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PANTHERS
Penrith supplying a flood of NRL talent to its rivals, but will it force Matt Burton to leave the club?
He’s the rising Panthers playmaker playing second fiddle to two of the in-form halves of the competition. But sitting on the bench won’t force Matt Burton out of Penrith. Here’s why.
If you build it they will come and in the case of rising Penrith playmaker Matt Burton, they will stay.
At least that’s what Panthers assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo is hoping.
News Corp Australia investigation with Fox Sports Lab has revealed the Panthers, along with Brisbane, provide the most talent in the NRL.
The Panthers have blooded 40 players who are active in the NRL, pipped only by the Broncos, who have given 41 players their debuts.
Panthers assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo said the club had spent years cultivating a production line rich with talent and an environment that players don’t want to leave.
Ciraldo is confident the winning culture being forged at Penrith will help keep the in-demand Burton at the foot of the mountains — in the same way Melbourne has held on to Harry Grant despite the boom rake not playing regular first grade while at the Storm.
“Someone like Burto is working really hard at their game out of the spotlight,” Ciraldo said. “He’s just looking at working hard and improving every day. There is no real need to talk to him [about his future].
“But when you look at someone like Harry Grant, who plied his trade under Cameron Smith at Melbourne, he was held back.
“He could have gone somewhere else and played first grade a lot earlier but he kept working on his game out of the spotlight and when he did play first grade, he killed it.
“They have an incredible culture down there … and we feel we are on our way to creating that [culture].
“I’m sure guys like Burto see that sort of stuff and he sees we are the right place to help develop him.”
Grant arrived in Melbourne from the Sunshine Falcons on a full-time contract in 2017 and with a reputation as one of the best players in the Queensland Cup.
Even though there was a view he would be Cameron Smith’s successor, Grant ultimately found himself third in the packing order behind Brandon Smith in the race for the No.9 jumper.
However, Grant still re-signed with the Storm last year for a further three seasons, knowing he wasn’t guaranteed a regular first-grade spot. It took a revolutionary trade deal with the Wests Tigers for Grant to finally nail down a place in the NRL this year.
Smith’s future is still up in the air but Grant is expected to head back to the Storm at the end of the regular season.
The highly rated Burton, who has played five NRL games since making his debut for Penrith last year, is facing a similar scenario.
The 20-year old is stuck behind five-eighth Jarome Luai and halfback Nathan Cleary, which has made him a target for rival clubs.
Most interest has come from the Canterbury Bulldogs, the club at which Penrith’s attack coach Trent Barrett will take the reins from next season.
The target on Burton’s back doesn’t come as a surprise to Ciraldo. The former forward is expecting Penrith’s burgeoning player nursery and on-field success this season to turn the club into a poaching ground for its NRL rivals.
“When you are looking for good young talent, clubs like ours are where you look. That threat is there,” Ciraldo said.
“But I’m confident that we have the systems and culture where the guys that are here want to stay here and no one wants to put themselves on the open market. They want to stay here and work towards a common goal.”
During his time as Penrith’s under-20s Holden Cup coach between 2014 and 2016, Ciraldo coached 22 players who have gone on to make it in the NRL.
Of those players, 18 made their debuts for the Panthers and 12 — including the likes of Cleary, James Fisher-Harris, Brent Naden, Dylan Edwards and Liam Martin — are still part of Penrith’s NRL squad.
It has given Ciraldo an intimate knowledge of his playing roster, which has helped guide the side to the top of the ladder and fuelled Penrith’s push for its first premiership since 2003.
“To have seen these guys develop over the last six or seven years … knowing what they have gone through, what makes them tick, their strengths, what injuries they have had and what obstacles they have overcome,” Ciraldo said.
“To know all that, it’s been a huge advantage for myself. It’s also been rewarding and enjoyable.”
If you build it they will come and in the case of rising Penrith playmaker Matt Burton, they will stay.
At least that’s what Panthers assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo is hoping.
News Corp Australia investigation with Fox Sports Lab has revealed the Panthers, along with Brisbane, provide the most talent in the NRL.
The Panthers have blooded 40 players who are active in the NRL, pipped only by the Broncos, who have given 41 players their debuts.
Panthers assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo said the club had spent years cultivating a production line rich with talent and an environment that players don’t want to leave.
