Once the reality of first grade set in the were probably more wake-up calls in the form of dropped balls and missed tackles than there were headlines screaming “the next big thing.”
What I’ll argue is that this is no fault of the players. They are young and we, as the media and fans, probably ask too much of them.
Secondly, the system in place does not provide them with the best platform to compete at NRL level.
Fans and the media have an insatiable hunger for the next hero. Benji Marshall is still in his formative years yet we’ve already seen team mates Robert Lui and Ben Murdoch cited as the next Benji and there was a collective wetting of pants when they signed his younger brother, with gasps that “he is even better.”
Sam Burgess’ younger brother George is naturally expected to be every bit as good as his big brother.
Every time a player carves it up in Under 20’s there is the expectation that they’ll do exactly the same in the later kick off.
This is the message the player gets from his mates, his family, and undoubtedly his manager. Look out the coach who declares they may need to spend a few seasons roughing it with the Auburn Warriors or Redcliffe Dolphins before making that jump.
The jolting reality is dominating Under 20’s is dominating in your age group and the NRL is a whole another planet.
The National Youth Cup (NYC) has been a great product for Fox Sports and is an important junior pathway, but I firmly believe that it needs to be changed to include players up to the age of 24. Basically,, we need to reinstate the old reserve grade. This is as much for the players as it is for the clubs.
Bulldogs recruitment manager Peter Mulholland said something eminently sensible on Monday (the sort of thing you’d expect from a former school teacher) when asked about young prop Sam Kaisano.
“It’s early days,” Mulholland told the Sydney Morning Herald. ”If he had had a season of reserve grade instead of under 20s maybe that would be different but we’ve got to remember it’s an age competition he’s been playing in.
In other words, had he dominated reserve grade as much as he had the NYC then there would be real excitement as it stood there was still a real unknown quantity with his debut.
Should that be the case with our elite competition? Isn’t there a better way to groom our players.
A report (admittedly gathering dust) came out in early 90’s showed categorically that players in a development system which lasted until they were 23 produced twice as many players whose first grade careers were longer.
So by being able to hold a player back, you aren’t cheating him of a career as some would have you believe but rather increasing the chances of them having a longer one.
The Bulldogs lineup offers to other excellent examples.
Ben Barba was hailed as the game’s next superstar in the inaugural NYC in 2008.
Since then, the Bulldogs coaching staff have faced enormous criticism from fans and the media as they tried to gently bring Barba into first grade. The coaches eased him off the bench and sent him out to the NSW Cup to “toughen up” (read: learn to tackle).
It’s now 2011 and Barba looks every bit as exciting as he did back then, but more a developed product.
One recruitment manager at another Sydney club confided in me that had Barba been tossed into first grade as he was in 2008, it was unlikely he’d still be around today. Chewed up and spat out.
So it’s a credit to the Dogs staff for persisting with patience, but imagine how much easier it would have been had their feeder league been a better funded, high profile league with a few more hard heads to keep the kids in line.
Jake Foster is another example.
Foster had a number of years in the twilight zone between Under 20s and First Grade and its testament to his persistence that he has hung there for a crack at the NRL.
Too many players slip through the cracks once they find themselves floating around the state leagues. This is especially so when we are talking about forwards, who tend not to reach their peak until they are 26 or 27. Why bin them then at 21?
Sure you will always get the superstars who can play NRL from 19 or 20 and that is fine, but for the majority of young players having a level which continues there development until they are at least 24 would do them and therefore the game a huge service.
Surely viewers would not switch off from the NYC because lo and behold that player was all of 23!
There is another argument for an older group of players within a club and that is to provide a mentoring role for the younger blokes coming through.
Having a few extra players who have been around the block can surely only help dilute the fantasy world that many players find themselves in and which brings them unstuck once a few beers come into the equation.
I’m not going to carp on about the good ol’ days, but must be worth considering seeing player behaviour is such an important area to manage for any club.
I get as excited about the young rookie as much as the next man. I just enjoy it more when they reach ten years in the NRL.
koray
Guest
i want to play in toyota cup in the future and then work my way up to nrl . i have talent but i dont really no what to do to play in toyota cup can someone pleaseee help .. :)
Stevo
Guest
It takes a few years for the players to transition, and that's to be expected. A proper reserve grade would help, or at least something better than what the NSWRL is forcing clubs to 'choose'. But look at the top teams from the first season in 08. Won by Canberra, with players like Dugan, Croker, Vidot, Fensom, Joel Thompson, Justin Carney, Waddell and Low, all first graders or most likely to become so. Brisbane team had Glenn, Dodds, McGuire, Yow Yeh and Ben Hunt, amongst others. These players didn't set the world on fire in 2009 or the first half of 2010, but most of these players probably would have played first grade young in the old days, it's no different. I think the fact that 6 out of 8 games on a weekend are played at night, and the modern wrestling instead of tackling mentality, has more to do with poor ball handling and missed tackles respectively.
Stevo
Guest
I felt embarrassed when I saw it. Luckily the US press took no notice of it. It also reminded me how well we had been doing up here keeping the old Melbourne network out of the top job.
The Answer
Guest
Russell Crowe?
