Brutal Reality - We lack talent

[balmain boy]

I should add that I'm not sold on Reynolds the football player though.

Gamble is looking every bit our future 5/8.

Not sure where that leaves Reynolds

I have the same feelings.

 

[balmain boy]

We do lack quality, and I'd like to see us start recruiting stars from all over the state from a young age.

This is for the SG Ball level. That's when a number of clubs like the Sharks, Roosters sign young talent. Before Flegg. We shouldn't solely rely on local juniors at these age groups. If we can find a country boy with the potential we can offer a scholarship to St Gregs, Holy Cross or any other school really (doesn't have to be in our geographic region).

The Sharks have a tiny junior base to work with, yet they're smashing the juniors of late. We need to keep pace with them. Watching the Flegg trial and the SG Ball last weekend showed how far behind our youth teams are.

Of course we want to tap into the talent in Sydney's west and inner west but we don't want to rely exclusively on local juniors. It shouldn't be a money thing. Kids don't get paid.

Seeing we're no longer with Keebra i'm worried we've just dropped the ball completely on elite pathways for schoolboys

 

[fergiefurr]

We do lack quality, and I'd like to see us start recruiting stars from all over the state from a young age.

This is for the SG Ball level. That's when a number of clubs like the Sharks, Roosters sign young talent. Before Flegg. We shouldn't solely rely on local juniors at these age groups. If we can find a country boy with the potential we can offer a scholarship to St Gregs, Holy Cross or any other school really (doesn't have to be in our geographic region).

**The Sharks have a tiny junior base to work with, yet they're smashing the juniors of late.** We need to keep pace with them. Watching the Flegg trial and the SG Ball last weekend showed how far behind our youth teams are.

Of course we want to tap into the talent in Sydney's west and inner west but we don't want to rely exclusively on local juniors. It shouldn't be a money thing. Kids don't get paid.

Seeing we're no longer with Keebra i'm worried we've just dropped the ball completely on elite pathways for schoolboys

Do they really though? The Sutherland Shire is the largest Shire in Sydney. All the Juniour clubs are growing whereas RL Clubs in the St George area are shrinking and need to merge with Canterbury/Balmain just to have a comp. My boss's son plays U/15s in the Shire and his club side have an A,B,C & D team just in the 15s. Then youve got the corridor from Helensburgh down to Wollongong where a heap of them end up in the Sharks system as opposed to Illawarra.

The WTs halfback in NYC last year was from the Sharks comp and he never even got close to playing Matts/Ball with them.

I'd say the Sharks juniour base is second only to Penrith atm

 

[Tiger_Watto]

We do lack quality, and I'd like to see us start recruiting stars from all over the state from a young age.

This is for the SG Ball level. That's when a number of clubs like the Sharks, Roosters sign young talent. Before Flegg. We shouldn't solely rely on local juniors at these age groups. If we can find a country boy with the potential we can offer a scholarship to St Gregs, Holy Cross or any other school really (doesn't have to be in our geographic region).

**The Sharks have a tiny junior base to work with, yet they're smashing the juniors of late.** We need to keep pace with them. Watching the Flegg trial and the SG Ball last weekend showed how far behind our youth teams are.

Of course we want to tap into the talent in Sydney's west and inner west but we don't want to rely exclusively on local juniors. It shouldn't be a money thing. Kids don't get paid.

Seeing we're no longer with Keebra i'm worried we've just dropped the ball completely on elite pathways for schoolboys

Do they really though? The Sutherland Shire is the largest Shire in Sydney. All the Juniour clubs are growing whereas RL Clubs in the St George area are shrinking and need to merge with Canterbury/Balmain just to have a comp. My boss's son plays U/15s in the Shire and his club side have an A,B,C & D team just in the 15s. Then youve got the corridor from Helensburgh down to Wollongong where a heap of them end up in the Sharks system as opposed to Illawarra.

The WTs halfback in NYC last year was from the Sharks comp and he never even got close to playing Matts/Ball with them.

I'd say the Sharks juniour base is second only to Penrith atm

Agreed… My son plays in the shire and they have a very strong junior competition and Culture!

I've been around various forms of football my whole life, and I am somewhat in ore of how strong the junior sport in the Shire is.

 

[barra]

I should add that I'm not sold on Reynolds the football player though.

Gamble is looking every bit our future 5/8.

Not sure where that leaves Reynolds

I have the same feelings.

x3… moreso because I really like the look of Gamble than not liking Reynolds though.

 

[The_Patriot]

I should add that I'm not sold on Reynolds the football player though.

Gamble is looking every bit our future 5/8.

Not sure where that leaves Reynolds

Same, that and the 4 year thing

I have the same feelings.

x3… moreso because I really like the look of Gamble than not liking Reynolds though.

