worked there back in 2006 when it was first built and now I'm back working for them again. When I worked in insurance, the companies did have a touch footy comp in the Domain.

Oh well, my home is in Roosters territory so if I see a young person kicking a ball around Dudley Page Reserve or Christison Park, I'm claiming them as our juniors..

[NorfolkStreetKid]

The whole junior base thing doesnt exist, its not about the Chooks have a small nursery because all clubs recruit 15YO's mostly young Islanders either from Western Sydney, South Western Sydney, Queensland & New Zealand.
Clubs have to scout 15 year olds & bring them to their pathways starting out at Harold Mathews. The current Roosters Harold Mathews have players from all areas, the Roosters have identified them as future players & hopefully most of them progress to SG Ball then Flegg.
All the clubs are on an even keel when it comes to juniors.

That's one of your best clown.
Ofcourse the clubs who have a bigger junior base IN THEIR LOCAL AREA, have an advantage. Kids want play for the team where they grew up, they probably prefer to keep living where they grew up as well. Having to import kids from far away places at a young age certainly has it's problems, maybe that's why so many that we get this way fail to develop their full potential.
Brisbane have a HUGE advantage in junior base, kids want to stay in Brisbane, the cost of living and housing is much cheaper, and it's a better place to live, especially if your family is there.
Penrith have the same advantage.
I would suggest that all the other Sydney clubs have bigger catchment areas, with more kids playing junior league than the Roosters.
As would Canberra, Newcastle, Townsville. All 3 again offer much cheaper cost of living.

[Mickie Lane]

That's one of your best clown.
Ofcourse the clubs who have a bigger junior base IN THEIR LOCAL AREA, have an advantage. Kids want play for the team where they grew up, they probably prefer to keep living where they grew up as well. Having to import kids from far away places at a young age certainly has it's problems, maybe that's why so many that we get this way fail to develop their full potential.
Brisbane have a HUGE advantage in junior base, kids want to stay in Brisbane, the cost of living and housing is much cheaper, and it's a better place to live, especially if your family is there.
Penrith have the same advantage.
I would suggest that all the other Sydney clubs have bigger catchment areas, with more kids playing junior league than the Roosters.
As would Canberra, Newcastle, Townsville. All 3 again offer much cheaper cost of living.

Nah but every team does have the same opportunity to sign a 15YO no matter which area the kid comes from so thats an even keel.
The clubs who do have the big nursery's know that clubs with a smaller nursery will be trying to sign player, often the big footy nursery's have 2 maybe sometimes 3 gun players that all play the same position so young players are happy to try their luck at another club.
Your right about bigger junior base in their local area have an advantage but its not as a big advantage as you think.

[mightyrooster]

That's one of your best clown.
Ofcourse the clubs who have a bigger junior base IN THEIR LOCAL AREA, have an advantage. Kids want play for the team where they grew up, they probably prefer to keep living where they grew up as well. Having to import kids from far away places at a young age certainly has it's problems, maybe that's why so many that we get this way fail to develop their full potential.
Brisbane have a HUGE advantage in junior base, kids want to stay in Brisbane, the cost of living and housing is much cheaper, and it's a better place to live, especially if your family is there.
Penrith have the same advantage.
I would suggest that all the other Sydney clubs have bigger catchment areas, with more kids playing junior league than the Roosters.
As would Canberra, Newcastle, Townsville. All 3 again offer much cheaper cost of living.

I agree with you. But Canberra is hardly cheap. We have one of the highest costs of living. Canberra also gets a lot if their ‘juniors’ from regional NSW.

[Johnny Brass]

Nah but every team does have the same opportunity to sign a 15YO no matter which area the kid comes from so thats an even keel.
The clubs who do have the big nursery's know that clubs with a smaller nursery will be trying to sign player, often the big footy nursery's have 2 maybe sometimes 3 gun players that all play the same position so young players are happy to try their luck at another club.
Your right about bigger junior base in their local area have an advantage but its not as a big advantage as you think.

The complaint some clubs have is that richer clubs nab the young kids with connections to scholarships at private schools which can run at 70k a year.

[King Salvo]

The complaint some clubs have is that richer clubs nab the young kids with connections to scholarships at private schools which can run at 70k a year.

People bang on saying the NRL should have a draft but will clubs invest in their juniors if via a draft these junior players are then allocated to another club?

[Johnny Brass]

People bang on saying the NRL should have a draft but will clubs invest in their juniors if via a draft these junior players are then allocated to another club?

I think drafts were designed for American sports where the talent pool is far larger and suited to AFL because it's played in far greater junior numbers than League.
No I don't think clubs would invest as heavily in young players if the draft was in place which would be detrimental to our game.

[redwhiteblue]

That's one of your best clown.
Ofcourse the clubs who have a bigger junior base IN THEIR LOCAL AREA, have an advantage. Kids want play for the team where they grew up, they probably prefer to keep living where they grew up as well. Having to import kids from far away places at a young age certainly has it's problems, maybe that's why so many that we get this way fail to develop their full potential.
Brisbane have a HUGE advantage in junior base, kids want to stay in Brisbane, the cost of living and housing is much cheaper, and it's a better place to live, especially if your family is there.
Penrith have the same advantage.
I would suggest that all the other Sydney clubs have bigger catchment areas, with more kids playing junior league than the Roosters.
As would Canberra, Newcastle, Townsville. All 3 again offer much cheaper cost of living.

A few people from my home town were recruited to play for the very early Broncos as we were 90 mins drive west of there..so not even just Brisbane CBD..you have Toowoomba and surrounding areas too..Towns like Roma where Darren Lockyer came from and Dalby where Carl Webb was from..all those boys (and girls now) dream of pulling on a Broncos jersey..

[redwhiteblue]

The complaint some clubs have is that richer clubs nab the young kids with connections to scholarships at private schools which can run at 70k a year.

Well Cooper Cronk had his 30k Harvard online course factored into his contract with us..