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
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
Perfectly stated HOE.
Unfortunately this will definitely mean short term pain. But we need to go through it. This needs to change.
Give it 2-3 years and watch how good Sanders and Talagi are in the NRL. We are already the laughing stock and this will become more apparent.
We had a good chance to really nurture the winning SG ball team and bring them along in the first grade squad. I don't see us competing for a comp for well over a decade. We are a shambles
My sentiments exactly. If any player doesn't want to play for us leave. We tried to hang on to Talagi but he found the lure of $'s & what ever was offered to him stronger than the bond that he had with us. One thing that has always been constant in any sport is that players come & go but clubs or the like remain, they continue on. We'll take this in our stride & we'll survive. As much as I don't like Penrith as a footy team I can't help but admire them for their pathway to success.
Penrith hove the spot open at 6, so it's a good move for blaze. Also it's a better move from Ryles not to tie blaze to the fullback spot at Parramatta, as he doesn't have the pace
If ba was still here there's little doubt that blaze would be earmarked for Gutherson's job
HOE I recall I.Cleary banging on about his club developing juniors to go elsewhere in nrl and asking for the nrl to step in to reward that. I agree. Also would help if they did something to prevent junior movements so bloody early after having developed them within clubs like us, Penrith and tigers. Other clubs pay for developed players what is the benefit to us and others??
surely there must be some intervention on such early junior movement eg MArrhur, Sanders and this kid for starters that the nrl can apply.
B.McD and your own comments in this blog perfectly sum up the situation perfectly with the new landscape of the new youngins tbh and for me this is directly on them not the club. It's just the new times.
Hayne or even Hindy in the last gen could have gone anywhere and been a premiership winner but stayed loyal. Thst don't happen anymore it's a new Cumberland oval haha
600k for a player who hasn't proven to be a game changer in any position. I don't think he will be too big a loss for 2-3 years from now
HOE, 100% agree with what you are saying, it’s time to recruit & retain the ‘right’ mindsets, but am concerned with the ‘why's’ more so than the ‘who’s’.
Brilliant, NOS.
I should frame your response: pro-active, constructive, pro-solutions. The Detroit Lions are an excellent example.
If we don't bring on Brian Smith (which is looking likely) , I dunno. More competence with passion in the club and footy put to the side. I don't get it. It's almost a death wish.
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