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
We will never ever be as good as panthers until we get rid of this incompentent fucking recuritment team. How the fuck we do not keep our juniors up long term before they make their NRL debut is beyond me. Whether you rate Talagi or not, we have not been able to hold onto any of our best juniors in a very long long time. And thats on the recuirtment team. You do not wait for them to play NRL which increases their ego and market value. Lock them up before that like the Panthers. I do not blame Talagi playing for the best club next to Cleary. In fact, he is leaving for less money. His best position will be 6 and I am certain he will be an absolute star. Hilarious how eels do a podcast 2 weeks ago with MA and Talagi who are both leaving at the end of the year. Shows this club is an absolute mess. I will be cheering Blaize on next year.
We can blame Tom, Dick and Harry.
But, it's the principle.
You either stick to the principle or corrupt it because you're pointing fingers elsewhere...
The club needs to fight fire with fire. Penriff can have him at no.6 but surely there are Penriff juniors that Parra can raid to play centre, wing or long term fullback... at half the price of Talagi.
Well they are signed till 2029 I think. So good luck. As I said, they extended the juniors before their stocks rise.
EA, the three names we are referring to are Sanders, Arthur and Talagi.
We were never keeping Sanders unless either Moses or Brown left. If either of them left the fans would have rioted, so they did what they thought was best and what majority would say is best.
Arthur left due to wanting to follow his dad more so, not 100% the reason but it is a reason. No matter what we offered he would follow BA. He was contracted for 2025 and 2026, so it was not like we couldn't hold onto him or he got away, we agreed to let him go. If anything that leads to what HOE started with in this blog, if they do not want to be here why bother?
Talagi is one where we stuffed up, as we should have had him signed before even debuting, allowing a rookie to have an option is just asinine. The idea of options is for established players to be in control of their future at a club, a get out clause if they weren't happy with what was happening but also it was a ploy to get a player to the club when we have struggled in the past. There was no reason whatsoever for Talagi to have PO in his deal before even playing NSW Cup. Though also, yes he signed for less money, but it seems he wanted to play Five-Eighth. The only spot Ryles could realistically promise him for 2025 is Wing, Unless Gutho was to be moved but then you piss off Penisini or Lomax by moving them to Wing. But at same time, is it worth going above and beyond, offering around $500k for him when we are not even sure where he will be playing? Not saying do not keep him, i really wanted him to stay and hurt he is not. But also, in Ryles i trust as if BA stayed i reckon it is same result just with MA staying.
We do have some good juniors coming through, let's hope Guymer is one that stays.
I refuse to believe that we could not keep Sanders. Sanders is going to raiders to play cup. There is no reason why he could not do that at eels for 2 years and than reassess his options from their whether an opportunity comes up at the eels or another club.
Whilst I agree that our RR team are useless I don't know what more we could have done to keep Blaize? We offered him good money, regular first grade and a premium position. Even if he didn't have the option would he just do this next year anyway?
I agree. I am more peed off about Sanders than the other three. Seems like he wants to play for the jersey. If they are not invested in the jersey let them go. I just hope Blaize doesn't get dropped and asi move to centre.
Yeah, LB. Good point. Guymer looks to be a good egg. We have to lock this kid up - without the PO bollocks. I think it was EA (?) who stated he has a contract for next year, albeit a development contract? Not sure of the specifics.
Well said HOE.
If they don't want to be here, we don't want them here.
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