General Warriors SG Ball General Discussion

[Viking]

TBH I have never run a bronco in my life and actually had to be told what it was but that was the conversation I had with one of the Roosters top men on Saturday night. Wont go into detail as I dont want to give him away but he's up there.

The reports from the Christchurch tourney were from two parents who flew down from Auckland who had kids playing. I didn't watch a game bar reply of a fight that happened at the end of one game.

That was the other thing I forgot to mention Viking that I heard Webb is moving back home. From what I heard the Roosters are only interested in Charlie. I have 3 mates who had kids in his team. All signed to the Roosters program. Two from Papakura and one from Otara. He had enough kids in his team that they had a whole team on the bench.

I have no involvement in junior league or development. I just know a lot of people in the game and post what I hear. Will be going to a wedding next week and a couple scouts will be there with one of them being a Roosters scout who use to work with the Warriors. I'll be nosy again. And post my findings...

If I had to pick one junior in Auckland to be a future NRL star, it's Charlie. He'd be better than Shaun Johnson was at the same age. You'd think the Warriors would've gone all out to sign him, especially since his brother Rueben is in their future Warriors program and a really good player in his own right. Charlie's going to Wavell in Brisbane which is Greg Inglis's old high school. They've got some great NZ talent at the school now so they must serious about competing with the big dogs in school league.

I don't know too much about the Roosters academy except I think the boys train there once or twice a week. If the Roosters were expecting someone else to get those boys fit, like a school or club, then they would be sorely disappointed. It just won't happen because those boys aren't in competition with anyone for their spots in the academy like they would be in Australia. It's still a shame the Roosters are going because having a local presence with NRL clubs creates a buzz around junior league, a bit of renewed hope that's been missing in league in recent times. The Tigers set up shop here for a bit but left when Covid hit understandably. The Broncos and Storm have held short camps but have no local presence that I know of. The Bulldogs are looking to commit money and resources into developing juniors here which came off the back of Phil Goulds short stint with the Warriors I was told. A recent rumour is the Eels trying to do something locally as well so it's not all doom and gloom. But our favourite club is looking to scale back their junior program it seems.

 

[TeetsNRL]

There's a number of videos on junior grade Aussie NRL and rep teams and they aren't amazing.

They’re not small either.

People act like Aussie kids are all Jono Thurston sized battlers which just isn’t true. Tom Turbo made his peer group look like they hadn’t hit puberty. Klemmer was always biggest kid on the field regardless of who he was playing.

If you want to see under-sized footy teams check out a Northland, Waikato, or Mid Central age grade rep team.

These are Harold Matt’s teams, and these kids are all big for their age.

 

[mt.wellington]

If I had to pick one junior in Auckland to be a future NRL star, it's Charlie. He'd be better than Shaun Johnson was at the same age. You'd think the Warriors would've gone all out to sign him, especially since his brother Rueben is in their future Warriors program and a really good player in his own right. Charlie's going to Wavell in Brisbane which is Greg Inglis's old high school. They've got some great NZ talent at the school now so they must serious about competing with the big dogs in school league.

Believe me the Warriors tried but Webb wasn't having any of it. Only reason why they got Rueben is because the Roosters weren't interested in him. Posted on Charlie before as I watched most of their games this season and he's a genuine prospect in the halves. Actually amazing how classy he looked out there and we are talking about him playing for his dad and older brothers U14 team when he should have been playing U12.

The Broncos and Storm have held short camps but have no local presence that I know of.

Storm are only in Wellington that I know of. Old arrangement they have had with Ken Laban for years now. From the 100-150 kids they get at their clinics every year for at least the past 10 years they have developed 2 players from memory. Tohu Harris and NAS.

The Bunnies use to have an association with Mangere East Hawks but havent heard anything about that since covid...

 

[TeetsNRL]

Storm are only in Wellington that I know of. Old arrangement they have had with Ken Laban for years now. From the 100-150 kids they get at their clinics every year for at least the past 10 years they have developed 2 players from memory. Tohu Harris and NAS.

That’s actually a pretty solid return on investment imo. Two big premiership pieces.

 

[Viking]

Believe me the Warriors tried but Webb wasn't having any of it. Only reason why they got Rueben is because the Roosters weren't interested in him. Posted on Charlie before as I watched most of their games this season and he's a genuine prospect in the halves. Actually amazing how classy he looked out there and we are talking about him playing for his dad and older brothers U14 team when he should have been playing U12.


Storm are only in Wellington that I know of. Old arrangement they have had with Ken Laban for years now. From the 100-150 kids they get at their clinics every year for at least the past 10 years they have developed 2 players from memory. Tohu Harris and NAS.

The Bunnies use to have an association with Mangere East Hawks but havent heard anything about that since covid...

My boy played reps with Charlie and yeah, he was the difference between winning and losing. There were bigger, faster and physically better players than him in reps but he has the best passing and short kicking game and nobody can match his determination. He was playing u13s in his own team this year and u15s with his brother and also U15s rugby for AGGS but hated it. Rueben's a good player in his own right, a good controlling half and has decent speed. He might be naturally a bit faster than Charlie will be at that age. He scored a runaway try to give Samoa it's only win over a NZ Maori side in the whole PYC tournament. He's probably the sort of player the Warriors need to be bringing through.

Was just looking at the Wavell High School site to see if there's photos of one of the kids we know there and Alex Corvo is the head of athletic development at the school, that was his day job after leaving the Warriors. Not sure if he's there next year but if he is, fitness won't be a problem.

 

[ajofbrisbane]

There's a number of videos on junior grade Aussie NRL and rep teams and they aren't amazing. An U14s Samoan side were in Brisbane in the last school holidays and cleaned up including beating Ipswich who are the state school champs. As a result of that teams trip, a number of NRL scouts flew in to watch the PYC comp at Bay Roskill a few weeks ago, where that Samoan side was well beaten by the NZ Maori side. So now the Storm are running a 3 day camp in December and have invited most of the Maori side to attend.

Just to clarify, Ipswich are the State school champs at U18's level having beaten Iggy Park from Townsville.

 

[Viking]

Just to clarify, Ipswich are the State school champs at U18's level having beaten Iggy Park from Townsville.

Yeah, I expect that Samoan team would've played the 14s or 15s side from Ipswich which one of the parents told me were state champions but I don't know if the schools even play through to a state championship in those age groups. The parent might've got their info mixed up and I didn't think to check. Ipswich gave the Samoan team their toughest game the parent said.

 

[mt.wellington]

Anyone know what happened to Patrick Elia? Seemed to be hyped up back in 2017/2018...

 

[Chchfanatic]

Anyone know what happened to Patrick Elia? Seemed to be hyped up back in 2017/2018...

Last I heard he was playing club rugby in Auckland. His brother owns a f45 in Whangārei, so he may be up there.

 

[Cces]

Anyone know what happened to Patrick Elia? Seemed to be hyped up back in 2017/2018...

There's a guy running around in Northland club Rugby Union by the same name who played for their Development side in '22

 

[mt.wellington]

There's a guy running around in Northland club Rugby Union by the same name who played for their Development side in '22

Must be him. Was being chased by both codes when he was 17yo. So many never kick on. Any name largely touted was Siave Tupou. Also Wesley Veikoso was meant to be our next prop to break through. He looked great in Jersey Flegg...

 

[Chchfanatic]

Whatever happened to Misi Tapa. Spent one week in chch with crusaders academy and then went back to Auckland