Winning Culture Starts At Wenty

Hello everyone,I have a theory that may have a lot of people on here thinking that I am a w@nker, but I'm hoping that some of you also agree, so here it is...I believe that the success of your reserve grade is what builds winning culture within a club!!!Now I am not saying that the reggies premiership is more important than 1st grade, what I am saying is that for the long term culture of the club, reserve grade needs to be strong, competing for the premiership every year and winning the title every 3-5 years minimum.I think that our club has forgotten and neglected the importance of a successful NSW cup side in recent years, but I believe that BA knows the importance and is doing something about it with all the depth signings.Fongy calls BA a bush coach, and you know what, I agree with him, but I think it's a good thing for the club. League is a very simple sport, and if you nail the basic structure of a club, as is done in successful grass roots footy clubs then you have a structure that you can build on or return to if something goes wrong. I can't say whether BA will get Parra a title, but I do think he will get the club in a position where the next coach will if he doesn't.I am from the old school where reggies was the stepping stone for your clubs young up and comers to prove they have what it takes to play against men. If you had a good game in U16's or 18's you were rewarded with a spot on the bench in reserves.Here are some reasons behind my thinking..... 1) Your reserve grade should be of the standard where they can compete with you 1st grade in a game, and your 2nd grade should always have that drive to want to beat your 1st grade if ever they play, or train or compete in any way. This brings competition and a will to win. If your club has a high quality 2nd grade then it puts pressure on your 1st grade to perform, if the don't then you will lose your spot.2) With a successful NSW cup team, our young guys step into a winning team, a team that they need prove themselves in before they even get a shot at the NRL. A team where they get thought how to win, how to be tough and how to make that step against men. I am of the belief that a player from U20's shouldn't be able to walk into a NRL side without proving themselves in Wenty, but our lower grade standard is that bad at the moment that we need the young guys to do just that.3) I high quality Wenty team will attract quality junior and senior players to the club. Players a far more likely to sign with a club that has depth and competition throughout all there grades.4) The step-up from reserve grade to 1st grade shouldn't be a massive leap. I will use French as an example. If Wenty was challenging for the title every year, then there wouldn't be a need to rush him into the NRL team. He could spend time in Wenty, developing the necessary skills and game knowledge needed a smooth and successful transition into the NRL. The speed of the game should really be the only difference he would need to get used to, not the skill level.If Parra won in 2009, yes we would have a title in the cabinet, but Thats not what I'm talking about, I believe that we would still be in the same position that we are in now, because that title wouldn't have created a culture throughout the club.So in conclusion I believe the long term success and stability of our NSW cup team is what will bring long term success and winning culture to the club and NRL side.Cheers.

Agree and disagree with some points. Love the culture aspect, this is true. Need to have that competition, hunger, drive etc to beat the 1st grade side/compete with them for as long as possible at training and so forth. However, sometimes the reserve grade side may not get the results that mirror first grade due to first grade needing players etc. E.g. North Sydney didn't win the NSW Cup last year while Souths won the NRL (feeder club). Also, on individuals, such as French, I don't think it matters if they are in a good or bad side per se, they will probably still develop on an individual level and do brilliant things, but the team may not be great across the park or be winning regularly. Here, I think game time in NSW Cup is more crucial than the actual results, and for obviously talented players like French, it's really only the speed/physicality, he probably has the skills. Our NYC side has been pretty poor throughout history but produced some good individuals like Moeroa, Junior, Pauli, French, Pritchard, Folau etc who look/have shown ability to handle NRL. Good blog too mate

"https://www.facebook.com/reel/1583515319610274/?fs=e&fs=e
Maguire went and personally met with Barnett and they are desperate to land him hopefully we have the same sought of pull to land him."

"We can't send Lomax anywhere he has to want to go on his own volition.
Hes free to negotiate with any team in the nrl that has the cap space to have him on there roster then once that's established then we step in with our release conditions with…"

"I think Braith respects Ryles as a coach and what he's doing at Parra and obviously believes Lomax did the wrong thing, listened to poor advice and brought this all upon himself and did the wrong thing to Parra"

Replies

Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown August 14, 2015 at 2:44pm

Good blog and well explained big bee, many good points.

Does anybody know the exact relationship with Wenty these days? Is the relationship between us and them diminished a bit in the last few years?

