I've been otherwise engaged for the last few days so I missed the whole hullabaloo about the Ken Edwards email and our recruitment issues, so I thought I'd share a few of my thoughts.
Most of you who have been on the site a while, know I'm a bit of a management theory geek, and there are a few trendy catchphrases in current HR thinking. "Hire slow, fire fast" and "Only hire A players" are a couple that are particularly popular, and while variations on a theme, the crux of both is that hiring for the sake of it, or hiring team members who aren't quite what you want, will in the long-run do you more damage than not hiring at all.
I think it's a sin that Parramatta has been guilty of, for quite a while. We've struggled in the recruitment market for a long time and we've ended up just picking up middling players who fill a role in a side, but the end result has been mediocrity pretty much across the board. We've somehow been surprised when players have performed at the same level they displayed at prior clubs, and even when that has been very quickly apparent we've been stuck with them.
Of course, the NRL is very different to the free market most businesses operate in. In the corporate world, you don't have salary caps and you don't get forced into signing people up to long-term contracts.
However,because it makes getting your hiring/recruitment decisions absolutely right, I'd argue some of those mantras have even more weight.
What we desperately don't want is to hire second and third tier players, who have no ceiling on their game - particularly if its for any more than a one year contract. Every player you bring in on a multi-year contract represents an opportunity cost - their spot on your roster represents a position you cannot give to another player who comes along with greater talent or suitability.
So we don't want the club to rush into signings. Give me one A player over three B players any day of the week. As has been seen this year with Parramatta, and with other clubs like Penrith, you're often just as well-off to use kids with A level potential over experienced B and C grade NRL players.
Now, there are complexities to this. There are positions where inexperienced players can cost you, more so than others. Parramatta has ended up with its A/Bs and Experience/Inexperience in all the wrong places. Almost zero-experience in the outside backs which is guaranteed formula for leaking points and mediocrity across the forward pack, giving ourselves no opportunity to dominate teams equals lots of points against, and few points for.
Ricky Stuart said over the weekend that Parramatta was targeting only two more players. He also said that "If we are successful with our targets in the coming weeks, our turnaround of roster will be one of the biggest in a long period of the game".
That indicates that we're still going after a couple of marquee signings - A players. I very much agree, and I've said previously that I also believe we're only a couple of rep-quality players away (and perhaps a couple of positional tweaks) away from having a side that will be compete for the top four.
And if we can't get them, unfortunately I'd rather see us put the cue in the rack, and recruit blokes with fire in their belly and potential on one-year contracts and aim big for 2015 now. We've already got a better looking roster next year, and we'll be able to better carry the younger blokes (who have also had the benefit of picking up some experience). I've got to say there isn't a huge amount of quality available in 2015 either, but there are always younger blokes emerging who you know have A quality class in them, and its these players we need to identify and move on quickly.
Replies
Your subtle nudge to have Hayne at 5/8 has been noted although it's pretty much certain Corey Norman will be in that position next season. I think we need a couple more A-Grade forwards to give some more leadership to our younger guys and a quality hooker.
Yes, I agree that signing up B players on multi year contracts harms all teams if they remain B players. However, as you point out, you have to be able to identify those younger B players with A grade potential, as the NRL player has a finite "life cycle".
One thing I have noted is that there are a number of players for example U20s who have "the next big thing" tag. Now some of these players end up not being able to crack first grade. Is it a mental issue or physical issue, or positional?
I think with some of the kids, it's usually one, both or all of those factors, Yobz.
Some kids, as talented as they are, often lack the physical presence to make the desired impact at the next level (being first-grade or the NSW Cup) and are thus cast aside and at times, subsequently released.
For others, as you say, it's a mental thing. The constant barrier they face of being close to getting over the line but falling short each time just continues to weigh on their mind and it can often dishearten them. Of course, some with the burning desire to play at the next level (the highest level) and strive to achieve the best, they're the ones that crack it at some point and sets them apart from the occasional few that just keep having setbacks and taking it negatively.
Then, finally (presuming you're talking about actual positions on the footy field) and to a lesser extent, the positional sense. Adapting from one position to another is never easy, though I'd imagine a lot of kids understand the need for it given how hard it is to get into a first-grade side. You see it in NYC these days, as coaches move around players almost at will and have them play 4-5 positions over 4-5 weeks to test them and see how they go.
Some obviously handle the constant change in position better than others.
At least that's how I see it across the board.
Hey all, new to the site and thought I'd add something to the signings. I read with interest last week the imminent signings to be announced. I have on very good authority that the Eels will be announcing Jharal YohYeh as the latest signing. He has knocked back the Knights as Bennett wanted him and told them that he was going to the Eels. Just sorting out the finer details. Not sure how good he'll be with 9 pins in his leg but Bennett thought he'd be alright.
Sounds like a replacement for Ben Smith.
Great Blog 1EE. Got to agree. The eels have too often signed a player just to fill a gap with no eye on the future. The Carl Webb and Walker signings were an example of this. I think Hock, Mossop, Norman and Hoppa signings are a great leap forward for the future. I believe RS's planning is vital and he will build depth to the club and build competition for spots, something that the team has lacked. Eels players knew (up until this year) that if you were in first grade a player would stay there as there is no other players behind putting pressure on you.
Very interesting On the money.
I had a scout around the Broncos forums and he's back playing centre now. He's on contract until 2015, but the Broncos have plenty of depth in the outside backs and might not want to risk him given he would have been on a decent contract when he re-signed.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
of 5 Next