Recruitment - NSW U20's minefield and our inability to identify young talented players

[MichaelM]

Plenty of great players have come through the NSW U20 team since 2012 including the list below, which is a very formidable side.

1. Papenhuyzen
2. Too
3. Mitchell
4. Bird
5. S.Crighton
6. Gutherson
7. Moses
8. Paulo
9. Murray
10. Trbojevik
11. Cordner
12. Matterson
13. Radley

In our attempts to find our future stars, particularly in the critical spine positions we have signed our share of NSW U20 players as well!!

Unfortunately, it really highlights how bad we have been when it comes to identifying and signing the very best talent. Whilst a couple of these guys had played NRL before they arrived it may also reveal that potentially our systems are not getting the best out of these players.

H. Siejka – Half
M. Lichaa- Hooker
D. Britt – Forward
J. Olive – Centre
J. Stimpson – Forward
Z. Woolford – Hooker
J. Cogger – Half
N. Meaney – FB
K. Flanagan – half

We have also had some Queensland U20 Alumni in our ranks as well

D. Napa – Forward
B. Lee – Centre
C. Allen - Fullback

Lachlan Lewis also played for the QLD U20's, however he was already in our lower grades

 

[Baby Blues]

Plenty of great players have come through the NSW U20 team since 2012 including the list below, which is a very formidable side.

1. Papenhuyzen
2. Too
3. Mitchell
4. Bird
5. S.Crighton
6. Gutherson
7. Moses
8. Paulo
9. Murray
10. Trbojevik
11. Cordner
12. Matterson
13. Radley

In our attempts to find our future stars, particularly in the critical spine positions we have signed our share of NSW U20 players as well!!

Unfortunately, it really highlights how bad we have been when it comes to identifying and signing the very best talent. Whilst a couple of these guys had played NRL before they arrived it may also reveal that potentially our systems are not getting the best out of these players.

H. Siejka – Half
M. Lichaa- Hooker
D. Britt – Forward
J. Olive – Centre
J. Stimpson – Forward
Z. Woolford – Hooker
J. Cogger – Half
N. Meaney – FB
K. Flanagan – half

We have also had some Queensland U20 Alumni in our ranks as well

D. Napa – Forward
B. Lee – Centre
C. Allen - Fullback

Lachlan Lewis also played for the QLD U20's, however he was already in our lower grades

What a dumb post can we close this thread?

 

[Nasheed]

Nasheed here,
How do you spell Trbojevic with a k with how much media attention they get.

Where was a K ever said?

 

[B-Train]

No doubt our scouting over the last two administrations and coaches needed to be better but the problem with a lot of the standout junior rep stars is that most of them are locked up early by their clubs the same way we've locked up Averillo, Alamoti and Rajab for the next few years.

 

[Alan79]

A lot of junior rep players don't even go on to have NRL careers of note anyway. But we do need to get our junior development on track properly again. It seems like we've got a few promising players coming through. But realistically we need to have a competitive team for any juniors to step into if they're going to excel.

 

[Scoooby]

No doubt our scouting over the last two administrations and coaches needed to be better but the problem with a lot of the standout junior rep stars is that most of them are locked up early by their clubs the same way we've locked up Averillo, Alamoti and Rajab for the next few years.

Agree, just a little more attention to detail for the future will suffice.

 

[MichaelM]

What a dumb post can we close this thread?

You might be missing the point - young players in particular come with a resume and making the NSW team in the under 20's builds their profile.

My point, which may have been better articulated, is that every player we have signed that played for the NSW U20's team since 2012 has been underwhelming.

In that time we have missed a few opportunities - I'm sure we tried hard and failed on some of the better players.

Bottom line is that the following list of players reflects the standard of our recruitment decisions going back to 2012 with Michael Lichaa, remembering that these guys were considered the best available in NSW U20's for their position at the time of their selection.

H. Siejka – Half
M. Lichaa- Hooker
D. Britt – Forward
J. Olive – Centre
J. Stimpson – Forward
Z. Woolford – Hooker
J. Cogger – Half
N. Meaney – FB
K. Flanagan – half

 

[vegny]

Junior kiwis should be part of discussion?