TheSoaringEagle2023
Bencher
Regrettably Woodsie that was before salary caps and when Manly had a bucket load of cash and a clever administrator (who brought in young players from far afield). Fulton (Wollongong), Eadie (Central Coast), Reilly (England), Brannigan and O'Neill (Souths), Mayes and later Junee (Easts), Irvine (Norths), Boyd (Wests), Fred Jones (South Coast), Max Brown and Dennis Ward (Canterbury Bankstown), Allan Thomson (Newcastle), Bill Hamilton (Kurri Kurri).
Only one player, Randall, was a true local junior, though Hamilton came through the junior system, who was in the 1972 grand final team. Manly has relied on bringing talent, young and established, throughout its history from elsewhere. What the Fulton clan were doing was no different except they were bringing them in younger, so they cost less, given the salary cap issue.
Unfortunately the local district does not produce a great number of first grade players. It is what it is. The Trbojevic clan is something of a rarity, just as were Menzies, Toovey, Blake, Gibbs (they dont come along too often). Only the Trbojevics and Parker are local juniors in the present team. Its unrealistic to expect quality first graders in numbers coming from the district. Manly has survived by imports, which may upset pride, but is realistic.
Just look at the very small number of junior comps Manly has won over the years. Fulton was right. With the salary cap limitations and the paucity of local juniors reaching the top, bringing in kids from elsewhere was the most sensible way to keep the side competitive. Sydney City has done it for decades, and successfully as has Manly.
It's pretty interesting that Manly can't seem to manage the differences between the Blacktown recruits and the local Manly boys, but Penrith however seem to be able to perfect it.I am not sure why it matters where a player is from at all. To me that is short sighted and rather simplistic
Melbourne famously recruit the player that fits their culture. In many ways considering out relatively small local comp we are not that dissimilar to Melbourne in how we need to recruit to fill gaps in our teams.
The lack of an effective front office for lord knows how long has resulted in a lack of long term thinking and the failure to have a clear culture / identity
We saw this when a number of players were cut / not retained in the Barrett years (Lane, Ramien, Hynes, Gutho, Lussick, Verilles to name a few) without a clear understanding of the "person" we were having on the team.
If i were to speculate on why this is the case you would think there has only been on consistent since 2011 at the club and that is the ownership structure.
Not all the Penrith boys are locals. Players like Yeo, Liam Martin, Dylan Edwards are country kids.
Then you have Fischer Harris,Leota,etc who are from NZ.
A peculiar thing I noticed about the Penrith change room is that its separated in two.
One for the Islander boys ie Luai, T'oo , Crichton who play their music and then there is the other ie Yeo,Martin,etc.
Next time when Penrith play and Joey goes in the rooms after they win, you will notice this.