Ciraldo is confident the winning culture being forged at Penrith will help keep the in-demand Burton at the foot of the mountains — in the same way Melbourne has held on to Harry Grant despite the boom rake not playing regular first grade while at the Storm.
“Someone like Burto is working really hard at their game out of the spotlight,” Ciraldo said. “He’s just looking at working hard and improving every day. There is no real need to talk to him [about his future].
“But when you look at someone like Harry Grant, who plied his trade under Cameron Smith at Melbourne, he was held back.
Matt Burton is comfortable playing second fiddle to Cleary and Luai. Picture: AAP/Dan Himbrechts
“He could have gone somewhere else and played first grade a lot earlier but he kept working on his game out of the spotlight and when he did play first grade, he killed it.
“They have an incredible culture down there … and we feel we are on our way to creating that [culture].
“I’m sure guys like Burto see that sort of stuff and he sees we are the right place to help develop him.”
Grant arrived in Melbourne from the Sunshine Falcons on a full-time contract in 2017 and with a reputation as one of the best players in the Queensland Cup.
Even though there was a view he would be Cameron Smith’s successor, Grant ultimately found himself third in the packing order behind Brandon Smith in the race for the No.9 jumper.
Jarome Luai’s form has kept Burton out of Ivan Cleary’s starting side in 2020.
However, Grant still re-signed with the Storm last year for a further three seasons, knowing he wasn’t guaranteed a regular first-grade spot. It took a revolutionary trade deal with the Wests Tigers for Grant to finally nail down a place in the NRL this year.
Smith’s future is still up in the air but Grant is expected to head back to the Storm at the end of the regular season.
The highly rated Burton, who has played five NRL games since making his debut for Penrith last year, is facing a similar scenario.
The 20-year old is stuck behind five-eighth Jarome Luai and halfback Nathan Cleary, which has made him a target for rival clubs.
Most interest has come from the Canterbury Bulldogs, the club at which Penrith’s attack coach Trent Barrett will take the reins from next season.
The target on Burton’s back doesn’t come as a surprise to Ciraldo. The former forward is expecting Penrith’s burgeoning player nursery and on-field success this season to turn the club into a poaching ground for its NRL rivals.
“When you are looking for good young talent, clubs like ours are where you look. That threat is there,” Ciraldo said.
“But I’m confident that we have the systems and culture where the guys that are here want to stay here and no one wants to put themselves on the open market. They want to stay here and work towards a common goal.”
During his time as Penrith’s under-20s Holden Cup coach between 2014 and 2016, Ciraldo coached 22 players who have gone on to make it in the NRL.
Of those players, 18 made their debuts for the Panthers and 12 — including the likes of Cleary, James Fisher-Harris, Brent Naden, Dylan Edwards and Liam Martin — are still part of Penrith’s NRL squad.
It has given Ciraldo an intimate knowledge of his playing roster, which has helped guide the side to the top of the ladder and fuelled Penrith’s push for its first premiership since 2003.
“To have seen these guys develop over the last six or seven years … knowing what they have gone through, what makes them tick, their strengths, what injuries they have had and what obstacles they have overcome,” Ciraldo said.
“To know all that, it’s been a huge advantage for myself. It’s also been rewarding and enjoyable.”
CIRALDO'S CREW
Players Cameron Ciraldo coached in the Panthers juniors
STILL AT PANTHERS
2015
Nathan Cleary
Dylan Edwards
James Fisher-Harris
Moses Leota
Jarome Luai
Tyrone May
Brent Naden
2016
Caleb Aekins
Billy Burns
Jack Hetherington
Mitch Kenny
Liam Martin
NOW AT OTHER NRL CLUBS
Kaide Ellis (Dragons)
Corey Harawira-Naera (Raiders)
Corey Waddell (Sea Eagles)
Robert Jennings (Wests Tigers)
Braidon Burns (Rabbitohs)
Wayde Egan (Warriors)
Sione Katoa (Bulldogs)
Oliver Clark (Wests Tigers)
Christian Crichton (Bulldogs)
Sean O’Sullivan (Broncos)
Penrith’s fierce rival and fellow premiership contender Parramatta has given debuts to 16 active NRL players, the least of any side in the competition.
The club conducted an extensive review of all football department operations after finishing last in 2018.
One area highlighted was junior pathways and the need to retain local talent in a bid to give debuts to more players from the Eels’ nursery.
