Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Bus 2 Terrigal said:
I disagree here.
The vast majority of kids who are selected to play Matt’s & Ball never reach the NRL. This isn’t a failure, it’s just the order of things.
It does mean something if you represent Wests or Balmain at a junior level. It’s a proud moment for the player his family etc. Not to be sneezed at.
Click to expand...
You are right, and I didn't explain myself properly.

I meant that being a Magpies junior has no meaning in discussions of first-grade affiliation / loyalty, simply because Magpies aren't at that level. I didn't mean that it was meaningless to the individual.
 
Bus 2 Terrigal said:
Simple.
Fully embrace the south-west.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately it's a circular argument. If "fully embracing" the south-west was so simple, or so obvious, Wests Tigers or another club would have done it completely by now. Magpies have been there since 1987.

"Fully embracing" has many potential definitions, and I guarantee you different folks at Wests Tigers over the 2 decades will tell you they have fully embraced the Macarthur, or at least to the fullest extent possible.

We have to remember and accept that if it's a total geographical relocation you speak of, i.e. all services, facilities, junior base etc - that's not possible. Moving everything to Macarthur then leaves the Balmain district untended, to the same extent as one might claim the Macarthur is untended now.

Then the actual powerbrokers - the sponsors, big money and the owners themselves - mostly Inner-Westies. That is of course also the old Magpies heritage. The deal has been sealed with the Centre of Excellence at Concord.
 
jirskyr said:
You are right, and I didn't explain myself properly.

I meant that being a Magpies junior has no meaning in discussions of first-grade affiliation / loyalty, simply because Magpies aren't at that level. I didn't mean that it was meaningless to the individual.
Click to expand...
hate 2 pick at scabs but, Magpies are more there than Balmain
 
batboy said:
How many players in that time have debuted for other clubs?
Click to expand...
That was my question also. How many South West juniors debuted for anyone at all? It may be a an overall lack of talent in the region that is the cause of the stat, which then opens up a very broad argument not only about Wests Tigers investment in Macarthur juniors, but rugby league's prospects in the region overall.

The junior district stats from, I think it was 2018, showed that Balmain and Magpies have about the same number of juniors, and both dwarfed by the numbers fielded at Penrith. That may be a Magpies / WT issue, or it may be an issue with the demographics of the region itself.

Also - it may reflect an intentional change of strategy over time. The first 75 players to debut for Wests Tigers probably all occurred before the 2005 GF, and many of them were inherited from the Magpies, i.e. were part of the merger deal. The last 75 debutants would be up to 20 years removed from those first 75, reflecting a potentially very different recruitment and development strategy.
 
people get their knickers in a knot about our junior dev.we were top shelf in the U/20;s yet 2 or so players made 1st grade fo rus,and all the best ever;s we let go only got a handful of nrl between them.not many make the top of the heap
 
We were told today that the talk of Angus Crichton is over-stated in the media. Tigers have talked about him internally but not approached the player or his manager. Tigers think Isaiah Papali'i is the form second rower in the comp and are wary of paying much more for Crichton than the deal already done with IP. Also we have some strong development with junior backrowers e.g. Justin Matamua (who was re-signed this year).

Naden is 2022 Player #30. Very popular with the players esp his old mate Daine Laurie.

Liddle and Mikaele are free to explore their options elsewhere.

Nofo hasn't been selected because he failed concussion protocols again this week. He might be right next week.

Laurie and AD are close to returning, but we have the bye in Round 13 and club may choose to wait until after that. Club very wary about rushing the players back and risking re-injury.
 
jirskyr said:
That was my question also. How many South West juniors debuted for anyone at all? It may be a an overall lack of talent in the region that is the cause of the stat, which then opens up a very broad argument not only about Wests Tigers investment in Macarthur juniors, but rugby league's prospects in the region overall.

The junior district stats from, I think it was 2018, showed that Balmain and Magpies have about the same number of juniors, and both dwarfed by the numbers fielded at Penrith. That may be a Magpies / WT issue, or it may be an issue with the demographics of the region itself.

