Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[JRDee]

Has anyone posted the juniors article from dt?

Wests Tigers big investment in junior footy set to pay off

It’s been ten years since the Wests Tigers last played finals footy but the future looks bright for Michael Maguire’s side.
Nick Campton
Nick Campton
Follow
@campo37
13 min read
October 9, 2021 - 3:32PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
81 comments

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NRL: Premiership winning playmaker Benji Marshall has announced his retirement from rugby league after a memorable 346-game career.
Whenever the Tigers end the longest finals drought in the NRL you can bet it’ll be homegrown products, not big money buys, that get the job done.
Michael Maguire’s side are seemingly linked with every big name free agent on the market only to miss out time and again, but the joint venture are committed to building their future from within.

The club revamped their junior system earlier this year with former Cricket Australia coaching and development manager Matthew Betsey joining the club as head of pathways with former Test and Origin halfback Brett Kimmorley also signing on.


Their mission is simple – to keep the best Tigers kids in the club’s vast catchment area, from Balmain to Macarthur and everywhere in between, in Tigers colours.

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Jersey Flegg skipper Rua Ngatikaura is a star of the future. Picture: NRL Images
Jersey Flegg skipper Rua Ngatikaura is a star of the future. Picture: NRL Images
“If they grow up in our area we want them to have aspirations to play for the Wests Tigers,” Kimmorley said.

“It’s such a big area – we have Balmain, Wests and Macarthur and the club has made a significant investment into those pathways.

“We want to give these kids the opportunity to pursue a dream. I’ve been really excited since I joined the club, we’re having regular catch ups with the entire pathways team. I think the club has taken a significant step and I’m really excited to be a part of it.

“All we can do is provide a good environment. We want to coach the kids in our own backyard so they don’t feel like they have to leave or go elsewhere.”

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Tuki Simpkins played five games of first grade in 2021. Picture: NRL Photos
Tuki Simpkins played five games of first grade in 2021. Picture: NRL Photos
Patience can be in short supply in rugby league and the pandemic has put the brakes on most of the last two seasons when it comes to junior and lower grade football.

But the Tigers have quietly put together an impressive production line – Jake Simpkin, Tuki Simpkins, Zac Cini, Jock Madden and Kelma Tuilagi all made their NRL debuts this year after standout seasons for the club’s NSW Cup side, which finished the season in second place.

The Jersey Flegg team, led by impressive halfback Liam Scolari and powerful hooker/lock Rua Ngatikaura, was even more dominant, going unbeaten until the season was suspended in July.

The club’s vast catchment area – particular the fast-growing Macarthur region – could see them emulate Penrith and become a production line of top tier talent.

Kelma Tuilagi (L) celebrates after scoring a try during the round 22 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Wests Tigers. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images
Kelma Tuilagi (L) celebrates after scoring a try during the round 22 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Wests Tigers. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images
In terms of junior representative football the Western Suburbs Harold Matthews team was the pick of the bunch in 2021, finishing one game short of the grand final with talented utility Solomone Saukurua standout.

“It’s a good pathways program we’ve already got, we’re just trying to create opportunities for local kids to want to stay with us and grow with us and become part of the Wests Tigers family,” Kimmorley said.

“The end picture is we want to produce as many kids as we can for the senior program and they have the core skills they picked up in the program.

“As they get older we want to make sure they understand the principals, rules and structures of how the NRL side play.”

 

[tony soprano]

Has anyone posted the juniors article from dt?

Wests Tigers big investment in junior footy set to pay off

It’s been ten years since the Wests Tigers last played finals footy but the future looks bright for Michael Maguire’s side.
Nick Campton
Nick Campton
Follow
@campo37
13 min read
October 9, 2021 - 3:32PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
81 comments

FOXSPORTS6:00
Emotional Marshall announces retirement
NOW PLAYING
Resume
...
2:32
UP NEXT

Panthers celebrations in full swing
2:41
Cancel



...

...

...

...
NRL: Premiership winning playmaker Benji Marshall has announced his retirement from rugby league after a memorable 346-game career.
Whenever the Tigers end the longest finals drought in the NRL you can bet it’ll be homegrown products, not big money buys, that get the job done.
Michael Maguire’s side are seemingly linked with every big name free agent on the market only to miss out time and again, but the joint venture are committed to building their future from within.

