Parramatta's Vision For Recruitment

Although I am a firm believer that we need to focus on the job at hand for this year, I'd like to offer a picture of what is trying to be achieved in the recruitment process. The most recent off-season has been the first opportunity that Brad Arthur has had to recruit for the future. We are now seeing some of the significant negotiations come to fruition. Decisions are still being made on who to retain and who to recruit for next year. We need to be patient because this process is far from over. Here's what we're looking at.1. Leadership and direction. Foran is the greatest example of this. He has been signed in the prime years of his career. Foran brings premiership success and international experience. His toughness and ability to steer the team will be vital. Other senior/experienced players have been recruited to compliment the talented youth in the team. Talent thrives best when it is accompanied with the hard heads who know how to deal with pressure situations. Think of Parramatta's perfect mix in the early 80s.2. Mobility and toughness in the forwards. The interchange will be altered next year. The days of the really big forward coming on for short bursts will be over. The forwards will need to be able to play big minutes and deal with the demands of the game being opened up for faster/fitter players. All of this will be balanced with the need to dominate in the middle. Certain players fit that category. Can we see that in our back row stocks for next year? Manu, Edwards, Watmough, Scott, Gower. Tepai is heading to the front row so I haven't included him there.3. Speed in the outside backs. Reece Robinson is a good example. With Semi locking up one wing spot, we might just see someone else recruited who could provide that acceleration from either wing or fullback.4. Prove yourself. We've already seen the introduction of "try before you buy" recruitment under Brad Arthur. Gower, Takairangi, Wicks, Robinson, Champion and Fa'aoso have all been expected to prove themselves before Parramatta has extended their contracts. This policy looks like a successful one.5. No overs. Many members here might disagree with this, but players are being signed/resigned at market price or below. Marquee players like Foran will always get marquee money (not the amount the papers would have you believe). We are able to secure players at under market value because they want to be here. If you knew what certain players signed under previous regimes were on, you'd be stunned. We've been paying massive overs for potential or for players who are not marquee quality. This is why we had salary cap issues. This is why people don't understand how we can be signing more players now. We can sign, and will continue to sign more players, because we are paying the right money.6. Ready now vs Potential. This is the most difficult judgement call. It has been correct to say that Parramatta had a recent history of releasing players who went on to success elsewhere. In more recent times we've retained players based on potential and paid massive overs ( does the name Loko ring a bell?). We can't keep every player with potential because clubs without juniors come hunting in the backyards of junior rich clubs like Parramatta, and the price of such talent exceeds their current worth. So we have to make the best decisions that we can. Expect tough calls to be made. We will never keep all fans happy with this. Also expect signings of players to do a job in the short term to either assist in the development of young talent or fill an immediate role whilst a young talent is allowed to mature.The most important thing to remember at this time of year is that recruitment is an ongoing process. For all of the debate about the signing of individual players, you need to consider the total picture that will be revealed when all of the recruitment for 2016 has been completed. As I stated, that process is far from over. I think most of you will be very pleased when it's all wrapped up.In the meantime, it's back to 2015!

"He has gotten better this year. You are right, Stuart would like to keep him but at same time has flaws and he like Hopoate a bit and Rapana will come back at some point, Chevy Stuart has to stay at 1. Savage could be expendable. I mean Sanders is…"

"I think fans of a club will like their players whilst other fans of other clubs hate that said player. Paul Gallen was hated by many but I bet the Cronulla fans love him. JWH from Eastern Suburbs is a player people don't like but he is loved by his…"

"Honestly i don't think BA knows what to do with Talagi, nobody at the club does. They want to sign him and then work it out later. They know he is not going to be a 6 or 7 anytime soon, so to keep him happy why not try Fullback as Gutho is ageing.…"

Replies

Poupou Escobar April 17, 2015 at 6:20am

Good post sixties. I've been wondering when Moeroa will move into the middle.
sixtiesboy April 17, 2015 at 6:25am

When you look at his build for his age, you know he won't be getting smaller. The key will be to retain his mobility which will be vital under new interchange conditions. When you look at him now and the way he plays, it's hard to compare it to his days as a junior centre not long ago.
- Poupou Escobar > sixtiesboy April 17, 2015 at 6:41am
  
  Well he was a junior rugby union inside centre. That's a position that runs and tackles in traffic in the middle of the field. Doesn't Sam Burgess play inside centre now? He was a middle forward in rugby league.
Yobz April 17, 2015 at 6:29am

I thought DA was in charge of recruitment not Arthur.
- Poupou Escobar > Yobz April 17, 2015 at 6:38am
  
  Why would you think that? And what sort of coach would let someone else do his recruiting?
- Alan Hunt > Yobz April 17, 2015 at 6:43am
  
  DA is in charge of booking the pool.
  
  Great post 60's, it's exciting to see where we are as a club compared with 3 years ago. Especially with recruitment and retention, i will be bitterly disappointed if we let Pauli go, i think the kid could be our Taulmalolo and it took him 2 or 3 years of first grade to find his feet. I know we can't keep them all but him Tep, and Junior are the 3 must keeps as far as i'm concerned.
- Dorki wizard > Yobz April 17, 2015 at 3:31pm
  
  Fieldsy is still there and has done his apprenticeship through peter Nolan who's still one of the best in the business, but I believe he reports to Peter Sharp who is our recruitment manager and works close with BA on the Ret and Dev side of things
- Yobz > Yobz April 17, 2015 at 9:14pm
  
  A Wiggle in charge of junior development makes sense.
GRUNTA - Death of a Salesman April 17, 2015 at 6:45am

Great post sixties.

There have been several players to go to other clubs and succeed but in recent times, I believe our retention / recruitment has been very good?

In recent times we have let go of such players as MK, KK, Johnno Wright, Fui, Blair, Horo and Loko.

Have any of these guys gone on to be world beaters? No.

It must be one of the most difficult jobs and involve a bit of guess work when it comes to retention but we have done reasonably well imo.

I also agree, we have to look at the bigger picture and remain patient. Hell, it's been almost 30 years, what's another one?
Alan Hunt April 17, 2015 at 6:50am

At the back end of last year if you had of told me they were moving Tep into the middle i would have thought you were on something. But the kid has gotten so big so quick and still just 19. Arthur will have no other choice i think especially with out back row for next season.