The Melbourne Storm have created the most successful NRL dynasty in recent times and the inclusion of Dean Ieremia in their 2021 squad raises the prospect of another Melburnian making the grade.
But I can’t help but feel that, more than 20 years after their admission, we should be seeing more Victorians at the apex of the game.
Of course, Melbourne is AFL central, and breaking into this Storm squad is that much harder by virtue of their year-on-year success and world-class roster.
But even with that considered, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that grassroots development in the state has not exactly followed in the wake of elite success.
Some may question whether or not it’s actually necessary. Unless Dan Andrews takes his border restrictions to their conclusion and pushed for V-exit style independence, more Victorian talent won’t make a dent on the international game.
But if we want to sustainably maintain the current flow of top-quality NRL players, then junior and grassroots levels need to remain even, and what better place to make up for declining NSW numbers than in the hitherto untapped southern state?
However, it becomes that much harder to coerce kids onto a rectangle rather than an oval if the path to the top is unclear to the point of invisible. With the number of Victorian alumnae in the single figures, it’s not even a choice.
Any talented teen faced with the options of joining a Storm academy that is unlikely to see him or any of his peers make the cut, or junior AFL and the convenience of fixture locality, won’t think twice.
Can this be rectified? Again, not willing to downplay the significance of AFL domination, but if London can produce a continuous stream of (comparatively) top-level players on a fraction of the resources and infinitesimal exposure or sporting awareness in the English game, then of course it can be done.
London have produced grand final winners in Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Tony Clubb and Dan Sarginson. At the last World Cup, Hampshire-born Mike McMeeken represented England, while Victoria’s international representation has been limited to Tongan Mahe Fonua.
In a similar fashion, expect a hefty proportion of the Jamaica side at this year’s World Cup to be London developed.
All this has been achieved on a far smaller budget, with the prospect of relegation ever-looming, without backing from the governing authority, in an area populated by many that would be hard pressed to even acknowledge the existence of rugby league.
Inversely, it may be that such challenging circumstances allow for greater development. A smaller budget, coupled with the difficulty of convincing established northern players to relocate, necessitate the selection of young local players.
The answer obviously is not to weaken Melbourne to the point of reliance on untested youth (however much most other fans would like an uncompetitive Storm). What solutions are there, that can be meaningful formulated on a sports website?
There are no state competitions of any meaningful standard for developing players to fall back on should they not immediately make the cut (as exists with the NSW and Queensland Cups); perhaps the Storm should put some of their spare cash that is totally not going towards the salary cap to finance some second chances.
I sure as hell don’t have the answers – I’m not even sure if the powers that be see this as a problem, or at least an area for improvement.
But the potential is there and it can be exploited so as to mould a truly National Rugby League.
The Mexican
Roar Rookie
You sound like a Trump supporter, living in an alternate universe, I'm not the only one that says the Storm gets all the unwanted players and journeymen & turns them into stars
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#Chris I did say "arguably". From season 2005 on (using that as a line in the sand, back to back Grand Final seasons) - - the Swans have averaged 31,500 for home attendances since then. With 31,070 in 2019. Looking at the 2019 NRL numbers - the Swans average and 2019 tally eclipse the best in the NRL (the Broncos) by a couple of K, and the best NSW clubs are all below 20K. In the A-League SFC and WSW have never topped 20K season avg but were around the ball park of the Rugby Union Waratahs. So...........yes - - there's one very clear metric that the Swans are #1 and within that Sydney/NSW market - the Swans are number 1 with daylight second. Bums on seats is a very tangible metric. #Clipper "Republican"??
Micko
Roar Rookie
I have friends and migrants friends from all sorts of countries and ethnic backgrounds Jacko. If migrants do the right thing and integrate, then I have no issue per se (although the rate of migration is absurd! :angry: ) I think the problem specifically with kiwis (like you Jacko and lots of others) is you come here with that huge anti-aussie chip and complex you have. No migrants seem to delight more in refusing to integrate than kiwis do, it seems to delight you. You’ll be a kiwi till the day you die…just one that happens to live in Australia.
Only the truth from your anti NZ, anti immigrant perspective Micko...Thankfully your truth is very different to most peoples truth...
