Premiers Sydney Roosters had 12 players make NRL debut after playing NYC elsewhere
TODD BALYM THE SUNDAY MAIL (QLD) DECEMBER 28, 2013 10:00PM
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NRL clubs spend $1.5 million every year to field an under 20s team yet the majority would rather buy than develop their way to a premiership.
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Six years since the under 20s competition was introduced, 343 players have gone on to make their NRL debut but only 125 of those players are still at the same club today based on an analysis of Fox Sports Stats.
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The Courier Mail has crunched the numbers when it comes to the development and poaching of players and found a clear difference between clubs who'd rather breed and others who'd rather buy their way to success.
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Brisbane has the most players in their current squad to have played in the Broncos NYC team with 13, but the Warriors emerged as the greatest club for developing players with a record 35 of their under 20s going on to play first grade football.
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Reigning premiers Sydney Roosters were the most active in the market, they've had 12 players make their NRL debut in red, white and blue after playing NYC elsewhere, while grand finalists Manly (four) are second only to Cronulla (three) for the fewest players on their roster that played in their own NYC team.
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Not one of last year's top eight rank in the top four for most players developed from the NYC in first grade or still at the club.
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While last year's ladder might suggest buying is the better path to premiership glory, clubs also know it is much easier and cheaper to retain rather than recruit a player once he is happy in your system.
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The Warriors have had 10 players poached from their NYC system but are happy to be giving kids a chance in rugby league as more teens turn their back on rugby.
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"The NYC was like a bit of a godsend for New Zealand rugby league," Warriors football manager Dean Bell said.
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"Every home game our boys are live on TV. That helps the profile of the game and we're now getting first XV players looking at rugby league as an option for them.
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"Just as the Broncos were widely known as a great development club, that's what we want to be known as.
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"We will keep the ones that we want to keep if we're smart enough, but at the same time we're never going to be able to keep them all.
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"We have to make sure that while we're producing a lot of NRL players we still haven't won a premiership. That has to be our focus, producing players that have got a capability of bringing home the premiership for us.
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"We will only prove ourselves in development when we start winning premierships." Figures from the NRL suggests 23 per cent, or one in four, NYC players will make their NRL debut but the figure drops to just one in 10 who have a career lasting eight games or more.
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It goes to show just how cutthroat it is to make it in the NRL and why the importance of the state leagues will increase next year so a pathway exists for players who don't immediately graduated from the NYC to the highest level.
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While the Broncos have a fine record at developing talent, football manager Andrew Gee said the club's signing spree to secure Ben Barba for 2014 and Anthony Milford in 2015 showed that a balance was needed to achieve overall success.
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"I think everyone can see from our recruiting that we had to go and recruit some blue chip players," Gee said.
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"Sometimes you just have gaps in your recruitment where they don't come through or you have missed them and we're certainly in that phase now.
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"But we have a good group of young fellas coming through the bottom now."
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PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
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Total players from NYC to make NRL debut since 2008: 343
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**Most players from NYC to make NRL debut at any club: Warriors (35), Tigers (30), Broncos (26)**
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Fewest players from NYC to make NRL debut at any club: Knights (14), Sea Eagles (14), Cowboys (15)
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Most players from NYC to make NRL debut at rival club: Warriors (10), Panthers (6), Dragons (6)
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Fewest players from NYC to make NRL debut at rival club: Broncos (1), Cowboys (1), Raiders (2), Rabbitohs (2)
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**Most players from NYC to make NRL debut at same club: Warriors (25), Tigers (25), Broncos (25)**
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Fewest players from NYC to make NRL debut at same club: Knights (10), Sea Eagles (11), Cowboys (14), Panthers (14)
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Most players recruited from another NYC team to make NRL debut at club: Roosters (12), Eels (9), Panthers (8), Sea Eagles (8)
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Fewest players recruited from another NYC team to make NRL debut at club: Raiders (0), Warriors (0), Broncos (1)
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**Most players from NYC to make NRL debut and still be at the club: Broncos (13), Raiders (12), Warriors (11), Eels (11), Tigers (11)**
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Fewest players from NYC to make NRL debut and still be at the club: Sharks (3), Sea Eagles (4), Knights (5), Cowboys (5)
I have a new found respect for the Warriors and the Broncos after reading this. Sure, they have a huge pool to pull from but at least they haven't turned their backs on them like the Knights and Cowboys for example.