The club revamped their junior system earlier this year with former Cricket Australia coaching and development manager Matthew Betsey joining the club as head of pathways with former Test and Origin halfback Brett Kimmorley also signing on.


Their mission is simple – to keep the best Tigers kids in the club’s vast catchment area, from Balmain to Macarthur and everywhere in between, in Tigers colours.

Kayo is your ticket to the best local and international sport streaming Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial >

Jersey Flegg skipper Rua Ngatikaura is a star of the future. Picture: NRL Images
Jersey Flegg skipper Rua Ngatikaura is a star of the future. Picture: NRL Images
“If they grow up in our area we want them to have aspirations to play for the Wests Tigers,” Kimmorley said.

“It’s such a big area – we have Balmain, Wests and Macarthur and the club has made a significant investment into those pathways.

“We want to give these kids the opportunity to pursue a dream. I’ve been really excited since I joined the club, we’re having regular catch ups with the entire pathways team. I think the club has taken a significant step and I’m really excited to be a part of it.

“All we can do is provide a good environment. We want to coach the kids in our own backyard so they don’t feel like they have to leave or go elsewhere.”

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Watch the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season on Foxtel Find out more

Tuki Simpkins played five games of first grade in 2021. Picture: NRL Photos
Tuki Simpkins played five games of first grade in 2021. Picture: NRL Photos
Patience can be in short supply in rugby league and the pandemic has put the brakes on most of the last two seasons when it comes to junior and lower grade football.

But the Tigers have quietly put together an impressive production line – Jake Simpkin, Tuki Simpkins, Zac Cini, Jock Madden and Kelma Tuilagi all made their NRL debuts this year after standout seasons for the club’s NSW Cup side, which finished the season in second place.

The Jersey Flegg team, led by impressive halfback Liam Scolari and powerful hooker/lock Rua Ngatikaura, was even more dominant, going unbeaten until the season was suspended in July.

The club’s vast catchment area – particular the fast-growing Macarthur region – could see them emulate Penrith and become a production line of top tier talent.

Kelma Tuilagi (L) celebrates after scoring a try during the round 22 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Wests Tigers. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images
Kelma Tuilagi (L) celebrates after scoring a try during the round 22 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Wests Tigers. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images
In terms of junior representative football the Western Suburbs Harold Matthews team was the pick of the bunch in 2021, finishing one game short of the grand final with talented utility Solomone Saukurua standout.

“It’s a good pathways program we’ve already got, we’re just trying to create opportunities for local kids to want to stay with us and grow with us and become part of the Wests Tigers family,” Kimmorley said.

“The end picture is we want to produce as many kids as we can for the senior program and they have the core skills they picked up in the program.

“As they get older we want to make sure they understand the principals, rules and structures of how the NRL side play.”

Thanks mate.

 

[tony soprano]

Would love scolari and rua upgraded.

Scolari looks very strong.

 

[Tiger_Fanatic3]


 

[Needaname]

Has anyone posted the juniors article from dt?

Yes it’s in the Junior Reps thread. Featuring an insight on ‘halfback Scolari’ .🤦🏻‍♂️

 

[Demps]

Would love scolari and rua upgraded.

Scolari looks very strong.

Some real talent coming through.
Those you mentioned plus Tannous, Anjoul, Dillon... Hill as well but we've lost him supposedly.

 

[Guest]

William Kei has been promoted to the top 30 for 2022 alongside Ryan Hoffman this was confirmed by email to me by Pascoe.

And those two promotions are huge indictments on our recruitment and retention. Neither are remotely close to first grade standard and are blocking the paths of players who might be.

We're still paying for the mistakes in the past. If we can manage to swap Hoffman, Kei, Garner, and potentially a few others we have the room to revamp the squad with a higher calibre of player.

I don’t understand, wasn’t kei highly touted last season and before ? Now he’s no good ?

He looked very good when he first came to us and looked comfortable in KOE - scored tries with ease. This year he had an injury interrupted season - think he broke his wrist and may have done a hamstring. Still, he made it back onto the field without a heap of strapping, but looked a bit disinterested in the Flegg games I saw him in. Based on this year, I have Scolari ahead of him as a winger, although Kei played in the centres at the Eels and it's probably his best position.

