Wests Tigers threaten to stop rugby league junior production

[guyofthetiger]

Right now, the key challenge is how to compete with the rich clubs' TPA power.
Juniors are our asset. Without TPAs we don't hold them.
So we need compensation to hold them, start competing consistently, and regain a footing on the TPA front.
And maybe with the compensation for development, the rich clubs start investing more cash in clubs in other regions to develop juniors.
The fact that the Broncos have the perfect mix of TPAs and juniors and are still rorting is a whole other matter.

 

[T-D-C]

IMO 2 things need to be brought up and implemented by the NRL

1\. Juniors that come through a development club system should be given a discount towards the salery cap and automaticlly count towards the long serving player allownce. If Brooks has been with the cup for 5 years asa junior and then hits the nrl in another 5 years he should be classed as a long serving player like Farah.

2\. Any club wishing to poach a junior play from the development club must pay the developing club a transfer fee based on costs, length of service etc that is determined by the NRL.

 

[stevetiger]

Again every one needs to not blame Tedesco for this

No - we have to blame him because he is to blame. Its that simple.

Your stories and lies regarding this whole process should just stop now. We can judge Tedesco pretty accurately and can see what type of person he is.

 

[happy_tiger]

Again every one needs to not blame Tedesco for this

No - we have to blame him because he is to blame. Its that simple.

Your stories and lies regarding this whole process should just stop now. We can judge Tedesco pretty accurately and can see what type of person he is.

:roll

 

[yeti]

IMO 2 things need to be brought up and implemented by the NRL

1\. Juniors that come through a development club system should be given a discount towards the salery cap and automaticlly count towards the long serving player allownce. If Brooks has been with the cup for 5 years asa junior and then hits the nrl in another 5 years he should be classed as a long serving player like Farah.

2\. Any club wishing to poach a junior play from the development club must pay the developing club a transfer fee based on costs, length of service etc that is determined by the NRL.

Point 2 above: In 1968, a Balmain 'legend' - Dennis Tutty, took the League to court over transfer fees, that up until that time, were your everyday occurrence. The Court ruled that transfer fees were a restriction of trade, and found in favour of Dennis Tutty. Since that day, rugby league has not seen the transfer fee that is still seen in the EPL and many other sports.
So that is a problem with your suggestions above. However, certainly, there needs to be a good hard look at the salary cap and how it could be tweaked to give some advantage to clubs developing juniors. After all, it's the NRL that is the biggest winner when clubs spend $$ developing their kids. They get an improved product as a result. Those clubs spending their dollars on their juniors need to see some extra upside.
The other 'joke' the NRL needs to look at is the TPA. To have a salary cap that is in place to 'level the playing field' and then throw TPAs into the mix is insane. TPAs heavily favour one city teams and those teams in areas that are traditionally more affluent.
And yes, we do need to improve our performance off field, and I'm sure Mayer and the rest of our management team are working to that end, but time is necessary for these changes to take affect.

 

[dazza65]

Just for a laugh guys, the Raiders are also calling for a junior development compensation… A day after they buy JT
( I know they have lost a lot over the years, just a bit ironic)

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[stryker]

Again every one needs to not blame Tedesco for this

No - we have to blame him because he is to blame. Its that simple.

Your stories and lies regarding this whole process should just stop now. We can judge Tedesco pretty accurately and can see what type of person he is.

I agree with Steve,..and Happy I do not understand where you are coming from at all with this statement.

 

[Irvine]

Which Wests Tigers players have been in the system from age 13…whatever that means. What's the Wests Tigers system ? A couple of Under 14 and 15 rep games in the school holidays for Balmain or Wests.

Tedesco was never identified at 13 or 14 or 15\. First Wests Tigers knew of him was when he played wing for Harold Matts age 16\. He signed for Wests Tigers when he was 17 but hey Why ruin a good story.

If Wests Tigers do sign players at 13..How did they miss the following players?

- Ryan Hoffman, Melbourne Storm: Campbelltown Collegians junior, St Gregory's College Campbelltown student.

- Krisnan Inu, Canterbury Bulldogs: Minto Cobras junior, Ingleburn High School student.

- Jarryd Hayne, Parramatta Eels: East Campbelltown Eagles junior, grew up in Minto.

- Israel Folau, NSW Waratahs: Grew up in Minto.

- Beau Scott, Newcastle Knights: Born in Camden, a Picton Magpies junior.

