Juniors v Developed

[Headless Chook]

Interesting reading the take on this on social media by opposition fans.

I think a lot of people have misconstrued Gus' point when they are looking at the subject. He is not talking about players being called a 'local junior' because the Roosters found them at age 16, merely stating that the Roosters find a lot of unknown talent and develop it to NRL standard.

The main angst from others has been that they see this as a slight on the coaches and systems which looked after the kids up until they reach age 16, and that's a fair call. There's a lot of work that goes into coaching kids which is largely unheralded and I'm sure Gus wasn't making light of this with his comments and this seems to be the crux of Gallen's argument. What Gallen doesn't concede, is that there is a lot more work that goes into taking these 16yo's and getting them ready for the NRL. If it was easy, every club would have a production line of 18yo kids ready to roll into First Grade but the stats say that less than 1% of players who make a junior rep team at the age of 18 will progress into the NRL. Gal's argument doesn't take this into account at all and this is where he is wrong

[The Oracle]

What does it mean to be a 'junior'? Is it where you live, or what club you play for, or the school team you play for? in some circumstances kids could be from three different areas. Also up until the ae of 12 the game is a bit of pass and giggle. Many kids are even discouraged by parent led (preferential) coaching The best players are taken of the club system after the age of 14 and only then are given specialised coaching. So I would argue the so called development years really start at 15, and nobody does this better than the Roosters.

[King Salvo]

King

Would the best players from Bondi United, St Charles, Clovelly Crocs and Paddo Colts be fast tracked into Harold Matts or would they be encouraged to just stay where they are?

Not sure if the best players from the Roosters Junior League would be automatic inclusions in any of these junior rep and development squads or they are required to trial as well?.

Sydney Roosters and Central Coast Roosters send out EOI's for players to trial for spots in the various junior rep sides and development squads both Female and Male.

Those selected in the various squads are then invited to join the Sydney Roosters Academy as part of the development program for players from the various age groups.

Kylie Joseph for instance paid her own way from Qld to travel to Sydney to trial for a spot with the Sydney Roosters Tarsha Gale Cup squad over several weekends.

Kylie made the squad and has advanced to NRLW via the Tarsha Gale Cup pathway winning a premiership earlier in the year and will be a key player in defending the title when the new comp starts on 20th August - Sydney Roosters vs Parramatta Eels

[Rooster R]

Yeh and if you are from Kempsey your a Queenslander

[eddie]

Broncos pty ltd and Melbourne do nothing to help rugby league.

[Johnny Brass]

What does it mean to be a 'junior'? Is it where you live, or what club you play for, or the school team you play for? in some circumstances kids could be from three different areas. Also up until the ae of 12 the game is a bit of pass and giggle. Many kids are even discouraged by parent led (preferential) coaching The best players are taken of the club system after the age of 14 and only then are given specialised coaching. So I would argue the so called development years really start at 15, and nobody does this better than the Roosters.

Interesting to listen to Radley on the podcast where he said his brother was as good as him but because of Adrian Lams coaching that he developed his skills better at a young age but I get your point.
So many times you see young players who look like stars but unless they have the hunger and desire to make it they will fall by the wayside no matter how much ability they have.
Gus has mentioned the panthers juniors before how they don't let all the guns play in one side so it strengthens the comp out evenly and is better for the development of the players which is the opposite to the Gold Coast which is a breeding ground for league but they shuffle all the talent into the Burleigh Bears to thrash everyone which doesn't do anyone any good.
Roosters are very canny at identifying talent early and getting them into our system and as you said no one does it better.

[Tom Verlaine's Ghost]

Odd from Gallen given as a 19yr old he was told he was too small and not good enough to play first grade by Brian Smith when he was at the Eels.

Went to Cronulla put on some size and was developed into the First Grader that he wasn’t at the Eels. Is he seriously going to sit there and say the Sharks didn’t develop him…

Of course, we can't mention just HOW he put on that size ... lol

[redwhiteblue]

What does it mean to be a 'junior'? Is it where you live, or what club you play for, or the school team you play for? in some circumstances kids could be from three different areas. Also up until the ae of 12 the game is a bit of pass and giggle. Many kids are even discouraged by parent led (preferential) coaching The best players are taken of the club system after the age of 14 and only then are given specialised coaching. So I would argue the so called development years really start at 15, and nobody does this better than the Roosters.