This coming offseason will see what he's made of IMO.

 

[TYGA]

Would love scolari and rua upgraded.

Scolari looks very strong.

Scolari is a good player. He played in the forwards as a a junior in union.

 

[Demps]

Would love scolari and rua upgraded.

Scolari looks very strong.

Scolari is a good player. He played in the forwards as a a junior in union.

He's a great prospect for FG as a winger.
Very fast and elusive.

Hope we see a few of these young guns make their way into grade for us.

 

[Thaiger]

Would love scolari and rua upgraded.

Scolari looks very strong.

Scolari is a good player. He played in the forwards as a a junior in union.

He's a great prospect for FG as a winger.
Very fast and elusive.

Hope we see a few of these young guns make their way into grade for us.

I agree @Demps - the issue for some of these young players is they have had very little football the past 2 seasons. I'm not sure whether they will be ready for first grade but I suppose there's only one way to find out. Unfortunately we might need to be patient if they don't make the transition smoothly should they get the chance.

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

Would love scolari and rua upgraded.

Scolari looks very strong.

Some real talent coming through.
Those you mentioned plus Tannous, Anjoul, Dillon... Hill as well but we've lost him supposedly.

Didn’t someone mention we were trying a last ditch attempt to keep Jordan Hill after not paying him very much attention. I’m not sure how that’s going or went but with our lot probably not well.

 

[Demps]

Would love scolari and rua upgraded.

Scolari looks very strong.

Some real talent coming through.
Those you mentioned plus Tannous, Anjoul, Dillon... Hill as well but we've lost him supposedly.

Didn’t someone mention we were trying a last ditch attempt to keep Jordan Hill after not paying him very much attention. I’m not sure how that’s going or went but with our lot probably not well.

@Aubanon I believe.

 

[balmain boy]

William Kei has been promoted to the top 30 for 2022 alongside Ryan Hoffman this was confirmed by email to me by Pascoe.

And those two promotions are huge indictments on our recruitment and retention. Neither are remotely close to first grade standard and are blocking the paths of players who might be.

We're still paying for the mistakes in the past. If we can manage to swap Hoffman, Kei, Garner, and potentially a few others we have the room to revamp the squad with a higher calibre of player.

Kei is a funny one. While some players on top 30 or dev contracts were playing up a grade he was playing down a grade in Flegg. And he didn't stand out in Flegg and didn't make the trip to Queensland despite not being listed as injured. Effectively he's a young Nof. If we let Nof go there could be room for him if he can lift his game.

It is the issue with development contracts, they guarantee promotion into the top 30.

Is that across the board? Or just something that west's tigers have been doing?

Across the board. It makes building your squad hard as for the players you have of contract there is often a development player that needs to be added to fill that spot in the top 30.

Particularly if that development player isn't ready for first grade

Exactly, I have never liked them for this reason.

What's the alternative? Just sign developing players to jersey flegg & KOE cup - and the promote if ready?

That is what used to happen before we had development contracts, I have reached out to get an answer on exactly the mechanism that they work under.

Development contracts do not and have not required an NRL contract. That's just the way we've structured ours. If we believe this is the requirement we need to read the rulebook.

Many clubs have signed players on one year development contracts. If it were required to end in an nrl contract this simply wouldn't be possible. Clubs like the Roosters and Parra have done this.

I guess that's the incentive used for young players whom you rate highly, you gamble that they will develop under NRL training and be ready for first grade and help secure them ahead of stronger clubs that offer no guarantees

 

[Needaname]

William Kei has been promoted to the top 30 for 2022 alongside Ryan Hoffman this was confirmed by email to me by Pascoe.

And those two promotions are huge indictments on our recruitment and retention. Neither are remotely close to first grade standard and are blocking the paths of players who might be.

We're still paying for the mistakes in the past. If we can manage to swap Hoffman, Kei, Garner, and potentially a few others we have the room to revamp the squad with a higher calibre of player.

Kei is a funny one. While some players on top 30 or dev contracts were playing up a grade he was playing down a grade in Flegg. And he didn't stand out in Flegg and didn't make the trip to Queensland despite not being listed as injured. Effectively he's a young Nof. If we let Nof go there could be room for him if he can lift his game.

