I just had a quick look on the Parramatta Eels website and the current roster. They have 29 players listed and some of these players information isn't listed. What I found disturbing is this. Of the 29 listed players only 4 or 5 of them have junior clubs listed as Parramatta Eels junior clubs. I struggle to understand why this would be the case considering the success the Eels junior rep sides regularly have, as well as the size of the Parramatta junior league and the money invested into the junior league. If the local junior league is only providing 10 to 15% of the 1st grade squad at the Eels is the time and money invested into local junior development worth it? It wouldn't surprise me if 1 or more other clubs have as many or more Parramatta Eels juniors than at the Eels currently. I can remember when the Eels roster was close to or above 50% local juniors.
What has happened to all our local kids???
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They are about to come through mate.
Here is 20 names that either are already or could really, legitimately be in our top 30 over the next two years. The guys who won't be in the top 30 will be on dev deals.
W. Penisini, Blaze, Brown, Matterson, Paulo, Russell, Dunster, Doorey, Toni Mataele, Matt Arthur, Sanders, Guymer, Martin, R.Penisini, Tuivaiti, Apa Twiddle, Dom Farrugia, Josh Lynn, Jock Brazell, Saxon Pryke.
There are also a bunch of names of guys who have either been poached from us or need to improve a bit before k think it's fair to throw them up as graduates but there is talent in the club. Local talent that wants to play for our club. And that's what stability has brought us. Now the club needs to pull the trigger and risk it a bit, buy a big name player and blood some juniors and see what happens.
A bunch of those dudes are imports:
Brown
Guymer
Martin
Twidle
Lynn
Brazell
None of them are local kids. Guymer and Brazel are from the country, Josh Lynn is a Queenslander, and the other three are from NZ.
Same as the Panthers 'juniors'.
You only want people from Parramatta to play for Parramatta?
I think that's a bit of an unfair expectation.
No I'm just saying don't call them Parramatta juniors because they're not. Likewise with the Panthers. People talk about how good their local juniors are, but half of their 'home grown' recent youngsters have been imported:
Edwards
Burton
Kikau
Yeo
Martin
Fisher-Harris
Leota
Youth development isn't just about having a strong local comp and a decent coach. It's about having the money to win the signatures of the best young talent in NSW, QLD and beyond.
Ok
I just think the distinction is important. Just having a good local junior comp isn't enough to get us an NRL team like Penrith's. We need investment, which means poaching talent from elsewhere, which is what the top clubs do, including Penrith.
Going from the Eels website these are the players that list a Parramatta Eels junior club as their junior club.
Haze Dunster
Sean Russell
Will Penisini
Junior Paulo
Ryan Matterson
If they are on a development deal and did not play last year then they do not show up. Moretti doesn't even show up, he played 10 games in 2023.
They are not on top 30 yet.
Sorry LB, at you saying that you think guys who are on development deals who don't get to play first grade will look for an opportunity elsewhere?
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