TODD BALYM THE SUNDAY MAIL (QLD) DECEMBER 28, 2013 10:00PM
>
NRL clubs spend $1.5 million every year to field an under 20s team yet the majority would rather buy than develop their way to a premiership.
>
Six years since the under 20s competition was introduced, 343 players have gone on to make their NRL debut but only 125 of those players are still at the same club today based on an analysis of Fox Sports Stats.
>
The Courier Mail has crunched the numbers when it comes to the development and poaching of players and found a clear difference between clubs who'd rather breed and others who'd rather buy their way to success.
>
Brisbane has the most players in their current squad to have played in the Broncos NYC team with 13, but the Warriors emerged as the greatest club for developing players with a record 35 of their under 20s going on to play first grade football.
>
Reigning premiers Sydney Roosters were the most active in the market, they've had 12 players make their NRL debut in red, white and blue after playing NYC elsewhere, while grand finalists Manly (four) are second only to Cronulla (three) for the fewest players on their roster that played in their own NYC team.
>
Not one of last year's top eight rank in the top four for most players developed from the NYC in first grade or still at the club.
>
While last year's ladder might suggest buying is the better path to premiership glory, clubs also know it is much easier and cheaper to retain rather than recruit a player once he is happy in your system.
>
The Warriors have had 10 players poached from their NYC system but are happy to be giving kids a chance in rugby league as more teens turn their back on rugby.
>
"The NYC was like a bit of a godsend for New Zealand rugby league," Warriors football manager Dean Bell said.
>
"Every home game our boys are live on TV. That helps the profile of the game and we're now getting first XV players looking at rugby league as an option for them.
>
"Just as the Broncos were widely known as a great development club, that's what we want to be known as.
>
"We will keep the ones that we want to keep if we're smart enough, but at the same time we're never going to be able to keep them all.
>
"We have to make sure that while we're producing a lot of NRL players we still haven't won a premiership. That has to be our focus, producing players that have got a capability of bringing home the premiership for us.
>
"We will only prove ourselves in development when we start winning premierships." Figures from the NRL suggests 23 per cent, or one in four, NYC players will make their NRL debut but the figure drops to just one in 10 who have a career lasting eight games or more.
>
It goes to show just how cutthroat it is to make it in the NRL and why the importance of the state leagues will increase next year so a pathway exists for players who don't immediately graduated from the NYC to the highest level.
>
While the Broncos have a fine record at developing talent, football manager Andrew Gee said the club's signing spree to secure Ben Barba for 2014 and Anthony Milford in 2015 showed that a balance was needed to achieve overall success.
>
"I think everyone can see from our recruiting that we had to go and recruit some blue chip players," Gee said.
>
"Sometimes you just have gaps in your recruitment where they don't come through or you have missed them and we're certainly in that phase now.
>
"But we have a good group of young fellas coming through the bottom now."
>
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
>
Total players from NYC to make NRL debut since 2008: 343
>
**Most players from NYC to make NRL debut at any club: Warriors (35), Tigers (30), Broncos (26)**
>
Fewest players from NYC to make NRL debut at any club: Knights (14), Sea Eagles (14), Cowboys (15)
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Most players from NYC to make NRL debut at rival club: Warriors (10), Panthers (6), Dragons (6)
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Fewest players from NYC to make NRL debut at rival club: Broncos (1), Cowboys (1), Raiders (2), Rabbitohs (2)
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**Most players from NYC to make NRL debut at same club: Warriors (25), Tigers (25), Broncos (25)**
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Fewest players from NYC to make NRL debut at same club: Knights (10), Sea Eagles (11), Cowboys (14), Panthers (14)
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Most players recruited from another NYC team to make NRL debut at club: Roosters (12), Eels (9), Panthers (8), Sea Eagles (8)
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Fewest players recruited from another NYC team to make NRL debut at club: Raiders (0), Warriors (0), Broncos (1)
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**Most players from NYC to make NRL debut and still be at the club: Broncos (13), Raiders (12), Warriors (11), Eels (11), Tigers (11)**
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Fewest players from NYC to make NRL debut and still be at the club: Sharks (3), Sea Eagles (4), Knights (5), Cowboys (5)
I have a new found respect for the Warriors and the Broncos after reading this. Sure, they have a huge pool to pull from but at least they haven't turned their backs on them like the Knights and Cowboys for example.