It is the issue with development contracts, they guarantee promotion into the top 30.

Is that across the board? Or just something that west's tigers have been doing?

Across the board. It makes building your squad hard as for the players you have of contract there is often a development player that needs to be added to fill that spot in the top 30.

Particularly if that development player isn't ready for first grade

Exactly, I have never liked them for this reason.

What's the alternative? Just sign developing players to jersey flegg & KOE cup - and the promote if ready?

That is what used to happen before we had development contracts, I have reached out to get an answer on exactly the mechanism that they work under.

Development contracts do not and have not required an NRL contract. That's just the way we've structured ours. If we believe this is the requirement we need to read the rulebook.

Many clubs have signed players on one year development contracts. If it were required to end in an nrl contract this simply wouldn't be possible. Clubs like the Roosters and Parra have done this.

I guess that's the incentive used for young players whom you rate highly, you gamble that they will develop under NRL training and be ready for first grade and help secure them ahead of stronger clubs that offer no guarantees

I’m curious where this rule book is. I haven’t seen anything regarding this requirement. All I know is that Stefano and Lauri were on Dev contracts the years we signed them however they were also ‘off contract and available to sign.’ Potentially both were going to spend their final year in their clubs as 1st grade contracted players as Stefano got ‘promoted’ rather than released to us and Daine got released yet we swapped him for a first grade contracted player.

 

[Needaname]

The only way to get to the bottom of this is to go through clubs Dev deals and top 30 squads in the following years and see whether the majority get promoted or released without being signed up to a 1st grade contract.
But who has that time in addition who could find those lists?

 

[cochise]

William Kei has been promoted to the top 30 for 2022 alongside Ryan Hoffman this was confirmed by email to me by Pascoe.

And those two promotions are huge indictments on our recruitment and retention. Neither are remotely close to first grade standard and are blocking the paths of players who might be.

We're still paying for the mistakes in the past. If we can manage to swap Hoffman, Kei, Garner, and potentially a few others we have the room to revamp the squad with a higher calibre of player.

Kei is a funny one. While some players on top 30 or dev contracts were playing up a grade he was playing down a grade in Flegg. And he didn't stand out in Flegg and didn't make the trip to Queensland despite not being listed as injured. Effectively he's a young Nof. If we let Nof go there could be room for him if he can lift his game.

It is the issue with development contracts, they guarantee promotion into the top 30.

Is that across the board? Or just something that west's tigers have been doing?

Across the board. It makes building your squad hard as for the players you have of contract there is often a development player that needs to be added to fill that spot in the top 30.

Particularly if that development player isn't ready for first grade

Exactly, I have never liked them for this reason.

What's the alternative? Just sign developing players to jersey flegg & KOE cup - and the promote if ready?

That is what used to happen before we had development contracts, I have reached out to get an answer on exactly the mechanism that they work under.

Development contracts do not and have not required an NRL contract. That's just the way we've structured ours. If we believe this is the requirement we need to read the rulebook.

Many clubs have signed players on one year development contracts. If it were required to end in an nrl contract this simply wouldn't be possible. Clubs like the Roosters and Parra have done this.

I guess that's the incentive used for young players whom you rate highly, you gamble that they will develop under NRL training and be ready for first grade and help secure them ahead of stronger clubs that offer no guarantees

I have been told it is a requirement, I am trying to get confirmation.

 

[WT2K]

Some good news: DT says Elliott to WT is little chance of happening

 

[teddy23]

Sewlyn Cobbo is an outstanding talent looks to be on the same pathway potentially as both GI and Latrell in terms of skillset, killed it in the intrust cup gf and has clear strengths

Brisbane were dumb enough to not offer Reece Walsh anything and deflect him, maybe if we come in with a handsome offer and a consistent first grade spot he’d consider we do have the money advantage over others

 

[Lee's fedora]

Elliot linked with a move to Canberra whilst we're still in the mix for his services for 2022 Canberra have entered the fray to sign the former bulldog

 

[yeahcaz]

Elliot linked with a move to Canberra whilst we're still in the mix for his services for 2022 Canberra have entered the fray to sign the former bulldog

Thank god, I’ll drive him there.