Also - it may reflect an intentional change of strategy over time. The first 75 players to debut for Wests Tigers probably all occurred before the 2005 GF, and many of them were inherited from the Magpies, i.e. were part of the merger deal. The last 75 debutants would be up to 20 years removed from those first 75, reflecting a potentially very different recruitment and development strategy.
Click to expand...
I would be interesting to undertake a comparison between WTs' investment in its junior districts to the investments made by Melbourne, Roosters and even the Broncos. I have the strong suspicion that it is much easier to pick the eyes out of the best juniors from those clubs which do invest in junior districts when you are spending next to nothing on your own districts (perhaps because they don't exist which is another issue).
 
Since this is a rumours threat, I'll post this Sharks' gossip -

Sharks' supporters believe the Dogs offered Vaughan in exchange for Miller and Hunt.

WTs received good PR for the junior initiatives which from a well performed club like the Sharks in the lower grades is a big compliment.

Dykes according to one of their posters is "rumoured confirmed to WTs, not confirmed confirmed at this stage".

Jack Hethrington is in the top 5 fastest players at the Dogs.
 
pawsandclaws1 said:
Since this is a rumours threat, I'll post this Sharks' gossip -

Sharks' supporters believe the Dogs offered Vaughan in exchange for Miller and Hunt.

WTs received good PR for the junior initiatives which from a well performed club like the Sharks in the lower grades is a big compliment.

Dykes according to one of their posters is "rumoured confirmed to WTs, not confirmed confirmed at this stage".

Jack Hethrington is in the top 5 fastest players at the Dogs.
Click to expand...

What's Rumoured confirmed mean?
 
I can't see the Chrichton question being answered soon. He was offered and accepted the roosters extension so I can imagine he will bide his time to see if it can work out at the roosters before seriously entertaining offers from other clubs - unless of course he has already been tapped on the shoulder.
 
I'd like to think positively about this with the belief Sheens is working quietly behind the scenes to recruit good young players on the periphery of the NRL. That is where we get our bang for buck, not big name signings like Crichton. Utoikamanu and Laurie are shining examples.
 
jirskyr said:
We were told today that the talk of Angus Crichton is over-stated in the media. Tigers have talked about him internally but not approached the player or his manager. Tigers think Isaiah Papali'i is the form second rower in the comp and are wary of paying much more for Crichton than the deal already done with IP. Also we have some strong development with junior backrowers e.g. Justin Matamua (who was re-signed this year).

Naden is 2022 Player #30. Very popular with the players esp his old mate Daine Laurie.

Liddle and Mikaele are free to explore their options elsewhere.

Nofo hasn't been selected because he failed concussion protocols again this week. He might be right next week.

Laurie and AD are close to returning, but we have the bye in Round 13 and club may choose to wait until after that. Club very wary about rushing the players back and risking re-injury.
Click to expand...
See I like they keep stuff internally but I think that's bullocks.

Roosters paid 800k for Crighton to come to the Roosters in the first place. If we are offering 700k for a 26 year old state of origin rep then it is sound business to me. If they lose out to another club because they won't give that 100k more then not sure what they are doing. I understand not to overpay players but he is worth around the 700k for what hel bring.
 
Wokk_ said:
I can't see the Chrichton question being answered soon. He was offered and accepted the roosters extension so I can imagine he will bide his time to see if it can work out at the roosters before seriously entertaining offers from other clubs - unless of course he has already been tapped on the shoulder.
Click to expand...
Yeah but he's got to take a pay cut. They want him but not for nearly as much.

Think we would be 2nd favourites after Roosters
 
SeanT said:
See I like they keep stuff internally but I think that's bullocks.

Roosters paid 800k for Crighton to come to the Roosters in the first place. If we are offering 700k for a 26 year old state of origin rep then it is sound business to me. If they lose out to another club because they won't give that 100k more then not sure what they are doing. I understand not to overpay players but he is worth around the 700k for what hel bring.
Click to expand...
You would have to think the club is being careful about maintaining relativities between players especially in similar playing positions. Crighton is an SOO player but Papali'i is an NZ international and an in-form second row forward. It would be hard to justify Crichton receiving more $.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 412 (members: 33, guests: 379)
Forever online: Tigergran, Geo
Back
Top