Micko
Roar Rookie
Just telling you the truth Jacko. And stop the silly victim complex, I criticise all migrants and people born here with that attitude, like my friend who supported the Indian cricket team despite being born and raised here.
Attitudes like yours are what makes immigrants lives difficult....Your hangup with NZers in Aus is seriously sad
Micko
Roar Rookie
The whole point Jacko is it takes at least two to three generations of locally born families to fully integrate. Kiwis like you will migrate and make a point of pushing your kids/grandkids towards rugby union, the same way the flood of European migrants who flooded here in the 50's pushed their kids towards soccer, and their kids as well, seeing soccer reach it's peak in Australia in the 70's. This same phenomenon Jacko has seen the migrants instilling a worship of their (recently left) homeland to their Australian raised kids. We see things like Australian raised Brad Thorne not only change rugby codes, but then change his national allegiance from Australia to NZ!! We see Australian raised Christian Vieri stump Italian media when he told them his sporting hero was a bloke name Allan Border, who played a sport called "cricket". :stoked:
Micko we are not talking about the immigrants...We are talking about their children who are born here and their childrens children etc...I am a NZer but my grandchildren arnt...Thats the whole point!!!
Micko
Roar Rookie
Guess what Jacko: abos are migrants too! They're not native to this continent either! The problem is Jacko YOU don't consider yourselves Australians, and something I've often noticed with kiwi migrants here.
criag
Roar Rookie
In my experience, the media in Sydney is very generous in its news coverage of AFL - particularly Channel 7, who broadcast it. The poor old A-League often misses out on any mention on the news. And rugby league panel programs are usually complimentary regarding how the AFL runs its game. Certainly they concentrate on the Sydney teams, but I once watched a full 12 minutes of the Crows on Adelaide news, then the rest of world sport was crammed into the next 60 seconds.
Haha Garbage!!!!! As I said Micko....If you arnt aboriginal then you have immigrated here or your forefathers have immigrated here..... You seem to constantly want to place NZ and PI immigrants in a totally different catagory to all other immigrants and seem to believe they and their decendants should never be considered as Australian...
Gyfox
Roar Rookie
Like offside rule, hookers, scrums, tries, small fields, low scoring.......
Micko
Roar Rookie
That's rubbish Jacko. Australia is a European nation built by and for Europeans. The white people are literally the country. You wouldn't say this rubbish about the Japanese or the Turks. And YOU certainly aren't here because of aborigines Jacko! And the point is completely valid and appropriate Jacko whether you like it or not: rugby union's growth in popularity in Australia is essentially down to NZ/PI/SA mass migration. EXACTLY the same way soccer exploded in popularity in the 1950's & 1960's, and reached it's height of popularity in the 70's: mass migration of different European ethnics and then their kids and the first or second generation of Australian kids who were pushed into the soccer culture by their family. The NSL: the national soccer league built on the premise of these same ethnic soccer clubs and ethnic european groups was dying it's natural death starting throughout the 80's & 90's, where some clubs reverted back to the state leagues, and some clubs saw dwindling attendances as the ethnic community fanbase shrunk, as the old guys were dying off, and the 1st & 2nd generation Australian born offspring had finally integrated as Australians, and felt no compulsion to play soccer, or support the ethnic club anymore.
PaulC
Guest
Tim, I am sure you are right. In 1908 the breakaway Rugby League played to Union Rules as there wasn't trained Referees or even an Rule Book from the Northern Union. Union & league played Test matches against each other over those 2 years & I may be corrected but I am sure League was victorious.
Lance Boil
Roar Rookie
Agree completely Mike. I call The Storm the vampire squid in purple speaking as a Broncos supporter.
All Oats lives matter
Micko every white person in Aus came from OS heritage..And also every European.....I dont get your morbid facination with Kiwi and PI imigrants as opposed to all other immigrants... Only Aboriginals are the first Australians and historians tell us ( I wasnt here at the time ) that Aus was part of a much bigger land mass anyway....
Dont agree Micko...Ive been to many club rugby games in melbourne over the years and whilst there are many Kiwi/PI/Sa/English etc around the clubs there are also many Aus juniors etc too.....Its not of any great standard but its there and thriving ...
NZ does give you your best player Republican......Oh the irony of NZ claiming something from Aus eh!!!
Certainly Marngrook based but with a very rugby influence…