Youth Retention

[Gibs]

I would say Simmo has gone on to a better career, but he was absolutely poo with us

 

[josh11223344]

cameron king was ours but apparently poached by merge at a young age.

 

[Timmyb22]

parra seem to get raped with their juniors alot gallen, gardner, tony williams, heaps of others!

 

[BurgoShark]

One of the most difficult things for me to comprehend about youth retention and the Peachey saga in particular is that our retention and promotion is so poor. Our Toyota Cup team is running last which indicates that we have very few you could pick from that squad to be promoted through to 1st grade in the future. Our NSW cup side is going great guns, although the best players in that squad according to many, are Melbourne based as well as the player that has just signed somewhere else.

We haven't signed one notable extra for 2014 that improves our current 'ageing' squad from what it is. We have lost 4 to 5 players set to possibly make their mark in the coming seasons and that was an investment I believe was a worthwhile one to make. Flanagan has made some good buys in the past few seasons but most are forwards who have 2 to 3 years left. In the past decade the football that the Sharks play has mostly been dull and boring. Now that could be a reflection of the way footy is going in general but it has a lot to do with the coaching styles of the coaches as well as who they recruit/ retain.

While I agree with the tone of your post, it irks me when people say this. Sure, there are not 20 blokes in the NYC team who are going to play first grade, but to suggest that an unsuccessful team can't possibly have good quality players is just wrong.

 

[Born&bred]

FFS - I'll preface this post saying I'm massively pro-juniors - it's why we're in the comp in the first place.

We have had, and always will have good juniors - & plenty of them. Better than quite a few other clubs.

It doesn't mean they'll make the grade, but more importantly, it doesn't mean we can keep them.

We certainly shouldn't sign them all just to beat the over the top offers of rival clubs.

The game has changed now - by all means spend heaps on junior development, but whose juniors are playing for us right now for example?

 

[DANGA HATCH]

While I agree with the tone of your post, it irks me when people say this. Sure, there are not 20 blokes in the NYC team who are going to play first grade, but to suggest that an unsuccessful team can't possibly have good quality players is just wrong.

Did you read the part where I said 'very few' ? There are some talented players in that squad but not many.

 

[DANGA HATCH]

Flannagan has no clear path for the young players coming through. They leave for opportunity.
We sign Carney for 5 years (good signing) and then resign an aging average half back to a further 2 years, who will be lucky to see out his contract, and let a halfback who could have been with Carney for the full 5 years go.
I don't think Townsend has had a game with Carney, so we don't know how good the combination could have been.
He persists with average players like the Pharoah of Fumble Pommeroy and not give players like Mills a decent opportunity. One game in and dropped the next week is not an opportunity.
I think we will be the new Parramatta in 3-4 years. Paying overs for aging players and having our average juniors staying with the club because they are all we have left after the best get poached.

Agree with this wholeheartedly!

 

[Sharky14]

Flannagan has no clear path for the young players coming through. They leave for opportunity.
We sign Carney for 5 years (good signing) and then resign an aging average half back to a further 2 years, who will be lucky to see out his contract, and let a halfback who could have been with Carney for the full 5 years go.
I don't think Townsend has had a game with Carney, so we don't know how good the combination could have been.
He persists with average players like the Pharoah of Fumble Pommeroy and not give players like Mills a decent opportunity. One game in and dropped the next week is not an opportunity.
I think we will be the new Parramatta in 3-4 years. Paying overs for aging players and having our average juniors staying with the club because they are all we have left after the best get poached.

Let me put this into perspective for you. Almost everyone playing for this club has come from another juniors system. If we didnt sell our local juniors we wouldnt have Luke Lewis, Paul Gallen, Andrew Fifita or Todd Carney. If we held onto all our juniors our club would not be in the top 8 and we would all be on this forum complaining about flanno not looking outside the square. Look he cant win, but as long as the sharks are winning games why should we complain, look at how excited everyone was about the signings this year, would you prefer frizell or Lewis? Peach or Graham? Todd or Townsend?
I know who id take.

