Jnr Schuster and Jnr Trobojevic

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Bearfax

Grizzly old fart
I hope Manly are ensuring they pay extras to retain these two kids, who are just a year away from being selected in our 30 players group. Unlike Albert Hoppa, another burgeoning star, these two are just a little too young yet to be approved for first grade. But from what I've read, Manly will have a magnificent forward pack by 2020-21, if they can hold onto these two. Just to give a sense including the best we now have there is a team potentially with

1.A. Hopoate
2. Suli
3. Tom T
4. Walker ?
5.
6. Elgey or Metcalfe
7. DCE
8. J. T.
9. Fauna
10. AFB
11. Taupau ?
12. B. T.
13. Schuster

That is the basis of a Top 4 side.
 
Bear, have you forgotten your mate Anderson ..... or am I out of the loop?
 
As long as we let them know they are part of our future plans and that they don't need to look elsewhere for opportunities, I don't see a problem.
From all reports, young Turbo is something out of the box.
 
Bear, have you forgotten your mate Anderson ..... or am I out of the loop?


Sheeet Woodsie. I'm having one of those geriatric moments. Yeh Anderson on the other wing. Dig me in the side every now and then Woodsie to check I'm still conscious will you?

A. Hopoate
Suli
T.T.
Walker? (Fainu)
Anderson (thanks Woodsie)
Elgey or Metcalfe
DCE
J.T
Fauna
AFB
Taunpau (?)
B.T.
Schuster
 
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I bet The Roosters already have their eyes on them. Still, a bit early to be thinking of this stuff, isn't it?


The very fact that the Roosters already have their eyes on them, tells us it is not early at all to be thinking of this stuff.

One of the Roosters well known tactics is to sneak under the guard of opposition junior developments and grab the cream with healthy incentives. All clubs, including Manly, do it, its just that the Roosters do it by far the best. Looking at junior players on the rise is just as important, probably more important, than picking up a star player in the prime of his career. That's why the Eels have failed so badly except in the 1980s. They ignored their junior talent and allowed other clubs to grab the cream.

In past Sea Eagles teams, no doubt assisted by ready cash and no salary cap, Manly ensured they kept their star juniors and poached others. In recent years Manly has handled this issue rather poorly. When the Roosters grab juniors from elsewhere, they then don't lose the top potential players to other clubs. They let go who they don't want and they usually do it smartly. Manly used to do that, but in the past couple of years they leaked a lot of good players and ended up left with chaff. Realistically only T.T., J. T., DCE, Taupau, AFB and maybe Api would be assured of a first grade position in other clubs. A couple of the younger players such as Fainu and Suli would potentially get there and a fit Sironen and committed Walker would be in the mix. That means at this stage only six and potentially ten of the Manly squad could be assured of a first grade squad elsewhere. Now look at who we let go, or had pinched from under our guard.

It is therefore absolutely imperative that we seal up these young potential stars before other interested cocks in the coop come a'crowin'.
 
From all reports, young Turbo is something out of the box.

Interesting. Most judges have been saying he is not quite at the level of Jake and Tom.

As for Schuster, he is an absolute freak. I haven't seen a better prospect.

Schuster can ball play like a half, kick like a half but run like Tyson Frizell. He can literally play any position on the field and be the best player by a streak. He has all the time in the world like Lockyer and is so composed.
 
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Go along with some of your analysis there Bearfax but not the reference that Manly has handled the issue of junior development poorly in recent times . Still undetermined if all of the remaining 2017 20 's premiership side can make it for Manly at N R L level but look at the former squad or development current players from that 20 "s side still at the club . There is still Fainu . Anderson , Funa , kioa , Cust and young Oloka that have been retained . Tom Wright and perhaps if he was given an opportunity as a winger last season , could have easily been in the mix also . i reckon out of all that potential , young Oloka and if he can adapt to a tougher level could be a real revelation . Didn "t Manly"s S G Ball and Harold Mathews side do well last season also . Credit where credit is due and Fulton and others did get get results in the concerted effort to lift Manly 's junior standard in recent times . No question about Josh Shuster "s excellent ability , not too sure about the youngest Turbo , would be great if he can make it to the top for Manly also to join his brothers but it is a tough gig to get to N R L level and i guess that only time will tell .
 
There is a misconception about junior development in the game. It's nothing like it was back in the day. In the days of Flegg and reserve grade, there were clear pathways and it was easier to see who was going to be able to take that next step. Not to mention there wasn't all the exposure there is nowadays. A player made their debut and that was when the general public learnt who they were.

The internet age has meant that if you make waves in the lower grades, there are articles all over the internet, videos on Youtube, the hype builds and a star is born before a ball has been kicked.

The divide between FG and the juniors is much bigger than many would realise. You can be the best u/20's prospect but maybe your game suits the style of NYC and maybe you grew quicker than the other players your age...take Liam Knight for example. A stand out u/20's player who looked big and strong. He has struggled to transition into FG and now looks a little on the light side.

My point is, the only time you should get upset with a club's junior retention is when they let a player go who ends up making huge waves somewhere else in the NRL; not when they let go of prospects who never pop up anywhere else. Outside of Gutherson (who was let go for good reason at the time), I can't think of too many great juniors who have kicked on elsewhere in the NRL that I would beg to come back.