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Another reason for the game to exapnd,to give talented youngsters that currently miss out ,further opportunities. I agree there should be a limit of 3 under 23 players in the Toyota Cup,especially forward who take longer to mature and devlop their skills.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Its simply means using your nouse,and being tactful.By doing so Julia has pinned her sail to a particular mast,and in so doing got more than a few other sails off side. Any politician worth his or her salt,does their level best to get the majority of the electorate on side,especially one whose party is balancing on a knife edge.Politicial naivety and cringeworthy. Boomerang throwing is also unique to Australia(more so) and representative of the country as a whole. Imagine the outcry if Howard a St George and Wallaby supporter when visiting Washington.,had reefed a steeden around the Oval Office around 9/11 or a Gilbert . She shouldn't throw any ball round,oval around full stop.Respect the office of the most powerful man in the world. I can see the ad for 2012,the game for Presidents,that also made Australia and in a league of its own.
Redb
Roar Guru
Jealous eh. What should she throw a steeden to Obama and say this is a game from England we play in Australia. Oh that's nice. Nope the Sherrin is an Aussie Rules ball, our unique code. End of story.
Aidan
Roar Pro
Steve, I like the idea of re-instating reserve grade football but I'm not convinced it would achieve your outcome. Many players have successfully transitioned straight from Toyota cup or the equivalent prior to it's establishment. Josh Dugan is a great example. Kurt Gidley was another example- Depending on your definition of 'next big thing' there are plenty of others as well. Personally I don't consider Burgess a big thing- high quality none the less. If players aren't ready the Qld cup is a great place to develop but ultimately not everyone is going to make it in the NRL.
oikee
Guest
Nice work Buttery, look mate, just being in the Toyota cup is a acheivement as far as i am concerned.
Jake
Guest
Because when you add up the support and participation numbers of the other 3 codes they are larger than AFL. The PM was not showing some Australian culture at all just a small part of it. There are more Australians involved in the other footy codes than AFL. She didn't take a kangaroo and boomerang with her.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
What's wrong with an Australian Prime Minister proudly displaying some Australian culture in her ambassadorial role?
Buttery
Guest
I agree with you, it would be interesting to see where the players are now from the inaugeral Toyota Cup sides, my son played in the Broncos side that year, he went from there straight into the Q Cup side the following year, this is his 3rd year in the Q Cup, he has not picked up an NRL contract, not even a sniff, he is now thinking about going to England. The Q Cup is a tough competition, it is getting stronger every year, its a pity the NSW Metrop Cup has forced Manly & Canberra out of the Q Cup, the Broncos & Titans will now fill the void. The Toyota Cup should be lifted to Under 23.
oikee
Guest
I think you will find now that the codes are the guys putting pressure on the young players. They are signing them up younger than ever before. I see that the Broncos have just signed up Lockyers young son. :) Only joking, but dont be surprised if this is not the future. Maybe the government needs to tell all the codes to back-off, let the kids decide which sport they wish to play. Gillard handballing a sherrin should be banned. Any politician promoting any code should be banned. Everyone north of Melbourne now knows where her alliance lies. I have never seen rugby league promoted by anyone overseas.
Brett McKay
Guest
Steve, I wrote an article at the end of the Ashes series regarding the development of young Australian cricketers that essentially drew parrallels with your premise here. Among the responses, I included some points I received in an email from a mate who was/is heavily involved in state cricket in his neck of the woods, and his exact words were "the states are primarily focussed on finding 'the next big thing'..." With the pressure we pile on our young sportspeople, it's little wonder some of them go off the rails amidst all the attention...
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
heh, heh, it's not necessarily about being an AFL footballer, it's about the shared experience, and Hunt having some initial experience: training regimes, game preparation, mental preparedness, even little tips like: where's the best place to stand at the quarter time and three-quarter time address so that the coach doens't pick me out for a dressing down. Very often, the coach wants to send a message to the group and will be willing to pick anyone out to get that message across (even if you're best on ground), so you don't want to be directly in front of the coach - you're a greater than 50/50 chance of being singled out. Unfortunately for Izzy, he's a big unit and stands above all those skinny 17 year old kids, so regardless of where he's standing, he's going to get picked out a few times this season, one would suspect. There's a funny clip of Barass getting stuck into some North player: " what were you doing out here, blah blah, blah.." then he says: "you don't even know what I'm talking about do you?" Note: there is no right or wrong answer to a question like that - just pretend you're taking it all very seriously, pretend to be listening, and hope that he quickly moves on to someone else.
The Link
Guest
cripes if Izzy is asking Hunt for tips on how to be an AFL footballer, what hope does he have!!
The Link
Guest
Steve, agree with the thrust of your piece, but a key consideration also is the general war for talent between the football codes and sport in general. Rugby League has a much better chance of hanging onto a kid if he gets a start in Toyota Cup. If giving these kids a bit of limelight before they really are ready is the price that's paid for keeping them in Rugby League, then i'd say its worth the risk.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
He's talking specifically about the preparation of the rookies, but we need to be clear, the Suns and Giants are full of 18 year old kids, more than other clubs - they ain't got no choice except put them all through a gruelling training regime.
Jake
Guest
I thought Hunt was being paid to spead AFL to league territory. From that interview it looks like his job is to agree with AFL fans that their sport is better than NRL and rugby.
oikee
Guest
When we start listening to the likes of Hunt, who turned his back on the game, we might as well all move to England. :) He was replaced by a young player.