Lack of depth...maybe not our fault

[Freagle]

Was thinking about this earlier today, rather than working: we have had a relatively crap reserve-grade side for a number of years now, which is partly due to the limited talent pool in our area...but must also in part be due to the fact that we've had such a stable squad of high-performing first-graders for so long now.

Looking at the talent that is going to be sitting in reserve grade next season if we recruit like it looks we will (i.e. get one more prop such as Moa, possibly another half) then you can;t blame people for not wanting to come here over the past eight years or so. "Head to Brooky, watch our kick-ass first grade team in action after your NSW Cup Game" - not much appeal there.

So we'll possibly have Sao, Symonds, Leary, Demetriou, Chee Kam(?), Lawrence, Starling etc missing out week to week. An unusual position for us to be in! Good in the short term, but most of them will move on to keep playing the first grade they are capable of, you'd have to think.

 

[Freagle]

So just to clarify my point here (cos I just realised there wasn't one as such) - it must have been hard for Willo and predecessors, cos we wouldn;t have been able to attract the top-line up-and-comers who were eager to play top level footy. They'd go to a club known to be less stable, with obvious gaps in the line-up.

 

[sheridanstand78]

I think one of the reasons is budget, we do not have the coin the other clubs have to run a strong reserve grade, another reason is that prior to this season we have had a good run with injuries and a lot of these guys have only been depth players and they have been made to step up to the plate and not been up to it. The team has a culture of regulary conceding 30 points plus a game, makes it hard to win too many. Willo has tried but not succeeded, I think its time to give someone else a go.

 

[The Who]

Not so sure. On paper we have had a good NSW Cup team. They just don't perform!

 

[manlyfan76]

Players see Willo as a coach you just want to play for.

 

[double hoops]

No doubt it all comes down to funds. In saying that our reggies have still under achieved the last few years even including injuries under Willow.

Lets just hope next year is the start of a new era of dominance for both senior teams at our club. I know some advocate you don't train up other clubs champions.

But reserves is extremely important to every footy clubs health. In an ideal world you want the best mix from all worlds. We want older blokes like Mason at the back end of their careers to have a place to play, be called up when needed but is able developing the kids around him and pass on all that experience in this game he has. We will always need a hand full of blokes that don't make the top grade squad who are ready made replacements. Importantly we need a team that those up and coming future stars, the kids like a Demetriou, Ramien, Pearsall and Ashley Taylor want to play in so as to continue to develop their game when NYC is not available.

Not every talented junior turns into an a grade star. But surely it is every NRL clubs duty to do every thing they can to develop these players into one. When your club has struggled to just win games for years on end, it doesn't paint a healthy picture.

 

[Fluffy]

it would be interesting to know how much NRL experience each club has in its reserve grade squad/squads (Broncos have about 6 "reserve" grade clubs)

 

[The Who]

One thing is certain. The NRL should ensure wherever possible that NSW Cup matches are played before first grade, thus giving fans the chance to judge their reserves, the players a more rewarding experience by competing before more spectators, and elevating the importance of the competition.
Currently it's a 'who cares' competition.

 

[Freagle]

Strongly agree on the last point - I do think fans would rather see the 'fringe' players who might just be stepping up to NRL level in the next few weeks, rather than 19-year olds that won;t be in first grade for a few years and haven't finished developing.

 

[manlyfan76]

You don't need a reserve side with guns in the 1-17. Better to have one good outside back, one good half and a solid prop and an up n coming prop and same with the back row. Realistically one or more of those players will be on 1st gradeeach week, weakening the Reggie's.

 

[Rynostradamus]

Give cliffy the gig

 

[rifraff]

One thing is certain. The NRL should ensure wherever possible that NSW Cup matches are played before first grade, thus giving fans the chance to judge their reserves, the players a more rewarding experience by competing before more spectators, and elevating the importance of the competition.
Currently it's a 'who cares' competition.

So we should support second rate competitions so the players feel better? Nsw cup games would draw no more fans than u20s?. There would be no reward cause nobody really wants to see the second best..

 

[robbiea]

So we should support second rate competitions so the players feel better? Nsw cup games would draw no more fans than u20s?. There would be no reward cause nobody really wants to see the second best..

I used to arrive early to watch res grade all the time ,A lot of people like seeing the "on the cusp" & next gen players..And its definitely better footy to watch than U20's.

 

[rifraff]

Some times the early games are more entertaining too.. You can't make it more popular.

 

[rifraff]

Arrived early? You went there to see the main game though

 

[Freagle]

True, riffraff, but for my two cents, there is too much of a disconnect when the reggies don't play on the same day as the others, or even at the same ground. I'd love to go along and see players like Chee Kam, Uiti Baker etc, who held that spark of promise for us when they signed, and see if there is anything worth getting excited about. But it is hard to keep track of them - half the players in NSw cup aren't even listed on our cruddy web pages. I'd definitely go along early to watch the reserve grade game if it was played before the firsts again, like they used to.

 

[rifraff]

Wasn't it a cost thing that the clubs decided against? Maybe if we find a few more Jakes and Blakes 24 won't be too old to start an NRL career