Players that star in the u/20's and then never end up playing FG for us is not poor retention. Those players weren't good enough to kick on. Tom Wright is the biggest myth this forum has ever conjured up. It was pretty clear early on that he didn't have the physical traits to make FG. He was a flash in the pan, not a mismanaged mistake that will come back to haunt us.

It works the other way too. Slater and JT didn't really impress many pundits in their junior years and then came on rapidly and we all know what ended up happening.
 
There is a misconception about junior development in the game. It's nothing like it was back in the day. In the days of Flegg and reserve grade, there were clear pathways and it was easier to see who was going to be able to take that next step. Not to mention there wasn't all the exposure there is nowadays. A player made their debut and that was when the general public learnt who they were.

The internet age has meant that if you make waves in the lower grades, there are articles all over the internet, videos on Youtube, the hype builds and a star is born before a ball has been kicked.

The divide between FG and the juniors is much bigger than many would realise. You can be the best u/20's prospect but maybe your game suits the style of NYC and maybe you grew quicker than the other players your age...take Liam Knight for example. A stand out u/20's player who looked big and strong. He has struggled to transition into FG and now looks a little on the light side.

My point is, the only time you should get upset with a club's junior retention is when they let a player go who ends up making huge waves somewhere else in the NRL; not when they let go of prospects who never pop up anywhere else. Outside of Gutherson (who was let go for good reason at the time), I can't think of too many great juniors who have kicked on elsewhere in the NRL that I would beg to come back.

Players that star in the u/20's and then never end up playing FG for us is not poor retention. Those players weren't good enough to kick on. Tom Wright is the biggest myth this forum has ever conjured up. It was pretty clear early on that he didn't have the physical traits to make FG. He was a flash in the pan, not a mismanaged mistake that will come back to haunt us.

It works the other way too. Slater and JT didn't really impress many pundits in their junior years and then came on rapidly and we all know what ended up happening.

... and the fact that we get most of our juniors by raiding and pillaging u/13, u/14 junior rep carnivales throughout Aust and NZ ....... good for the goose and good for the ...
 
Interesting. Most judges have been saying he is not quite at the level of Jake and Tom.

As for Schuster, he is an absolute freak. I haven't seen a better prospect.

Schuster can ball play like a half, kick like a half but run like Tyson Frizell. He can literally play any position on the field and be the best player by a streak. He has all the time in the world like Lockyer and is so composed.

I'll take your word for it Snake. I haven't seen much of Schuster. I actually haven't seen much of BT either.....just going on hearsay.
 
Interesting. Most judges have been saying he is not quite at the level of Jake and Tom.

As for Schuster, he is an absolute freak. I haven't seen a better prospect.

Schuster can ball play like a half, kick like a half but run like Tyson Frizell. He can literally play any position on the field and be the best player by a streak. He has all the time in the world like Lockyer and is so composed.
Have to agree about Ben,did not quite kick on this year,moved between backrow and centre.Not sure if he has the pace to play centre and needs to work on his game to get to next level as a second rower,but looking at the gene pool seems like the sort of guy who would work at it and needs to if he wants to make it at the top level...
 
Schuster is as good potential you will find....just hope he makes the most of it and is a long term Seaeagle
 
The very fact that the Roosters already have their eyes on them, tells us it is not early at all to be thinking of this stuff.

One of the Roosters well known tactics is to sneak under the guard of opposition junior developments and grab the cream with healthy incentives. All clubs, including Manly, do it, its just that the Roosters do it by far the best. Looking at junior players on the rise is just as important, probably more important, than picking up a star player in the prime of his career. That's why the Eels have failed so badly except in the 1980s. They ignored their junior talent and allowed other clubs to grab the cream.

In past Sea Eagles teams, no doubt assisted by ready cash and no salary cap, Manly ensured they kept their star juniors and poached others. In recent years Manly has handled this issue rather poorly. When the Roosters grab juniors from elsewhere, they then don't lose the top potential players to other clubs. They let go who they don't want and they usually do it smartly. Manly used to do that, but in the past couple of years they leaked a lot of good players and ended up left with chaff. Realistically only T.T., J. T., DCE, Taupau, AFB and maybe Api would be assured of a first grade position in other clubs. A couple of the younger players such as Fainu and Suli would potentially get there and a fit Sironen and committed Walker would be in the mix. That means at this stage only six and potentially ten of the Manly squad could be assured of a first grade squad elsewhere. Now look at who we let go, or had pinched from under our guard.

It is therefore absolutely imperative that we seal up these young potential stars before other interested cocks in the coop come a'crowin'.


You're right there Al. The juniors have been coming through well and certainly the recruiting at that level has been outstanding in recent years. But I guess I'm talking about the next level up, not the junior programme per se. It just seems that we leaked a lot of good players in recent years, and retained dross. Little wonder we've been a basket case for the past four years and that's not just because Barrett couldn't coach or that back ended contracts ripped the heart out of our finances.

Manly have come in 9th, 13th, 6th and 15th in the past 4 years (the 2017 result was not as impressive as it seems) yet we've let several of the better players go and held onto very average quality. Its not as if the players that left were being offered better deals, though some were, or that there were better players in front of them. But most wanted to stay but were encouraged to leave. Its more than just available money issues, its the recruitment method for first and reserve grade. Yes we have some outstanding talent coming through and in years past they would stay. More recently they have left. I hope Hasler addresses this.
 

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