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Rugby League players who could have/could make the switch

Joeleee

Joeleee

Ted Fahey (11)
Hugh Jarse said:
^^^^ I think part of the problem with finding bruising BSF and No8s in the Palu mould has its roots from the junior rugby (& loig) development where too many Coaches focus on winning games rather than skills development. Typically junior and school coaches put the large early developers (AKA Big Boppers) in these positions and then have them simply run over the small kids. Generally works well up to the Under 18's and there is very little you have to teach the Big Boppers to execute that game plan. Therein lies the problem. Once the little kids reach adulthood or their late teens, they are no longer "scared" or incapable of tackling the big boppers.

If the Big Boppers have not been taught any skills apart from "run over the little kids", then at this point (Colts - U18-U21) their effectiveness can be significantly reduced. Many do not have the ability or motivation & dedication to learn the necessary skills to be able to dominate in adult footy and they fall by the wayside.
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There is also another side of this, where late developing "big boppers" aren't given the opportunities to upskill and play with high level teams. It's probably more a problem for locks, but there are all these lanky uncoordinated kids who run around in the Cs-Ds because they're not skilled enough to win games. Give them a few more years for their body to catch up to their limbs though, and they can be very skilled as well as very tall. How many junior sides do you see with 180-190cm locks, who will likely never be tall enough to be international second rowers? The AFL does a very good job of locking down tall kids who are prospects for the future, and I think it's high time the ARU does it as well.
 
Teh Other Dave

Teh Other Dave

Alan Cameron (40)
Joeleee said:
There is also another side of this, where late developing "big boppers" aren't given the opportunities to upskill and play with high level teams. It's probably more a problem for locks, but there are all these lanky uncoordinated kids who run around in the Cs-Ds because they're not skilled enough to win games. Give them a few more years for their body to catch up to their limbs though, and they can be very skilled as well as very tall. How many junior sides do you see with 180-190cm locks, who will likely never be tall enough to be international second rowers? The AFL does a very good job of locking down tall kids who are prospects for the future, and I think it's high time the ARU does it as well.
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The thing the AFL hasn't done particularly well until recently is allow players to grow into their own bodies. Players like Podsiadly and Priddis making it to AFL level later in life are glaring exceptions rather than the rule, and that comes from a draft academy system that locks down elite midfielders and talls from high school.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Teh Other Dave said:
The thing the AFL hasn't done particularly well until recently is allow players to grow into their own bodies. Players like Podsiadly and Priddis making it to AFL level later in life are glaring exceptions rather than the rule, and that comes from a draft academy system that locks down elite midfielders and talls from high school.
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But is that something the AFL hasn't done well?

I agree those players that become stars late are very much the exceptions but surely that isn't something the AFL can change.

You recruit young players based partly on how good you think a player will eventually be.

Who exactly is meant to be able to predict that an 18 year old Matt Priddis is going to become a star midfielder in his late 20s and a Brownlow Medal winner when he is 29?
 
Teh Other Dave

Teh Other Dave

Alan Cameron (40)
Braveheart81 said:
But is that something the AFL hasn't done well?

I agree those players that become stars late are very much the exceptions but surely that isn't something the AFL can change.

You recruit young players based partly on how good you think a player will eventually be.

Who exactly is meant to be able to predict that an 18 year old Matt Priddis is going to become a star midfielder in his late 20s and a Brownlow Medal winner when he is 29?
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My point is that focusing too much on nabbing young talent will come at the cost of missing quality players at the ages of 19 and above
 
Dctarget

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
After Sam Burgess' recent success/failure at union in England, I'm watching SOO right now looking for potential converts.

Would be lovely to have some of the class kickers from league like Thurston.

If there's any truth to Andrew Fifita having interest in union, that'd be great. He's a big boy and would have to shed some kgs to play in the backrow, but he's so destructive I'm sure he'd be successful.

To be honest I'm not seeing anything spectacular with the backs, wouldn't mind Darius Boyd on the wing potentially. Maybe also Daniel Tupou out on the wing, got speed and is as safe under the high ball as Israel Folau
 
qwerty51

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Unfortunately the occasion gets the better of me, seriously it's so hyped but the quality is always pretty poor. It's always played so defensively with no ambition. Boring repetitive sets.
 
abcde

abcde

Peter Burge (5)
At the G as well.

Mind you though, I'd like to see Jennings on a rugby wing, similar to a Jason Robinson-type.

Funny how Chambers struggled with the Reds, yet stands out during origin footy. I still think he'd struggle if he came back to union, but good on him


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Scoey

Scoey

Tony Shaw (54)
abcde said:
Funny how Chambers struggled with the Reds, yet stands out during origin footy. I still think he'd struggle if he came back to union, but good on him
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Chambers was going great at the Reds. His form trajectory was trending up and quickly. Then he busted his shoulder pretty bad and was never the same when he came back. He became really hesitant in or even near contact. It seemed to me to be a confidence issue that would likely correct itself with time but turns out the Reds didn't have that sort of time.
Watching last night, he clearly has no issues with contact anymore.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
Chambers had one good season where he was on the verge of Wallaby selection before injuring his shoulder..

I've actually got a lot of respect for Will as a player, firstly the way he handled the switch between codes and then how he went through that ordeal with his blood disorder... He came through it all and earned Queensland and Australian selection.


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waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
I started watching league not long after Union, back when there was a comp called the KB (Kurtley Beale) Cup & they showed highlights on a Sunday morning on (NZ) TV2 & a NZ v UK Test at Carlaw Park was a big deal......

I used to watch as much NRL as rugby but these days I find 1st grade pretty much unwatchable, every team looks & plays like every other & there's no contest for the ball other than from a kick, no change of possession unless someone drops it cold or can't get the miracle offload away..........

Two things that made my mind up happened last year: the Warriors actually put on a shove at a scrum & the comms went nuts, references were made to it being like an All Blacks scrum; then in another game someone kicked on tackle 3 & the comms went even more nuts, as if nothing so amazing had ever happened on a footy field anywhere........ wifey & nephew still watch the Warriors & I keep an eye or ear on proceedings & wait for the interesting bits. So about 3 - 5 minutes per game.

Used to watch SOO religiously but literally fell asleep during the low-scoring match last year & barely made it to the end last night: honestly, if that were the Reds & 'tahs out there the papers would be full of "yawnion" stories this morning. Just dire, easily one've the 10 worst games of footy in either code I've ever seen. May not bother with game 2 esp as I have a 6 am start next day.

Still watch Tests religiously, so far they haven't fucked them up as badly as NRL & SOO but fear it's only a matter of time with UK league starting to look more & more like NRL-lite.
 
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