 

[supercoach]

I agree with Mayer that the system needs fixing, but his timing is very bad. His words will be laughed off as sour grapes.

This is nothing new, this story breaks every year when a battling club gets plundered and the NRL do bugger all about it.

Really at the end of the day it was one of Balmain's star of yesterday that caused all these problems, for those old enough Iam referring to Dennis Tutty's successful legal challenge to the transfer system. Call it a restraint of trade but the transfer system was great and rewarded clubs that produced quality juniors

 

[Jerry_Seinfeld]

Great to see he's straight out their saying what needs to be said, getting this conversation going. This needs to be the next focus of NRL reform, especially given it seems not a lot can/will be done about the TPA inequities.

Yes it totally needs addressing but the problem is your talking about clubs that suffer such as Wests and Penrith.Whilst the poachers are Easts,Manly And Brisbane.Good luck getting the head honchos of the NRL going into bat for corporate minnows Wests and Penrith against Corporate heavyweights Manly,Easts and Brisbane.They dont give a stuff aout us.If the roles were reversed and the heavyweights were getting rorted and we were benefitting they would be in there quicker than you can say ''Tedesco''.

 

[Goose]

I think it was a good chance for Mayer to make this sort of system.
Clubs do benefit from bringing through your own players, all things being equal, it costs more to buy a player than retain one. In general if the money is similar players stay (assuming no other factors are at play)

 

[Russell]

I agree with most of what Yeti has said. I can see the other side as well.

However with Tedesco going it was a good time for Mayer to bring it up again.

If a few clubs (like us) are putting their cash into junior development for self interest but not getting the benefit when it comes time to be rewarded for the money put in - why shouldn't the club be compensated. If it isn't - then why develop, as Mayer said. I am sure we will continue to do what we are doing but it is worth a threat and bringing it to the NRL's notice again.

Being paid cash by the offending club in compensation for taking a junior player that has been nurtured and had plenty of dough spent bringing him to FG standard may have the "Tutty" consequence on it though.

It maybe the cap is the best way to go in that no money changes hands. i.e. the developing club gets an allowance of 75,000 or whatever the cost of development is. It is almost like a Hex fee so to speak.

So the rorting club doesn't get away scot free - maybe they have to pay the players Hex fee back to the NRL.

Should also be a special allowance for loyal players that have been at the club fro a long time e.g. Robbie.

Any improvement on this or just a no.

 

[cqtiger]

If my memory is accurate, the Dennis Tutty case was about the clubs mismanagement of the transfer system. He wanted to leave but Balmain put, what he considered to be an unfair and excessive, transfer fee on him.

After eventually winning the court case I believe he still played for Balmain. I do know he played for Penrith and maybe someone else. Again he came back to Balmain and retired.

Terry Hill also won a court case based on restriction of trade I believe.

The difference between the NRL and a lot of other sports is their EBA. It's a trade off for other conditions that players agree not to challenge their head bodies.

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[TurnStyle]

To me, the most salient point is this:

the joint-venture outfit recently retained seven of the eight local juniors it had produced on long-term contracts.

Maybe tedesco was the best prospect (doubtful as brooks is one of them) but that percentage of kids staying alone is evidence enough of the worth of developing your juniors

To overly simplify, I think this is the strategy for success:
- identify and develop juniors so they have potential
- train them to become great nrl players, nurture through early nrl intro
- build team around this core of young players
- retain as many of these players as possible (like they have this year)
- team gets good over a few seasons together
- fans like team!
- team gets publicity and attracts sponsors, hello TPA competitiveness.
- juniors coming through want to play for successful team, good players from other clubs want to play for good team, club with great culture
- good club can compete with rich ones
- sustain. Repeat.

*yes, this needs an exceptional, mini 'golden age' of juniors to even take step one, but the club had that, and is now at step four, and once this is attained, the benefits can be perpetual as continued success will see established stars from other clubs fill the gaps through the gap years the juniors aren't good enough.
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What happened in 2006?! I remember a time when everyone wanted to go to tiger town. What was gained in 05 just seemed to fade into obscurity.

I think the off field team in place knows how to build and then sustain a successful club. And I really think the wests tigers are headed there, providing they can keep the likes of Mayer and potter.

 

[Doc_Tiger]

I think the 05 team believed they were better than they actually were. Rested on their laurels. A great/freakish run and over achievement. What a year that was.