 

[The Real Truth]

There is a massive disconnection between the Sharks and the JRL. This was highlighted last year when one junior club had a Canterbury player at their presentation to present the trophies and that isn't the worst of it......the club has a link to our coach. Junior development is vital if you want sustainable success unless you are one of the high flying corporate clubs like the Roosters, Broncos, Bulldogs or Storm. Those clubs attract big 3rd party sponsorships and that allows them to focus less on the 'ground up' development of juniors. Clubs like Cronulla, Canberra, Newcastle and Penrith aren't as attractive to the corporate dollar and need to produce their own players to come up through the grades. Penrith has finally woken up to themselves and realized that they have the biggest pot of gold sitting at their feet and although Gould cops plenty from people like Rothfield, his plan for Penrith is going to reap massive rewards for the club. Ricky is starting to do the same at Parramatta now. Unfortunately for Cronulla, unless this group of players win the comp in the next 1-2 years, we will be sliding back down the ladder and will have nothing coming up through the grades. Money and time needs to be spent on reconnecting with the local clubs and academies need to be formed (Penrith has a halfback academy for kids 12 years old upwards who show potential and get schooled on the art of leading a team around the park). The cold hard facts of Cronulla is, because it has never had success, it continually looks for shortcuts to get that success. so far, it has been unattainable and unfortunately for the blue, black and white, it will never been achieved unless a long term plan is put in place.

 

[deano the p]

FFS - I'll preface this post saying I'm massively pro-juniors - it's why we're in the comp in the first place.

We have had, and always will have good juniors - & plenty of them. Better than quite a few other clubs.

It doesn't mean they'll make the grade, but more importantly, it doesn't mean we can keep them.

We certainly shouldn't sign them all just to beat the over the top offers of rival clubs.

The game has changed now - by all means spend heaps on junior development, but whose juniors are playing for us right now for example?

Agreed my main point was more about our poor management of our juniors.

With better management of them I think we could have re-signed at least a couple of those blokes on the cheap.

This would have allowed us to fill certain spots in our roster cheaper allowing us to spend more on other positions.

The best teams make their juniors feel wanted and they stay on cheaper, not saying all of these blokes would have but atleast some would have IMO.

I've been happy with Flanno's recruitment but I'm also worried about the re-building phase that we will most likely face.

 

[Nobby The Sharkyboy]

Here is a list of players that have played NRL for other clubs this season and either played lower grades for the Sharks or made there NRL debut for the Sharks. Not a bad side.

1 Reece Robinson - How did the Sharks never see this guys talent?
2 Bryson Goodwin- Never really rated when at the Sharks
3 Dane Neilson - Again a player Sharks coaches never gave an oppotunity too.
4 Blake Furguson - Is a dick, but at the time the Sharks were in Financial crisis.
5 David Simmons - Never reached his full potential at the Sharks
6 Greg Bird - Left due to off field issues
7 Albert Kelly - Left due to off field issues
8 Luke Douglas - The clubs recruitment management stuffed Luke around, cant blame him for going somewhere else after all the blood and sweat he gave for the club.
9 Kevin Kingston - Never really rated when at the Sharks
10 Keith Galloway - Almost the same situation as Peachey, another club saw Keith's potential and offered more than the sharks were willing to pay
11 Ciraldo - Again never probably reached his potential, but just a standard 1st Grader now
12 Frizell - Never really got a proper shot at 1st grade, cant believe they let him go and we signed other players with only a few good years left
13 Beau Scott - Mostly played centre at the club, but another stuff up IMO.
14 Sam Moa - Did see his potential at the Sharks but is playing good footy this year.
15 Mitch Brown - In the same boat as Simmons had great potential but we never saw it at the Sharks.
16 Romelo - Lower Grader at the Sharks just a standard 1st Grader at best
17 Travis Robinson - Sharks kept Travis over Reece?????? Travis had injury problems at the Sharks.
19 James Hasson - James played lower gardes for the sharks, Debut with Manly last weekend.