Mark O’Neill, who was appointed Parramatta’s general manager of football following the review, said giving debuts to players such as Reed Mahoney, Dylan Brown and Oregon Kaufusi was proof the Western Sydney powerhouse was making quick headway in rectifying the situation.
“The findings were there was a gap there,” O’Neill said.
“We have to be more diligent but in more recent years we’ve been able to debut Dylan Brown, Oregon Kaufusi, Reed Mahoney and Stefano Utoikamanu, and Haze Dunster debuted at the Nines.
“We’ve got others like Sam Hughes, Dave Hollis and William Penisini from our pathways, they’re all locked up.
“There are a few we have taken serious notice of in the last 18 months and look to give them their opportunity. If they are good enough we want them to play at our club.
“That’s what we are trying to do. We have a lot of talent out here and retaining them all is a challenge, but we need to be more sophisticated in keeping the right kids.”
O’Neill said Eels fans could look forward to players such as Ryan Matterson and Utoikamanu being retained, rather than Parramatta developing them and watching other clubs reap the benefits.
Utoikamanu is headed to Concord next season after making his NRL debut this year and Matterson made his debut for the Sydney Roosters despite being an Eels junior.
“A player adds value to a club but we have to challenge ourselves to add value to the player as well,” O’Neill said.
“By that I mean the work we do to improve their skills as footballers and making sure they have the technical, tactical and physical knowledge of the game … the things that show we can improve them as a player to make them stay.
“We have a good crop of kids coming through under the current NRL batch and we are confident they want to stay and develop as players at the Eels.”
Penrith’s rise as a junior pathways powerhouse began in 2011 when Phil Gould joined the club as the general manager of football.
Gould’s work in building the Penrith junior pathways is finally bearing fruit in the form of on-field success at the NRL level. And while Gould might have been the public face of it all, Ciraldo said the Panthers Academy would not be what it is today if not for the volunteers who pour thousands of hours every year into keeping the junior system up and running.
“Gus, Ivan (Cleary) and our high-performance manager Matt Cameron put in good pathways from 13 years old up to the under-20s level and into first grade,” he said. “It gives those kids in our nursery an opportunity to pursue an NRL career.
“But the unsung heroes in all of this are the people who give up their time at the junior level for us to then be able to develop kids into NRL players.
Penrith supplying a flood of NRL talent to its rivals, but will it force Matt Burton to leave the club?
He’s the rising Panthers playmaker playing second fiddle to two of the in-form halves of the competition. But sitting on the bench won’t force Matt Burton out of Penrith. Here’s why.
If you build it they will come and in the case of rising Penrith playmaker Matt Burton, they will stay.
At least that’s what Panthers assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo is hoping.
News Corp Australia investigation with Fox Sports Lab has revealed the Panthers, along with Brisbane, provide the most talent in the NRL.
The Panthers have blooded 40 players who are active in the NRL, pipped only by the Broncos, who have given 41 players their debuts.
Panthers assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo said the club had spent years cultivating a production line rich with talent and an environment that players don’t want to leave.
Ciraldo is confident the winning culture being forged at Penrith will help keep the in-demand Burton at the foot of the mountains — in the same way Melbourne has held on to Harry Grant despite the boom rake not playing regular first grade while at the Storm.
“Someone like Burto is working really hard at their game out of the spotlight,” Ciraldo said. “He’s just looking at working hard and improving every day. There is no real need to talk to him [about his future].
“But when you look at someone like Harry Grant, who plied his trade under Cameron Smith at Melbourne, he was held back.
“He could have gone somewhere else and played first grade a lot earlier but he kept working on his game out of the spotlight and when he did play first grade, he killed it.
“They have an incredible culture down there … and we feel we are on our way to creating that [culture].
“I’m sure guys like Burto see that sort of stuff and he sees we are the right place to help develop him.”
Grant arrived in Melbourne from the Sunshine Falcons on a full-time contract in 2017 and with a reputation as one of the best players in the Queensland Cup.
Even though there was a view he would be Cameron Smith’s successor, Grant ultimately found himself third in the packing order behind Brandon Smith in the race for the No.9 jumper.
However, Grant still re-signed with the Storm last year for a further three seasons, knowing he wasn’t guaranteed a regular first-grade spot. It took a revolutionary trade deal with the Wests Tigers for Grant to finally nail down a place in the NRL this year.