There is this site for parents to enrol their children or for adults looking for friendly competition. You just type in your postcode and then other filters such as age etc

https://www.playrugbyleague.com

[King Salvo]

Interesting to listen to Radley on the podcast where he said his brother was as good as him but because of Adrian Lams coaching that he developed his skills better at a young age but I get your point.
So many times you see young players who look like stars but unless they have the hunger and desire to make it they will fall by the wayside no matter how much ability they have.
Gus has mentioned the panthers juniors before how they don't let all the guns play in one side so it strengthens the comp out evenly and is better for the development of the players which is the opposite to the Gold Coast which is a breeding ground for league but they shuffle all the talent into the Burleigh Bears to thrash everyone which doesn't do anyone any good.
Roosters are very canny at identifying talent early and getting them into our system and as you said no one does it better.

Could also be the number of roster spots available at any given time/established players in front of them/ competition from other up and coming players for roster spots in why young up and coming players don't make it to the NRL

Major League baseball for an example there are only 906 roster spots across the MBL clubs each season - approximately 10% progress from the minor leagues to major league - can take up to 5 years - long haul - Rookie League/Single A/Double A/ Triple A/ Major League.

[danehill]

Gallen is an illiterate ratbag & the reason I refuse to listen to any show or broadcast in which he is involved.

[Hurricane Hastings]

Interesting reading the take on this on social media by opposition fans.

I think a lot of people have misconstrued Gus' point when they are looking at the subject. He is not talking about players being called a 'local junior' because the Roosters found them at age 16, merely stating that the Roosters find a lot of unknown talent and develop it to NRL standard.

The main angst from others has been that they see this as a slight on the coaches and systems which looked after the kids up until they reach age 16, and that's a fair call. There's a lot of work that goes into coaching kids which is largely unheralded and I'm sure Gus wasn't making light of this with his comments and this seems to be the crux of Gallen's argument. What Gallen doesn't concede, is that there is a lot more work that goes into taking these 16yo's and getting them ready for the NRL. If it was easy, every club would have a production line of 18yo kids ready to roll into First Grade but the stats say that less than 1% of players who make a junior rep team at the age of 18 will progress into the NRL. Gal's argument doesn't take this into account at all and this is where he is wrong

Yeah Gallen has missed the point completely, as so many do. There is a clear distinction between pathways and development. What Gallen is on about are pathways...the junior leagues that he refers to where you can call yourself a local junior...in his case Parramatta provided that pathway. The thing its, the coaching and systems you correctly refer to here are are 100% managed by the junior clubs so in the other example about Radley and his brother, the coaching by Lam was through the Clovelly Crocs, not the Roosters, even though the Roosters provide the pathway.

Once players get to their mid to late teens, NRL clubs become interested and the NRL clubs THEN start to develop the NRL player...that is what Gus is saying and what so many stupidly miss.

Look at Souffs juniors...they do a great job but that is not Souffs, the NRL entity - again, there is a clear distinction. Do those kids who play for Mascot etc do so with a Rabbit on their chest or a Souffs Juniors emblem? The latter of course and when the players are of age, the NRL entity takes over and hopefully develops those players. Most NRL clubs, including Souffs put literally nothing into their Junior leagues (Penrith do and ironically so do we, as small as it is). I'm involved in the Cronulla junior league and on Grand Final week for the juniors, some teams get to play on Shark Park which is great, however the NRL entity charge their supposedly own junior league to use the ground - I think that says it all.

Anyway, rant over. Gallen is a fool and shouldn't be put on the same panel as someone like Gus, who while painful at times knows this area better than almost anyone.

[SamKerrSimp]

Of course, we can't mention just HOW he put on that size ... lol

Remember when Brian Smith wrote an article about an ex-player he let go at Parramatta who left the club "looking like the before photo" and arrived at another club "looking like the after photo" Roosters played Cronulla that weekend and Dylan Napa smashed him and Brian Smith said that Gallen was afraid to run it at Napa again which got that steroid rager angry in the post game radio interview.

[Kelby]

Melbourne's juniors cover all of WA, SA, VIC, NZ, NSW and QLD apparently!

[King Salvo]

And if you're from Toowoomba, Bundaberg, Kingaroy, Goondiwindi, Gympie, Rockhampton and Gladstone you're a Broncos junior

What about Norfolk Island - They are now part of Queensland as far as the provision of Government services goes - whose juniors are they - Broncos/Titans/Dolphins/Cowboys ?

[redwhiteblue]

And if you're from Toowoomba, Bundaberg, Kingaroy, Goondiwindi, Gympie, Rockhampton and Gladstone you're a Broncos junior

Don't forget my Warwick Cowboys..their jerseys are Roosters ones...some of my school friends played for Brisbane in the very first side...