I think Junior Development of Young Sportsman is always subject to an individual in terms of Physical and Mental Maturity.
We could look at the outstanding Juniors that Broncos have come up with in the past 4/5 years and the mistakes they have made up untill fruition happening this year.
Again reflections are interesting and comparisons can be odious.
I had no problems with Mahoney and Brown making their debuts at a young age, but never considered JA was every ready after his first few games. That said JA's instincts and ability to envisage a game is now coming to fruition and he showed up well on the weekend next to Cherry Evans, a wonderful opportunity to developed under a wonderful player. JA will just the same being sitting behind Brooks and Cherry Evans next year and the irony is he is now ready to fill the depth half that Parra has soundly lacked.
I think in ways that this is BA's fault in that he was pushed too hard early along with the magnitude of being the coaches son and being a pretty average talent physically in making such an early debut. Now he is ready and his development enhanced by going to Manly and that experience is the making of him....he doesn't have to prove himself again, but will remain a Reserve Grader yet for a while......he could be pretty special by the time he is 24/25?
Sanders on face value is a much more outstanding prodigy and as such has to be compared directly and physically with being up to NRL standard as early as next year.
Sterling played as a make do fullback when he was the same age and Sanders is obviously not there yet, but a full pre season will tell us that, assuming there is someway of getting out of the Canberra deal, if it is a deal? If it is do we spend the time developing him with a preseason of NRL standard?
Using the Gibson philosophy of picking the best 13 say 17 now is /should/ could be an option!
Bringing young players through is always a difficult judgement to make but when you look at our overall development process, now is the time that we are showing up a higher level than we have since the Mahoney. Brown period.
Lots of cynical views about our recruitment and retention but since the advent of revamping our pathways, this is the first time since covid we look like making headway.
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Yes EA and LB have done a great job in keeping us informed of these players and maintaining and understanding which many people on here just take for granted. The Sander's microcosim being a great example of our difficulties.
I touched on something in another post today and that is I would like to see some more promotion of Parramatta as a destination club with features such as the training, homeground and any more features they can sell to make us desirable, Country Vista's and Clubs, The Hawkesbury, Educational Scholarships.....Kings School being a GPS and also the featuring of athletic excellence, 7's, 9's and touch as well cognisant work in the schools in health and safety.
We need to make ourselves special! .....that maybe eliteism to many but that's what we need to be and the Leagues Club, whether in Parra central or surrounding licenced clubs within the suburbs to have this same focus.
A Kings school education ain't exactly that attractive to a young rugby league player. That's like trying to attract a young Darts player to Hills Sports High. Great way to lose a young future star to union though ...
The attraction is to the parents Wiz, not all people are the Bogan's you obviously aspire to.
The point was made to be making Parra a destination, of course for you and your extended family Wiz, we could have a section on WWE or maybe Mud Wrestling, your pretty good at throwing that I notice.
What attraction is there for the parents ? Logic says it's a dumb move for a kid that's aspiring to be an NRL star. You can try to make your silly suggestion seem like a good one by attempting to throw shit all you like , but no parent is going to be attracted to a school that has a virtually non existent rugby league program. It's a union school , fullstop. I don't even think Kings have a rugby league program at all. They sure didn't when I was dealing with their sporting programs as a supplier about 15 years ago.
You'd want your kid in a successfull rugby league school. Just because it's an ellite school doesn't mean it's going to be attractive for a kid that wants to crack the NRL. If you succeeed at NRL level you won't need the connections post career that a Kings or Barker can give you. You think that you're the only person smart enough to think that an ellite school might persuade parents and the club wouldn't have tried that one until now 😂😂. It's a friggin union school.
Interesting point, Coryn. I'm not against blooding young guns; slowly & carefully, giving them experience. They add energy & enthusiasm despite any lack of maturity.
As long as you have enough maturity, leadership & tough nuts elsewehere in the group.
I reckon the key is in the right mix. The right balance.
It's also about a continuity. If you want to build an empire, you need that mix.
Good point Hoe, that mentoring role is a must have through any nurturing process of development..... I noted that David Gower seemed to be strongly involved around Dyllan's escapades and he is a talent we do not seem to give a lot of attention to in communicating what we are doing in certain fields (of dreams).
Fair blog Pops. Look these guys in Flegg etc. need a yr or so of development and playing with older guys; as well as a good off season with / and NRL players.
Do not forget Parra have given some kids (such as some playing now) last off season to do extras and I think this has strongly helped. I know some of these kids names were withheld but i believe some of them are now in Flegg playing up an age or two...
Parras retention must be very good here and keep these kids i.e. the best of them at least and look at moving on some from Reggies and or in the top 30 as we need to have a good mix for the next 2-5 yrs; as well as restock key positions i.e. spine. This is imperative.
Jake will come back i feel but may be a backrower type player? Maybe a half or 5/8. But he has shown he has the skills.
Yep, I think the discussion has to be explored and maintained, nothing simple in the process and I would like to see some comparisons of the speeds these guys are doing, an example being that from the previous string we had Dunster, Russell and Penisini.......Penisini is a genuine talent but needs to find that 2/3 metres of pace to become the elite we require, doesn't mean he will not continue to be a very good player, just that X factor missing. Dunster was only ever promising and so is Russell who is a "depth" player only at this stage.
This current batch of Flegg's have a few forwards, which has been sadly lacking in previous drafts, Arthur looks a genuine candidate and another reason for his father taking a rest for a couple of years, against that of course is that we are not as far off as some would have us.
The way we run ourselves down does no justice to the year from hell we have experienced. I don't pretend to have the answers, but the way we redicule ourselves with some of the current commentators on here and the negativity that goes with it, leads you nowhere.
We have a group pf supporters on here as dysfunctional as any of the people they are prone to denigrate.....
Poppa parra must be better defensively and play smarter. We drifted badly in games and our attack looked boring at times
Jake won't be back not with his dad here he needs to forge his own path.
Time will tell with the Flegg boys it's not a exact science sometimes a player has it all in juniors but one thing or another prevents them from stepping up I'll never forget how much hype I had for Jacob Loko injuries and attitude. Greg Marzew is carving it now but took along time to show it.
We seem to have a good crop coming we will keep some we will no doubt lose more than we keep let's hope we keep the right ones young Sanders will go his path is bloked by Mitch/Dylan and Asi.
Our recruitment has been questionable a few years ago we let players go a young bu ch of players came in Dylan, Reed, Stone, Kauafasi all debuted with us Keppie, Mathew, Doorey all debuted for other clubs from that crop now.
it's about seeing who comes and who we keep I feel the clubs questionable recruitment this year is with a view to filling gaps with junior talent.
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