Cheers
Big Bee August 14, 2015 at 2:57pm

Thanks Snake, I'm unsure of the exact relationship but I think Parra and Wenty are locked in until the end of 2016, it will be interesting to see if Parra push towards having their own NSW cup team again.
Tragiceel August 14, 2015 at 3:10pm

Good point. I remember back in the 80's when we were a strong club and our regies were winning Grand Finals and we were Club Champions more often than not. Depth is everything, it puts pressure on the top grade to perform and when injuries occur players can step in and do the job.
The French Fullback #1 August 14, 2015 at 3:12pm

Agree and disagree with some points. Love the culture aspect, this is true. Need to have that competition, hunger, drive etc to beat the 1st grade side/compete with them for as long as possible at training and so forth. However, sometimes the reserve grade side may not get the results that mirror first grade due to first grade needing players etc. E.g. North Sydney didn't win the NSW Cup last year while Souths won the NRL (feeder club). Also, on individuals, such as French, I don't think it matters if they are in a good or bad side per se, they will probably still develop on an individual level and do brilliant things, but the team may not be great across the park or be winning regularly. Here, I think game time in NSW Cup is more crucial than the actual results, and for obviously talented players like French, it's really only the speed/physicality, he probably has the skills. Our NYC side has been pretty poor throughout history but produced some good individuals like Moeroa, Junior, Pauli, French, Pritchard, Folau etc who look/have shown ability to handle NRL. Good blog too mate
- Mo > The French Fullback #1 August 14, 2015 at 6:15pm
  
  The_King all those names that came through 20's that you mentioned are by no doubt decent players but by no means would they nail a spot down at a top team like Brisbane for example. Our 20's are shit period.
sixtiesboy August 14, 2015 at 3:49pm

So what we are seeing is the clean out at the Wenty level. We will hear more on this in coming weeks. NSW Cup have only got 3 rounds left. Without doubt Wenty have been savaged by team changes more than the NRL team. I believe that they have used in excess of 40 players this year. That said, we needed to have players in this grade who can place pressure on first grade and/or really step up when required for first grade.
Big Bee, you have made some great observations in this blog. Fantastic work mate.
Gray Fox August 14, 2015 at 4:27pm

Excellent blog and I think you're pretty much spot on. Watching Wenty and U20s this year has convinced me that the club doesn't take junior development as seriously as it should. The U20s in particular has been diabolical. This team is filled with talented players and yet too often they have meekly surrendered to the opposition. Reducing the coaching role to a part-time position was a massive mistake which highlights the club's attitude toward junior development. Even with all the disruptions at Wenty they haven't showed much fight this year. There is a definite cultural problem here and it's been extremely disappointing to watch. The club seriously needs to evaluate its structures in the lower grades. This is DA's job. If he doesn't implement sweeping reform then we will see more of the same, with long periods of failure mixed with the odd year of success.
- sixtiesboy > Gray Fox August 14, 2015 at 5:09pm
  
  There is a review going on and the transition from juniors into grade is being examined.
Big Bee August 14, 2015 at 4:44pm

I understand where your coming from Fongy but I will be defending BA and what he and Sharpie are trying to build because that's who I am and I think time was needed to get to the point we will be at come kick off 2016.
I agree with you in the fact that to be a winner you need to surround yourself with winners/successful people. BA has, in my opinion tried to bring people to the club who has had success in Choc, Scott, Foran, to a lesser extent Gordon and anyone else he could pilfer from Manly.
Next year will be it though, and we should be able to see by round 6 if the direction we have been pushing with BA over the last couple of years has been the right one. We would've had a full off season with these players within the playing group, influencing the younger guys and running BA's game plan.
If we do fail next year I'll be saying "Frankie you were right all along" and calling for heads to roll.
But even if we fail next year, I'm hoping that Parra are smart enough to poach a top line coach like Des before they sack BA, because clause or not, I couldn't see Foran and co walking if we grab Des for 2017.
Johnny Appleseed August 14, 2015 at 5:39pm

Excellent blog mate. This has been playing on mind for a while. The fact that we're technically two brands, two organisations - two jerseys - as simplistic as it may sound. Makes a difference. Last but not least, I question the coaching talent at this level. Key players have not made the jump from NYC. Some culpability has to be accepted on how they were managed up.

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