
Viking
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.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...
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.
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