I guess the Jackson Stewart one stings a little because the Roosters have a decent record of getting good outside backs from NZ.
RTS, SKD, and Manu to name some.
What caught my eye is the school.
I was surprised the Warriors snapped up so few from the NZ champion high school, then I thought about, the Warriors old bias towards Auckland schools and was not so surprised.
Someone will try to level the we can't keep them all oxymoron here.
Cliches are just that.
Watch the tournament. St Thomas are the new Melbourne Storm style school boys league system.
As such it makes them unique.
They crushed everyone at schoolboys with three basic sporting elements.
They were fitter than all the other schools.
They were technically better in the wrestle than all of the other schools.
They were smarter in tactical play than other schools.
Thus my Storm reference.
You don't have to believe me, watch them on you tube and pay attention to technical aspects of their game (for purist who have been following the NZ scene for decades they are truly a revelation, if you don't see that then you should look up Batercard cup and Fox because these kids are better than those men).
Therefore their coach must be outstanding and insightful in terms of NRL culture, he would be the first person I would be phoning from Warriors HQ (perhaps they have already obviously people like me do not know the vagaries of this club we follow).
That team was so in tune that I would have tried to sign 100% of the players and worked out the details later.
Why?
Because after a century of Rugby league they are the first School boy outfit in this country to display fully professional and drilled RL science.
One hundred years.
First to win on fitness and tackle technique, first to use repeat sets comfortably like adults. And they came from nowhere. Who knew a school of nobodies using sports science would destroy all the usual suspects?
Of course the Roosters went for whomever they could get.
Yet we moan about signings year upon year and wonder why they happen, the duds I mean. Watch Money ball, and Air, look to the classic scenes in those movies when the scouts are telling the managers why this player has no game sense or this other player has club house issues.
Problem with our game starts with scouts, the same ones who brought us Vatuvei as the highest paid player (Manu was great, but a Winger should never be your highest in a Salary cap, and at another NRL club Manu would have had a hot housing in NRL defence this club failed him at) or Hurrell as the so obviously warrior esque fat boy take the piss type.
McFadden then is our best hope from here.
www.warriors.kiwi