Smith’s future is still up in the air but Grant is expected to head back to the Storm at the end of the regular season.
The highly rated Burton, who has played five NRL games since making his debut for Penrith last year, is facing a similar scenario.
The 20-year old is stuck behind five-eighth Jarome Luai and halfback Nathan Cleary, which has made him a target for rival clubs.
Most interest has come from the Canterbury Bulldogs, the club at which Penrith’s attack coach Trent Barrett will take the reins from next season.
The target on Burton’s back doesn’t come as a surprise to Ciraldo. The former forward is expecting Penrith’s burgeoning player nursery and on-field success this season to turn the club into a poaching ground for its NRL rivals.
“When you are looking for good young talent, clubs like ours are where you look. That threat is there,” Ciraldo said.
“But I’m confident that we have the systems and culture where the guys that are here want to stay here and no one wants to put themselves on the open market. They want to stay here and work towards a common goal.”
During his time as Penrith’s under-20s Holden Cup coach between 2014 and 2016, Ciraldo coached 22 players who have gone on to make it in the NRL.
Of those players, 18 made their debuts for the Panthers and 12 — including the likes of Cleary, James Fisher-Harris, Brent Naden, Dylan Edwards and Liam Martin — are still part of Penrith’s NRL squad.
It has given Ciraldo an intimate knowledge of his playing roster, which has helped guide the side to the top of the ladder and fuelled Penrith’s push for its first premiership since 2003.
“To have seen these guys develop over the last six or seven years … knowing what they have gone through, what makes them tick, their strengths, what injuries they have had and what obstacles they have overcome,” Ciraldo said.
“To know all that, it’s been a huge advantage for myself. It’s also been rewarding and enjoyable.”
If you build it they will come and in the case of rising Penrith playmaker Matt Burton, they will stay.
At least that’s what Panthers assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo is hoping.
News Corp Australia investigation with Fox Sports Lab has revealed the Panthers, along with Brisbane, provide the most talent in the NRL.
The Panthers have blooded 40 players who are active in the NRL, pipped only by the Broncos, who have given 41 players their debuts.
Panthers assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo said the club had spent years cultivating a production line rich with talent and an environment that players don’t want to leave.
Ciraldo is confident the winning culture being forged at Penrith will help keep the in-demand Burton at the foot of the mountains — in the same way Melbourne has held on to Harry Grant despite the boom rake not playing regular first grade while at the Storm.
“Someone like Burto is working really hard at their game out of the spotlight,” Ciraldo said. “He’s just looking at working hard and improving every day. There is no real need to talk to him [about his future].
“But when you look at someone like Harry Grant, who plied his trade under Cameron Smith at Melbourne, he was held back.
“He could have gone somewhere else and played first grade a lot earlier but he kept working on his game out of the spotlight and when he did play first grade, he killed it.
“They have an incredible culture down there … and we feel we are on our way to creating that [culture].
“I’m sure guys like Burto see that sort of stuff and he sees we are the right place to help develop him.”
Grant arrived in Melbourne from the Sunshine Falcons on a full-time contract in 2017 and with a reputation as one of the best players in the Queensland Cup.
Even though there was a view he would be Cameron Smith’s successor, Grant ultimately found himself third in the packing order behind Brandon Smith in the race for the No.9 jumper.
However, Grant still re-signed with the Storm last year for a further three seasons, knowing he wasn’t guaranteed a regular first-grade spot. It took a revolutionary trade deal with the Wests Tigers for Grant to finally nail down a place in the NRL this year.
Smith’s future is still up in the air but Grant is expected to head back to the Storm at the end of the regular season.
The highly rated Burton, who has played five NRL games since making his debut for Penrith last year, is facing a similar scenario.
The 20-year old is stuck behind five-eighth Jarome Luai and halfback Nathan Cleary, which has made him a target for rival clubs.
Most interest has come from the Canterbury Bulldogs, the club at which Penrith’s attack coach Trent Barrett will take the reins from next season.
The target on Burton’s back doesn’t come as a surprise to Ciraldo. The former forward is expecting Penrith’s burgeoning player nursery and on-field success this season to turn the club into a poaching ground for its NRL rivals.
“When you are looking for good young talent, clubs like ours are where you look. That threat is there,” Ciraldo said.
