Rugby league may be a simple game but finding the players able to play at a high, consistent NRL level is not that simple. I had the opportunity to sit at a dinner table with a well credentialed NRL recruiter that has worked for a number of clubs and we talked about what being an NRL level player really means. He also said we should never underestimate the effect of not playing during important development years due to Covid restrictions.
Physically NRL Level players have to be able to;
1. Play at a high level in both attack and defence
2. Play at that high level for long minutes in the game, particularly sustained defence.
3. Take the physical punishment, overcome the fatigue and play game after game, week in week out, for a whole season.
Mentally they have to be able to;
4. Play at a high level in both attack and defence
5. Play at that high level for long minutes in the game, particularly sustained defence.
6. Handle the mental strain and play game after game week in week out, for a whole season.
Plenty of players can handle 2 or 3 of the above, not many can handle 4 or 5 and even fewer can handle all 6.
We see this not only with the mature NRL players but particularly with the younger players. They can handle the NRL level physicality for a few games but then their bodies start to fail and they get injured. Often they back off in training trying to save themselves for games, but that just results in a lower level of fitness. Often they can't handle the mental strain, they hold up for couple of games and then they lose concentration and make errors that they wouldn't normally make.
This is what pathways development is all about, recognising that a young player has the abilities to play NRL but also acknowledge that they can't handle it week after week, physically and/or mentally. Often dropping them back to NSW Cup Level isn't enough, they need to go back to playing in their age group, whilst working not just on their fitness, they often still train a couple of days a week with the NRL team. But also working on their resilience, learning how to recover and prepare mentally and physically to do it all again the next game. NSW Cup has a large proportion of hardened NRL players, quality back ups, senior players and as result some games are pretty physical not much below NRL level
Look around at our young guys, who spent a few games playing NRL, moved down to NSW Cup and then played Jersey Flegg or SG Ball, where they aren't playing against grown men with many years of playing experience. They are learning about themselves physically and mentally, this is all part of a proper pathways development process.
Always a Bulldog
