I wrote an article about the powerhouse rugby province that the Newcastle/Hunter region would have been. Well, blow me down if my Newcastle mate did not report to me the Melbourne Storm SG Ball U/18 rugby league team won their first-round game 18-14 against Newcastle in Newcastle’s mud and slush.
The team had 12 players from the Storm’s Victorian Development squad who were nurtured from the age of 13, with 8 Victorian-born boys in their starting line-up (including two outstanding 15-year-olds and their captain Ken Bromwich).
I wonder if any have played rugby union? I know for a fact they have all kicked an AFL ball, with one centre being keenly chased by AFL.
The rugby league boys get to play in an U/18 competition involving 18 representative teams. Western Suburbs, Balmain, St George and Illawarra play as separate entities; Newtown replace the Sydney Roosters (from the NRL teams); and there’s an extra Western Sydney Academy team.
The Gold Coast and Canberra play in the NSWRL competition, but not the Townsville Cowboys and Brisbane Broncos.
The top 8 from the NSWRL competition then enter a semi-final series against the top four U/18 Queensland teams, who play in their own Northern and Southern conference state-wide competitions in an interstate playoff.
Obviously these players than feed through to the Toyota Cup national U/20 competition, now fully funded by Fox – not the NRL clubs – because of its strong ratings on pay TV.
This is no disloyalty to rugby, but it is difficult to hold rugby union players in their “senior” junior years. It’s worse in Queensland.
No matter what the state of their pokies or clubs are, rugby league is better at offering and maintaining junior development pathways. It is not because rugby union does not want to; it’s just that we do not have the experience. How this was not on the agenda after the 2003 World Cup beggars belief.
As they say, we can buy them when they are older but I envy rugby league’s structure and broadbased investment in juniors on a continuing basis.
Crosscoder
Guest
I notice by checking the secondary schools programme on the ARL site,rl in Vic has a senior schools 7s comp,seniors arrive alive cup North West and Sout-East,senior and intermediate girls' tag.intermediate boys league 7s,inter boys 13 a side gala day,year 7 and 8 finals day in a 6months period .They have been pushing the game into schools particularly primary as shown in the 06 figures with a total participation(that is secondary and primary schools,clubs,tag and tackle):20,495 particiipated up from 8,587 in 05. Of course the vast majority won't go on to play the game at club or senior club level,but it is the exposure and experience which creates the fams of tomorrow. I look at it this way there are kids who are gifted to play AFL,soccer(football) and out there in Oz land,just as there are players ready made to play rl and ru.Its like panning for alluvial gold.
Midfielder
Guest
Westy Very interesting and cong's must go to the Storm ... it is a real surprise to me to see they have 8 players of this level.
westy
Guest
The tenor of the article is my pleasant surprise. Whether these players are islanders or European the fact 8 of them were born in the state of Victoria is an achievement. It would seem that the Melbourne Storm is long way from the Brisbane lions or Sydney Swans but they have been chipping away. The performance of Victorian rugby league teams in the non aligned states natinal schools championship has improved dramatically eg the Victorian U/15s and U/18s winning in 2008 Melborne Storm have the second highest number of members of any NRL club and a stable sponsor. I am not sure Melbourne Storm will disappear. If I know one thing about Victorians they have a begrudging respect for someone who hangs in . The choice by rugby of Perth Force over Melbourne is one that still hangs in the balance.
treizistes
Guest
Also, good to see this under the right tab for once too, Rugby Rugby Rugby :0)
treizistes
Guest
Vichyball/Fumbleball mode....... It's all lies, lies lies lies I tells ya. There are no juniors playing Thugby Weague in Victoria. *Waits for Red B and MC fishmonger to come in and tell us about the millions of AFL juniors playing in West Sydney* Good to see that 23 million starting to kick in.
sheek
Guest
Ah Westy, That phrase - "development pathways". For some strange reason, rugby union seems to think 'warehousing' their best young talent, & having them spend most of their time on the training paddock & in the gym, is a sensible idea!!??? Young guys just want to get onto the field & play. If that's not happening, they'll go to another sport. Instead of protecting their young talent (investment) from possible injury, rugby union is losing them through boredom!