With the news Talagi is off to greener pastures, possibly the Panthers, it makes you realize the club's juniors systems and pathways are often used merely as a stepping stone to greener pastures.
It's something Brian McDermott faced at Leeds Rhino.
Six years ago, after a few juniors debuted for Leeds Rhino, he was asked if he could have a team full of successful juniors.
"As long as they want to play for us though," McDermott noted.
"They've got the want to play for us."
"The landscape of recruiting our own juniors has changed drastically over the last five years."
"When I first came to the club, most players were falling over themselves to sign with us. But now they're not."
"And it's an odd landscape."
"Some kid may be brilliant and have all the skills...but if he doesn't want to wear the shirt...we don't want him either."
"The trouble is if you sign those blokes, because they're good players, even if they're a bit iffy about signing with you, you don't find that out until its too late."
McDermott didn't really feel bothered whether he bought players or they were juniors. The point is about wanting to play for the jersery, the club, and the team.
Honestly, we need to clean out the club of such players who don't really want to be here.
We hear juniors talk about how much they love the Eels, only to easily depart at a better opportunity elsewhere.
It simply can't foster and nurture and invest money in players that are not there for the jersery - juniors or not - the club or their team-mates.
We can blame management as much as we want, or say, but we simply need to remove this attitude from our club, even if it causes some pain.
There will always be greener pastures elsewhere, and cycles within a club.
If a player doesn't really want to represent the club, regardless of his talent, he doesn't derseve a first grade jersey with the club.
Replies
Moses is almost gone? Really? Thought he loved parra and his 1.2M?
Seems like as good as time as any to snake a couple of Penriths better juniors
Yep raid the neighbours now!
That's the most practical response I have heard.
Club needs to find players and develop players that wanna play for the Jersey, buy into the history and symbolism of the club. Only then can we dream of a premiership. Buck stops with the board, I dont blame Talagi, I blame the board for creating such a souless club.
Ok get into me for this.... Talagi to ressies, Guth centre and Cini FB, Asi ressies and Sanders 1/2back
got sweet fuck all to lose
and that cunt player agent Moses deregistered
I know ffs I'm dribbling but I am now keen to join the Protest, living in qld doesn't get me to the game so just won't watch it
Also fully aware of our shit Board et al
Completely agree weed out anyone who doesn't want to be an eel and piss them off if we are ever going to get pride back in the jersey this has to happen offer a contract with an expiry date and cut out months of media BS like we are currently putting up with I would be dropping him to reggies straight away
Mark O''Neil should already been gone but this dumpster fire 🔥 should be his death ☠️march!
if it's Penrith Blaize is going to an investigation needed into there salary cap???
they shouldn't have any $$ left!
They are losing Luai, Fisher-Harris, Turuva. They've got cash for this
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