“But I’m confident that we have the systems and culture where the guys that are here want to stay here and no one wants to put themselves on the open market. They want to stay here and work towards a common goal.”
During his time as Penrith’s under-20s Holden Cup coach between 2014 and 2016, Ciraldo coached 22 players who have gone on to make it in the NRL.
Of those players, 18 made their debuts for the Panthers and 12 — including the likes of Cleary, James Fisher-Harris, Brent Naden, Dylan Edwards and Liam Martin — are still part of Penrith’s NRL squad.
It has given Ciraldo an intimate knowledge of his playing roster, which has helped guide the side to the top of the ladder and fuelled Penrith’s push for its first premiership since 2003.
“To have seen these guys develop over the last six or seven years … knowing what they have gone through, what makes them tick, their strengths, what injuries they have had and what obstacles they have overcome,” Ciraldo said.
“To know all that, it’s been a huge advantage for myself. It’s also been rewarding and enjoyable.”
CIRALDO'S CREW
Players Cameron Ciraldo coached in the Panthers juniors
STILL AT PANTHERS
2015
Nathan Cleary
Dylan Edwards
James Fisher-Harris
Moses Leota
Jarome Luai
Tyrone May
Brent Naden
2016
Caleb Aekins
Billy Burns
Jack Hetherington
Mitch Kenny
Liam Martin
NOW AT OTHER NRL CLUBS
Kaide Ellis (Dragons)
Corey Harawira-Naera (Raiders)
Corey Waddell (Sea Eagles)
Robert Jennings (Wests Tigers)
Braidon Burns (Rabbitohs)
Wayde Egan (Warriors)
Sione Katoa (Bulldogs)
Oliver Clark (Wests Tigers)
Christian Crichton (Bulldogs)
Sean O’Sullivan (Broncos)
Penrith’s fierce rival and fellow premiership contender Parramatta has given debuts to 16 active NRL players, the least of any side in the competition.
The club conducted an extensive review of all football department operations after finishing last in 2018.
One area highlighted was junior pathways and the need to retain local talent in a bid to give debuts to more players from the Eels’ nursery.
Mark O’Neill, who was appointed Parramatta’s general manager of football following the review, said giving debuts to players such as Reed Mahoney, Dylan Brown and Oregon Kaufusi was proof the Western Sydney powerhouse was making quick headway in rectifying the situation.
“The findings were there was a gap there,” O’Neill said.
“We have to be more diligent but in more recent years we’ve been able to debut Dylan Brown, Oregon Kaufusi, Reed Mahoney and Stefano Utoikamanu, and Haze Dunster debuted at the Nines.
“We’ve got others like Sam Hughes, Dave Hollis and William Penisini from our pathways, they’re all locked up.
“There are a few we have taken serious notice of in the last 18 months and look to give them their opportunity. If they are good enough we want them to play at our club.
“That’s what we are trying to do. We have a lot of talent out here and retaining them all is a challenge, but we need to be more sophisticated in keeping the right kids.”
O’Neill said Eels fans could look forward to players such as Ryan Matterson and Utoikamanu being retained, rather than Parramatta developing them and watching other clubs reap the benefits.
Utoikamanu is headed to Concord next season after making his NRL debut this year and Matterson made his debut for the Sydney Roosters despite being an Eels junior.
“A player adds value to a club but we have to challenge ourselves to add value to the player as well,” O’Neill said.
“By that I mean the work we do to improve their skills as footballers and making sure they have the technical, tactical and physical knowledge of the game … the things that show we can improve them as a player to make them stay.
“We have a good crop of kids coming through under the current NRL batch and we are confident they want to stay and develop as players at the Eels.”
Penrith’s rise as a junior pathways powerhouse began in 2011 when Phil Gould joined the club as the general manager of football.
Gould’s work in building the Penrith junior pathways is finally bearing fruit in the form of on-field success at the NRL level. And while Gould might have been the public face of it all, Ciraldo said the Panthers Academy would not be what it is today if not for the volunteers who pour thousands of hours every year into keeping the junior system up and running.
“Gus, Ivan (Cleary) and our high-performance manager Matt Cameron put in good pathways from 13 years old up to the under-20s level and into first grade,” he said. “It gives those kids in our nursery an opportunity to pursue an NRL career.
“But the unsung heroes in all of this are the people who give up their time at the junior level for us to then be able to develop kids into NRL players.