 

[tips]

There is a massive disconnection between the Sharks and the JRL. This was highlighted last year when one junior club had a Canterbury player at their presentation to present the trophies and that isn't the worst of it......the club has a link to our coach. Junior development is vital if you want sustainable success unless you are one of the high flying corporate clubs like the Roosters, Broncos, Bulldogs or Storm. Those clubs attract big 3rd party sponsorships and that allows them to focus less on the 'ground up' development of juniors. Clubs like Cronulla, Canberra, Newcastle and Penrith aren't as attractive to the corporate dollar and need to produce their own players to come up through the grades. Penrith has finally woken up to themselves and realized that they have the biggest pot of gold sitting at their feet and although Gould cops plenty from people like Rothfield, his plan for Penrith is going to reap massive rewards for the club. Ricky is starting to do the same at Parramatta now. Unfortunately for Cronulla, unless this group of players win the comp in the next 1-2 years, we will be sliding back down the ladder and will have nothing coming up through the grades. Money and time needs to be spent on reconnecting with the local clubs and academies need to be formed (Penrith has a halfback academy for kids 12 years old upwards who show potential and get schooled on the art of leading a team around the park). The cold hard facts of Cronulla is, because it has never had success, it continually looks for shortcuts to get that success. so far, it has been unattainable and unfortunately for the blue, black and white, it will never been achieved unless a long term plan is put in place.

well said

 

[snowman]

Here is a list of players that have played NRL for other clubs this season and either played lower grades for the Sharks or made there NRL debut for the Sharks. Not a bad side.

1 Reece Robinson - How did the Sharks never see this guys talent?
2 Bryson Goodwin- Never really rated when at the Sharks
3 Dane Neilson - Again a player Sharks coaches never gave an oppotunity too.
4 Blake Furguson - Is a dick, but at the time the Sharks were in Financial crisis.
5 David Simmons - Never reached his full potential at the Sharks
6 Greg Bird - Left due to off field issues
7 Albert Kelly - Left due to off field issues
8 Luke Douglas - The clubs recruitment management stuffed Luke around, cant blame him for going somewhere else after all the blood and sweat he gave for the club.
9 Kevin Kingston - Never really rated when at the Sharks
10 Keith Galloway - Almost the same situation as Peachey, another club saw Keith's potential and offered more than the sharks were willing to pay
11 Ciraldo - Again never probably reached his potential, but just a standard 1st Grader now
12 Frizell - Never really got a proper shot at 1st grade, cant believe they let him go and we signed other players with only a few good years left
13 Beau Scott - Mostly played centre at the club, but another stuff up IMO.
14 Sam Moa - Did see his potential at the Sharks but is playing good footy this year.
15 Mitch Brown - In the same boat as Simmons had great potential but we never saw it at the Sharks.
16 Romelo - Lower Grader at the Sharks just a standard 1st Grader at best
17 Travis Robinson - Sharks kept Travis over Reece?????? Travis had injury problems at the Sharks.
19 James Hasson - James played lower gardes for the sharks, Debut with Manly last weekend.

nice post, but hasson debuted before last weekend

 

[andrew's_sharks]

Here is a list of players that have played NRL for other clubs this season and either played lower grades for the Sharks or made there NRL debut for the Sharks. Not a bad side.

1 Reece Robinson - How did the Sharks never see this guys talent?
2 Bryson Goodwin- Never really rated when at the Sharks
3 Dane Neilson - Again a player Sharks coaches never gave an oppotunity too.
4 Blake Furguson - Is a dick, but at the time the Sharks were in Financial crisis.
5 David Simmons - Never reached his full potential at the Sharks
6 Greg Bird - Left due to off field issues
7 Albert Kelly - Left due to off field issues
8 Luke Douglas - The clubs recruitment management stuffed Luke around, cant blame him for going somewhere else after all the blood and sweat he gave for the club.
9 Kevin Kingston - Never really rated when at the Sharks
10 Keith Galloway - Almost the same situation as Peachey, another club saw Keith's potential and offered more than the sharks were willing to pay
11 Ciraldo - Again never probably reached his potential, but just a standard 1st Grader now
12 Frizell - Never really got a proper shot at 1st grade, cant believe they let him go and we signed other players with only a few good years left
13 Beau Scott - Mostly played centre at the club, but another stuff up IMO.
14 Sam Moa - Did see his potential at the Sharks but is playing good footy this year.
15 Mitch Brown - In the same boat as Simmons had great potential but we never saw it at the Sharks.
16 Romelo - Lower Grader at the Sharks just a standard 1st Grader at best
17 Travis Robinson - Sharks kept Travis over Reece?????? Travis had injury problems at the Sharks.
19 James Hasson - James played lower gardes for the sharks, Debut with Manly last weekend.

