After reading a story about Albert Kelly it reminded me of he being one of our most promising to never really make it. He was electric when he was in the U20s but did not really make it after a few off field problems and tried his luck at Cronulla, Titans ansd Newcastle. I think he was punted from all the clubs.
Others that looked great in our juniors, were Michael Witt, Kris Keaiting and Marmin Barba who were great in the juniors and were going to be anything but never reached any great heights.
Others who were great Semi Radradra, Kris Inu and Feleti Matteo all were successful 1st Graders and Semi went on to play for Australia.
Forwards who shone were John and Tim Mannah (Tim went on to play Origin) Tony Williams who was a back with us but after changing clubs went on to represent as a forward.
Pauli Pauli and Penni Terepo both were gigantic in U20s. Penni played for Tonga
It is mainly in the 80s we had great internationals from our junior ranks. Brett Kenny the greatest of all and Eric Grothe
However if you take a line through Penrith they seem to have had greater success on the international scene.
From the 80s you had Des Hasler, Phil Gould, Greg Alexander, Brad Fittler, John Cartwright and later on Luke Lewis, Wade Graham, Michael Jennings and there are probably a few others I have missed.
What do they feed them at Penrith that we don't feed
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It's not what they are feeding them, It's the way they develop their juniors. I coached junior league at Smithfield & Cabra Leagues for 10 years holding positions in coaching & club president & it was fend for yourself. I love the Eels but it felt like any club south of Wenty just didn't matter. I'm out of it now because it just broke my heart sometimes but I was at a BBQ with some guy's still coaching & the news wasn't good. Lots of divisions that are flat out getting four teams over all the clubs in certain age groups meaning they are either going to a different sport or like I have seen so many times, They go to the penrith or bulldogs comp. It's hard to bring future stars through when they are just not there. The kids develop at different speeds so it would be smart to keep as many divisions playing as possible to give them all time to develop but the opersite is happening. Less divisions means less teams, less players & smaller pool to pick from, In fact they are flat out fielding teams by the time the kids hit under 12's. The recent review showed that Parra is a development club ( LIke a review was needed to show that ) But just calling us that dosn't make it happen. I will definatley be getting out this season to watch the juniors & to spend some time with the coaches & I hope they have good news about what is happening in the juniors now that the Eels review has highlighted this issue.
Here’s a name for you Coach, Jason Saab was playing in the Parra District, lives in the area but the Eels kept over looking him. Already earmarked to be a future superstar by a few in the know, now training with St George first grade squad and in their top 30....plays wing, centre or fullback!!!
Semi wasn't a junior like the others. We poached him from the Fijian Sevens side.
Albert Kelly's issue was the drink. Still is really. Although he is playing pretty well for Hull FC in the UK.
Spot on as usual Fong, it's so depsressing when you see other clubs football departments and then you see ours.
It's like Max and Bernie went down to the Salvo's and did all the hiring.
Literally, not one of the players you mentioned is a Parramatta Junior. Cayless and Vaealiki both came over from New Zealand; Lyon, Ryan and Hindmarsh all came from the bush.
Yeh don't think they were with us even that early. Hindy I'm pretty sure was pretty much a senior footballer when he joined us or else may have played a season at Under 20 level, same with Vaeliki. Lyon was about 18 I think when he want to Marist. Vaeliki was about 19 too.
Without question, you have to say that losing Noel Cleal was probably the single biggest loss for the club in terms of overall recruitment because we just have not had the same success at picking up boys at that 18/19 year bracket that we had during those years.
Nath Cayless was born at Westmead Hospital - the one at Westmead 3km's from Parra Stadium. He came thru the Parra Marist system and could not be more "Parramatta Junior". His dad is as Aussie as they come while his late mum was of Maori descent.
Nath chose to represent NZ as he was offered the oportunity very early in his carrer and he also felt strong ties to the Maori community thru his mother and extended family.
Yeh you're right, shouldn't have included Caylo in there.
On this note, I think the loss of Parramatta Marist as a Rugby League school has hurt Parramatta enormously.
Marist was both a Rugby League School but also a really good school in terms of academia and just teaching kids to be good humans.
Where do our kids come from now - the two sports schools, which to my mind are terrible environments for young athletes while Blacktown Patrician Brother is more of a Panthers enclave. As a parent that just spend the last 12 months trying to find a suitable school for a boy who wants to be part of a decent school-based Rugby League program in the area, there are just no options. I would have sent him to the old Marist in a heart-based.
Agree 100%. I reckon it's one of the major reasons we are now struggling to produce FOOTBALLERS. Not to mention footballers who are good well rounded young people in general.
Any dope can spot a kid whose bigger than the others and can run a bit. What we seem to have lost is the ability to spot kids (regardless of physical stature) who have the fortitude and smarts to not only really knuckle down and comete when the going's tough but also have the ability to lead their team mates.
Marist's honour role is a wish list of everything our club has lacked in recent times.
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