 

[Cairnstigers]

I would take a Gamble on the Roosters
What do we have to loose

 

[Bee-Em]

I would take a Gamble on the Roosters
What do we have to loose

…A 5/8 with promise.

It would be a huge "Gamble" to put a complete newby in up against one of the season favourites.

 

[balmain boy]

I would take a Gamble on the Roosters
What do we have to loose

2 competition points.

There is practically zero chance of Gamble playing in the first couple of months of the NRL season. **He is a rookie and our 4th choice playmaker!!!!**

The top 3 will need to demonstrate a consistently low level of performance to get dropped! Ivan will give them time to gel. At best he may get a bench spot if Benji gets injured but Godinet is probably ahead of him for that position at the moment.

 

[Tweed_Tiger]

With Gambles size he could play in the backrow

 

[Tiger_Watto]

With Gambles size he could play in the backrow

With his size, there a few options for Tyson. Fullback, Centre, Edge Forward.

I think his frame is his best asset, and he should be playing a fraction wider now Brooks is playing both sides of the ruck. Could cause plenty of havoc at 5/8 too!

 

[fergiefurr]

Gamble, lol, who would have thought one try in the last 15 minutes of a trial against qld cup standard opposition would mean so much?

 

[Tweed_Tiger]

With Gambles size he could play in the backrow

With his size, there a few options for Tyson. Fullback, Centre, Edge Forward.

I think his frame is his best asset, and he should be playing a fraction wider now Brooks is playing both sides of the ruck. Could cause plenty of havoc at 5/8 too!

He would cause mayhem out wide and really draw players in as he would be very hard to contain 1 on 1, also he is 189cm tall.

In the Q cup he ran some nice lines and had a nice pass/kick on him and can kick goals. Yes its not the NRL but it is a very competitive league.

He really reminds me of a Luke Lewis type of player whom is one of my favorite players who don't play for the tigers, yes we haven't seen enough yet from Gamble yet but I kept a close eye on him last year and he was very impressive and thought we were very lucky to get him.

Runs good lines, has a nice pass, can kick and is hard to handle and can put a big hit on. Would be surprised if we don't see him dominating players out on the edges in the next 2 months.

Hopefully he can be the complete opposite to Suli and take this opportunity with both hands.

 

[Geo]

Gamble, lol, who would have thought one try in the last 15 minutes of a trial against qld cup standard opposition would mean so much?

I'm calling him Havoc from this point forward…

 

[Harvey]

Gamble, lol, who would have thought one try in the last 15 minutes of a trial against qld cup standard opposition would mean so much?

I'm calling him Havoc from this point forward…

He can play backrow and every position in the backline. Unlocks defences with his passing and great lines.

Great goalkicker and kicking game in general.

He should be called each-way or all-up

 

[colmcd]

Ivan brought in Packer, Matt’, McQueen, Reynolds, Milne , Rochow, Thompson , Gamble ect.
Taylor brought in Rankin

Couldn’t do much else given the cap could he?

He Signed Suli. (in fairness at the time and last year that decision actually worked out).

But Ivan has brought in decent toilers. People between 200-550k (except Reynolds).

I think at the time too, it wasn't clear that Maloney wanted out at the Sharks. But we signed Reynolds during a halves glut which turned into a halves fountain. I still think Reynolds is a huge boost and his strengths match what we need as a team (Defensive grit, leadership and high work rate).

 

[Eddie]

Cleary should and will be judged on this year. He's built his side and as such the results lay with him, especially when he had so much of the cap at his disposal.

X2

He chose to spread the cap accross depth rather than marquees. Lets see how it plays out.

Laughable statement.

Which marquees did Ivan knock back?

Beggars cant be choosers.

 

[Eddie]

Gamble, lol, who would have thought one try in the last 15 minutes of a trial against qld cup standard opposition would mean so much?

I have read so much about this bloke on the forum.

Anyone would think he is the next Brad Fittler.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Cleary should and will be judged on this year. He's built his side and as such the results lay with him, especially when he had so much of the cap at his disposal.

X2

He chose to spread the cap accross depth rather than marquees. Lets see how it plays out.

Laughable statement.

Which marquees did Ivan knock back?

Beggars cant be choosers.

Hang on, I just thought we needed a quality coach to attract marquee players?

 

[TCL]

Cleary should and will be judged on this year. He's built his side and as such the results lay with him, especially when he had so much of the cap at his disposal.

X2

He chose to spread the cap accross depth rather than marquees. Lets see how it plays out.

Laughable statement.

Which marquees did Ivan knock back?

Beggars cant be choosers.

Hang on, I just thought we needed a quality coach to attract marquee players?

And dumb bells with our club logo on them, that what let us down with the marquee players. Oh and the forum comments.

IC will be judged by all this year, last year was a free ride. I think the knives will come out especially in the media if we don't perform, having said that based on the expectations of the media he will be a guru if we finish above 10th.