News Bulldogs pounce on Tigers young gun

[The DoggFather]

Na, you guys are all so sensitive. Fucking Gus dick riders. I said meh, wow. I've never seen him play, the fuck am I meant to say? Have all you Gus dick riders seen him play? How's Kitione going?

Don't you like KitKat?

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Don't you like KitKat?

I'm not sure. Looked terrible when he arrived, started to play better and then dropped off a cliff again and ended up on the bench.

 

[B-Train]

At least wait til Marley is actually complaining before you have a go at him. Haha.

I love that Gus is doubling down on signing some of the best junior talent. The success rate won't be the highest percentage in terms of who actually pans out in the NRL, but the more talent we have, the more chances we give ourselves to unearth another gem.. As others have said, hopefully this helps entice Woods to stay long term..

 

[KLil]

I hope he's a good investment. Sounds like he was highly rated over there if this quote is anything to go by "Conti is currently the most promising player in the Balmain Harold Matthews setup and his potential was rewarded with a place in the NSW Junior Blues camp last November."

The above quote was from an article about the rising stars on the cubs of 2023 page. The whole exert about him as a player is below.

It could be 2-3 years before he's ready unless he really jumps through the grades and excels. He's yet to be tested against adults though and I don't like when clubs push players too far in a hurry. But nice to know we've got quality in the junior system. I don't keep up with them like I used to. But the juniors we bring through were always the key to success for us. Transition planning and good depth can go a long way in a good premiership run. If we've got 2-3 backup halves pushing for debut and they're quality, we're in a great place as a club. So it's something I hope we can enjoy that soon.

The Cubs of 2023 and beyond

This time of the year, everyone writes up the same type of previews on players, players to watch and season predictions.To save you reading the same piece that’s just cut in a different way, I thou…

itsnothingbutwt.wordpress.com

Name: Alex Conti
Position: Halfback
Age: 17 this year
Junior team/s: Concord Burwood Wolves, St Patrick’s College Strathfield, Balmain Tigers Harold Matthews
Rep honours: NSW Junior Blues camp (2022)
2023 Age group: Balmain Tigers Harold Matthews

Conti has shown a great ability to manage games from halfback while also possessing a very impressive short and long kicking game for someone so young. Another strength for Conti is how naturally and effectively he straightens the attack for his Balmain side.

Alex had an outstanding u18 Australian Schoolboy Championships in 2022 for NSWCIS, even though he was playing against 17 and 18 year olds.

He is not only a talented league player but also a union player, where he was selected in the Australian Rugby u16s at the back end of 2022.

Conti is currently the most promising player in the Balmain Harold Matthews setup and his potential was rewarded with a place in the NSW Junior Blues camp last November.

Conti has been named as the Balmain Harold Matthews captain for 2023.

Watched a few game highlights of the kid... He is in a league of his own in Matts, very promising and an outrageously good kicking technique.

Hopefully Conti and Woods have been indentified and being groomed as the next Luai and Cleary.

 

[bowleggedwog]

At least wait til Marley is actually complaining before you have a go at him. Haha.

I love that Gus is doubling down on signing some of the best junior talent. The success rate won't be the highest percentage in terms of who actually pans out in the NRL, but the more talent we have, the more chances we give ourselves to unearth another gem.. As others have said, hopefully this helps entice Woods to stay long term..

The percentage of players who make it to NRL is small. I'm not sure if it's the lack of teams available to make it but it is very low. I have been listening to podcasts for yrs and Gus has always you need a dozen for a few to make it. The Bulldogs have invested heavy in setting up pathways aligned with NZ ,Qld and country NSW. We will be great in the future the present will be hard though with a lean player market. The NRL need to make the reserve grade national and professional to help, that would keep kids in the game longer and develop more NRL players. The under 20s should come back as a semi pro system with rookies contracts set for 3 yrs. You can't poach a junior based on dollars. I'd they make the NRL it's on rookie contract, then you are a restricted player and your club can sign you and match any offer. It just needs to be better, bigger picture than just the NRL competition. I heard all this from Marley he said it 1st and Gus agrees lol

 

[BELMORE]

Watched a few game highlights of the kid... He is in a league of his own in Matts, very promising and an outrageously good kicking technique.

Hopefully Conti and Woods have been indentified and being groomed as the next Luai and Cleary.

That’s what I thought when I heard about this, bringing them through together

 

[wendog33]

That’s what I thought when I heard about this, bringing them through together

I read that Conti was primarily 5/8? tho someone else said 7.

We know Woods plays 7.

Conti 6?
Woods 7?

 

[Kempsey Dog]

I'm not sure. Looked terrible when he arrived, started to play better and then dropped off a cliff again and ended up on the bench.

Agree to me he doesn't seem like a starter, bench guy that is situational replacement on edge or middle.. wish version of L.Leilua at this point. Hopefully develops into something more.

 

[D0GMATIC]

BULLDOGS POUNCE ON TIGERS YOUNG GUN

One of the Tigers brightest prospects Alex Conti is set to quit the club and join arch rivals Canterbury next season.

The Tigers have purchased a heap of halves going forward including veteran Aidan Sezer next year. They have also brought in external players Jayden Sullivan and Latu Fainu on mega four year deals to push for starting spots in 2024 which has come at the expense of local product Conti.

