Wests Tigers threaten to stop rugby league junior production

[Black_n_White]

Headlines equal pressure… and he wasnt going to make the papers if he didnt ham it up a little.

It is an issue that needs addressing though in all honesty. If it costs us $1M a year to maintain development, then that is funds we could be putting into various other facets of the club, funds we sorely need to get the place back into shape.

But its like the chicken and the egg BnW

If we have a competitive side that is consistently making the 8 we can attract more money from sponsors and attract TPA which will ease some of the money issues

If we put all those funds into other facets as you mention and the club runs bottom four year after year forget what I just mentioned above

Its a fine line we are walking that's for sure

I totally agree…

That said, if you look at the performances of the clubs heavily invested in junior development versus those who dont there is a glaringly obvious disparity. It is almost as though you are better off soley focusing on your NRL team rather than spread yourself thin and putting the effort in...

It should be the opposite.

How to make it work though is another story.

 

[simonthetiger]

Boo Tedesco…

 

[simonthetiger]

I think the glaring point is…should teams get compensated by clubs who poach their juniors/

Of course the answer is yes.

I reckon ten percent of the amount of the players contract should go to the club that loses out.

 

[bonstonker]

I think the glaring point is…should teams get compensated by clubs who poach their juniors.

Of course the answer is yes.

I reckon ten percent of the amount of the players contract should go to the club tha loses out.

that doesn't help you keep the player under a salary cap though.
do we just settle to become a development club.

there must be better salary cap allowances for juniors.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

mayer and his threats again.

Yeah … How predictable !
He should have said ... Last chance for Cambo ... Juniors

Maybe you'd like to point out where he said they'd threaten to STOP jnr development

ITS A HEADLINE!!!

Inkypoo…..ur spot on...he never said it.

This forum is hilarious..peeps cant wait to jump up and down about nothing.

PS...James Tedesco sucks.

Actually he said they "may stop" in the article toward the end.

 

[simonthetiger]

I think the glaring point is…should teams get compensated by clubs who poach their juniors.

Of course the answer is yes.

I reckon ten percent of the amount of the players contract should go to the club tha loses out.

that doesn't help you keep the player under a salary cap though.
do we just settle to become a development club.

there must be better salary cap allowances for juniors.

Yeah good point.

For sure there should be cap allowances.

I hope Mayer keeps on about this cos our juniors should be a huge advantage.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Mayer should definitely push the compensation angle to the NRL. Team up with Penrith, Parra, Dragons and Canberra and tell them that these clubs cannot continue feeding players into the game for other clubs to poach them with zero expense toward their development.

 

[happy_tiger]

Mayer should definitely push the compensation angle to the NRL. Team up with Penrith, Parra, Dragons and Canberra and tell them that these clubs cannot continue feeding players into the game for other clubs to poach them with zero expense toward their development.

But that is the problem CB

This system works for 11 clubs and doesn't work for 5 clubs

Shouldn't it be our responsibility to lift our game as well as ??

We seem every time we have an issue we turn to the NRL and say "This isn't fair help us please " with our beggers bowl firmly placed in front of our face

 

[Black_n_White]

I dont see this one as begging…

I dont think the NRL should out of pocket for this, rather find a system where long service is calculated to incorporate how long you have had the juniors in your system. The difficult part is to find a system that also doesnt put the development clubs out of pocket still working within the cap but being able to gouge the top ups from poachers instead.

 

[tiger85]

how is wanting to be paid for your product begging?

 

[system]

It is obvious that all the clubs with large jnr. development programs are going to band together to approach the NRL from a position of power with some reasonable demands based on the work they put in

Nothing wrong with that at all

 

[happy_tiger]

It is obvious that all the clubs with large jnr. development programs are going to band together to approach the NRL from a position of power with some reasonable demands based on the work they put in

Nothing wrong with that at all

But all this wouldn't be an issue if we were in a stronger position off field

Shouldn't that be the priority so we can be one of the haves not the have nots Smeg ??

 

[system]

The procedures have already begun to improve our off field.

It is not an overnight concern though

 

[jirskyr]

It is obvious that all the clubs with large jnr. development programs are going to band together to approach the NRL from a position of power with some reasonable demands based on the work they put in

Nothing wrong with that at all

But all this wouldn't be an issue if we were in a stronger position off field

Shouldn't that be the priority so we can be one of the haves not the have nots Smeg ??

What's wrong with Mayer raising it?

I'm with Smeg, it is in our interests to be rewarded for bringing up juniors, so our CEO should stamp and make a bit of noise, at times like these, to get some attention.

It doesn't matter that we have financial issues behind the scenes; this is a competitive business and you don't go getting all proud because you are poor, you scrap for every advantage you can get.

The alternative is to keep our mouths shut and never get any consideration for our junior program.

Because he's not talking about the random kids out in western Sydney, he is talking about the specific players scouted at a young age, brought through the system, trained and educated, who are then offered big bucks the minute they emerge as a first-grade talent.

As Mayer said, this can cost as much as $1 million; if you aren't protected from "raiders" (pun intended) then you may as well do what some of the other clubs do - sit back, save your bucks and jump on the best kids as they emerge closer to firsts.

 

[happy_tiger]

And then what happens if the amount of quality juniors coming through drops off in our area for whatever reason

We need both the power to compete with the big clubs financially as well as our junior nursery

Personally I think the power to compete should be our priority , we will still keep the majority of the youngsters we want to keep if we are strong club off field

 

[innsaneink]

As has Been pointed out. …it won't happen overnight.
Mayer has admitted we are poor re TPAs but we are working on it
Give Em a break..stop putting in the boot for a minute

 

[innsaneink]

Our juniors are our biggest asset

 

[Knuckles]

Our juniors are our biggest asset

We already know that …. The question is do we have the right people to manage our "biggest asset" ?

 

[happy_tiger]

Our juniors are our biggest asset

Their still only as asset if we can afford them Ink

That's the problem with all this both are extremely important

No use having one without the other and yesterday proved that

 

[owley_girl]

Good on Mayer for getting on the front foot on this one. Crickey, isn't everyone sick to death of clubs like Storm, Manly and Roosters buying comps? Surely the last thing the NRL would want is less effort going into development in western Sydney with the threat of AFL and soccer gaining a stronghold.