These two in bold are in no way a big loss, if you consider that 2nd row is our strongest position and that we have an awesome pack, you wouldn't re-sign them unless it was a cheapish contract.

Blake Ferguson and Reece Robinson are the only two on that list that are standouts and we would have wanted Fergo to stay if he wasn't a douche bag/

 

[Wilson]

Reece Robinson also went to Brisbane and was complete **** before moving to Canberra to find his feet. It's too easy to look back in hindsight and say this player could have been this for the club etc. Fact is clubs pay more, players need a change of club for the mental state etc etc.

 

[Wilson]

The only ones we should feel really hard done by is Kelly and Bird due to discipline. Two players that right that would make us easy a true title threat, but are no longer here due to being a dick and getting on the piss.

Can you imagine Kelly and Carney? fmd.

 

[Nobby The Sharkyboy]

Reece Robinson also went to Brisbane and was complete **** before moving to Canberra to find his feet. It's too easy to look back in hindsight and say this player could have been this for the club etc. Fact is clubs pay more, players need a change of club for the mental state etc etc.

That maybe true, but I use to watch a bit of lower grades and when you think back and compare Robinson to some of the outside backs we actually kept, Robinson actually showed a lot more promise, he was just smaller and wasn't as good in defense as the outside backs we kept.

 

[Nobby The Sharkyboy]

These two in bold are in no way a big loss, if you consider that 2nd row is our strongest position and that we have an awesome pack, you wouldn't re-sign them unless it was a cheapish contract.

Blake Ferguson and Reece Robinson are the only two on that list that are standouts and we would have wanted Fergo to stay if he wasn't a douche bag/

Yes it's our strongest position in 2013, but next year we lose peachey n bukuya. Gallen, heighington, Lewis and tupou will be gone or retired in the next couple of years, frizel is a big loss and I believe peachey will change the way the games is played by a backrower.

 

[andrew's_sharks]

Yes it's our strongest position in 2013, but next year we lose peachey n bukuya. Gallen, heighington, Lewis and tupou will be gone or retired in the next couple of years, frizel is a big loss and I believe peachey will change the way the games is played by a backrower.

Lewis signed a 4 year deal. He still has 3 Years after this one, Gallen Still has a couple years to go as well. Topou, Meh no major loss. Topou sapopoga (however you spell his name) is more than a worthy replacement for Peachey, We still Have Wade Graham who is very young and so Is Fifita. If we have Signed David Fifita then he is the same age as Andrew (23) By the Time Gallen, Heigno and Lewis Retire we would have had 4-5 players who are just as capable as Bukuya and Peachey at there age come as possible replacements. I really don't by the whole ageing squad thing. It is very easy to drop the age of a squad.

As far as Peachey is concerned, if he didn't have the same name as his uncle David there wouldn't be nearly as much wank on this forum for the loss of him as a player. Yes i do agree he will develop into a good first grader. Better than wade graham? Probably not. There is no way he will run sidewards in first grade like he does to score tries in the NSW cup.

 

[A.Snowden]

Lewis signed a 4 year deal. He still has 3 Years after this one, Gallen Still has a couple years to go as well. Topou, Meh no major loss. Topou sapopoga (however you spell his name) is more than a worthy replacement for Peachey, We still Have Wade Graham who is very young and so Is Fifita. If we have Signed David Fifita then he is the same age as Andrew (23) By the Time Gallen, Heigno and Lewis Retire we would have had 4-5 players who are just as capable as Bukuya and Peachey at there age come as possible replacements. I really don't by the whole ageing squad thing. It is very easy to drop the age of a squad.

As far as Peachey is concerned, if he didn't have the same name as his uncle David there wouldn't be nearly as much wank on this forum for the loss of him as a player. Yes i do agree he will develop into a good first grader. Better than wade graham? Probably not. There is no way he will run sidewards in first grade like he does to score tries in the NSW cup.

This.