He is now expected to challenge for a top grade spot at Canterbury in a bid to solve their long-term halves problems.

A host of rival clubs and even rugby were interested in securing Conti, who captained Balmain’s Harold Matthews Cup side this year. Conti was picked in the Junior Blues squad last year and has long been touted as strong first grade talent.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-news-bradman-best-in-eye-of-tigers-nrl-drops-170m-demand-of-clubs/news-story/dc94707cbf36a2de8a61f65900666e99

Good stuff, any good news is welcome

 

[D0GMATIC]

Meh. I think Braith manages him.

They're all managed by some wanker, what's the difference?

 

[Junkey]

Awesome news!! Kudos to the recruitment team.

Positive news potentially for 5 years down the track. Let’s hope he can go the distance and transition to FG

 

[CMP]

The percentage of players who make it to NRL is small. I'm not sure if it's the lack of teams available to make it but it is very low. I have been listening to podcasts for yrs and Gus has always you need a dozen for a few to make it. The Bulldogs have invested heavy in setting up pathways aligned with NZ ,Qld and country NSW. We will be great in the future the present will be hard though with a lean player market. The NRL need to make the reserve grade national and professional to help, that would keep kids in the game longer and develop more NRL players. The under 20s should come back as a semi pro system with rookies contracts set for 3 yrs. You can't poach a junior based on dollars. I'd they make the NRL it's on rookie contract, then you are a restricted player and your club can sign you and match any offer. It just needs to be better, bigger picture than just the NRL competition. I heard all this from Marley he said it 1st and Gus agrees lol

I agree with making a full reserve grade of some sort. There isn’t enough talent though to have a full u20’s as well though.

I would like to see it revert back to the old days of an u23 competition to give players a few extra years to develop. If they haven’t made it by 20. A lot of them just fall away with limited pathways.

I think an across the board U23’s as the second grade competition.

Not strictly u23’s though. Allow up to 5 overage players in the 17 each week.

 

[bowleggedwog]

I agree with making a full reserve grade of some sort. There isn’t enough talent though to have a full u20’s as well though.

I would like to see it revert back to the old days of an u23 competition to give players a few extra years to develop. If they haven’t made it by 20. A lot of them just fall away with limited pathways.

I think an across the board U23’s as the second grade competition.

Not strictly u23’s though. Allow up to 5 overage players in the 17 each week.

It seems like unless you are a superstar you don't make it early and if you don't make it early those players end up journeyman. A fulltime reserve grade keeps them in the game to develop and wait their turn and stops them going to England. The older days reserve grade was every strong and every club had a mix of ARL and youth. The u20s will build and they have to be semi pro. The NRL have to start investing more into the lower grades and run the comps. Nswrl & Qrl should just run state comps.

 

[diddly]

I believe there is a lot of wasted talent - the structure of the NRL and state comps generally results in a minimal number of players being given the opportunity to participate in development and pathway programs - where as the structure should be maximising the number of development opportunities. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy of "not enough fg quality players - if there were only 12 clubs providing development n pathways there would less players developed - now with 17 clubs more pathway opportunities. Raise the profile of the age competitions would help as well.

 

[Trafford10]

Me like this signing.

 

[Doggies2015]

For reference this is woods and Conti playing together school union this past season at not one of the top schools. Conti number 10 pink head and woods mainly number 15. Was great to watch there combo past few years hope it keeps developing

 

[MitchNewton]

How many halves do we need though? Where does this leave O’Neil? Looked like he was coming good.

The more we have in the junior ranks the more chance of unearthing one. There’s no guarantee too juniors will make it to the nrl.

 

[Bulldogsteve]

I agree with making a full reserve grade of some sort. There isn’t enough talent though to have a full u20’s as well though.

I would like to see it revert back to the old days of an u23 competition to give players a few extra years to develop. If they haven’t made it by 20. A lot of them just fall away with limited pathways.

I think an across the board U23’s as the second grade competition.

Not strictly u23’s though. Allow up to 5 overage players in the 17 each week.

We already have u21’s which is jersey flegg.
dogs also have a ron massey cup team for those boys coming out of flegg that dont make reserve grade. Then there is nsw cup.
Gus has put a good system in place so we can grow our junior base.
we also have nurseries set up in christchurch and country nsw as well as qld.
It will take time but as long as we keep building these teams there will be plenty of talent to come through like penrith have

 

[Sir dogeth style]

All we need is someone to break the curse that causes anyone that comes to us from turning to stone or to shit.
Bit over it to be honest.

critta should hopefully do that...

 

[CMP]

We already have u21’s which is jersey flegg.
dogs also have a ron massey cup team for those boys coming out of flegg that dont make reserve grade. Then there is nsw cup.
Gus has put a good system in place so we can grow our junior base.
we also have nurseries set up in christchurch and country nsw as well as qld.
It will take time but as long as we keep building these teams there will be plenty of talent to come through like penrith have

I agree! The structures Gus is putting in place with pathways at the dogs will come together.

My point was more the game as a whole would benefit with a national level second grade competition.

They had the Holden & Toyota cup competition which was Under 20. I think this was too young to catch everyone.

If this age was increased to 23 with a smattering of overage players. This would build a much better product adding depth in our game.

Matt’s, Ball & Flagg can stay as they are. Having a national 2nd grade competition would greatly improve the talent pool for NRL.