Topic for an upcoming pod and we’d love to include your thoughts/opinions on this.
12 months ago, when Madge was taken out the back and shot, Sheens stressed over and over that we are a development club and we need a development coach.
How are we going with this in mid 2023? Do you feel like we have stuck to this? Is it a good strategy? What signs are there that we are primarily focused on developing talent, rather than buying it in? Does the moving on of McDonnell and hiring of Fulton change this?
Please feel free to share your thoughts.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
Topic for an upcoming pod and we’d love to include your thoughts/opinions on this.
12 months ago, when Madge was taken out the back and shot, Sheens stressed over and over that we are a development club and we need a development coach.
How are we going with this in mid 2023? Do you feel like we have stuck to this? Is it a good strategy? What signs are there that we are primarily focused on developing talent, rather than buying it in?
Please feel free to share your thoughts.
Of course we are, players are improving under the current system, including younger players. Bula and Da Silva would never have debut under previous systems.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
I actually think we have gotten the balance right.
Under Madge (and I’m happy to be shown I’m incorrect) there seemed to be a focus on the experience no matter the quality of out put from the players.
This year we’ve seen some good experience heads come in who seem to be the types to help others develop their games - Api and Klemmer are the leaders here. these are the right type of experienced players.
We’ve also seen a few of the young guys come in and do really well or improve- Pole, Bula, Kepaoa, To’a come to mind straight away. There also is a lot of talk around the club about supporting the younger guys come into grade.
so in answer to the questions yes we’ve stuck to it and it is a long game but probably our only chance at the moment. We’ve recruited the right people and the club clearly knows we need to secure that top tier player (preferably a half) to take this team to the next level.
Under Madge I didn’t see anyone develop. This year I’ve seen Bula become a superstar and Stef, Twal, To’a, Kepaoa all get significantly better. I’ve said it lots of times, we’re a good half away from finals.
I think it’s clear that the younger players, Bula, Pole, AJ, Tupou, Steff and To’a are developing nicely under the current structure. The thing is we are not and cannot be just a development club. You need good old heads in there as well and we have Api, Klemmer, Papali’i and Bateman to help them along.
Of course not all developing players are going to reach expectations. Talau, Simpkins, and at the moment I’d put Blore & AD in that class.
Then we have Da Silva soon to join the top 17. I have no doubt there will be others coming along from the pathways.
Our weakness is still the halves and that probably needs to be addressed from outside the juniors and so externally.
We have a very large catchment area with Ryde/Balmain-Ashfield/Lidcombe and all of the South West to develop from.
Being a development club is definitely the right move IMO sprinkled with talent from elsewhere to plug any skills gaps.
Edit: Being a development Club also helps build our identity and having the players come through the pathways and wanting to play for Wests Tigers is a plus and makes us a more attractive destination.
Key to be a development club is to bring young players into a successful culture in a measured way. Our biggest barrier is that our NRL squad is lacking some key pieces required for success and that risks over exposing our kids too early, encouraging them to leave for a more successful club or teaching them losing habits. The club is. It far off but it is essential that the recruits for ‘24 are of the highest quality.
This is one of the things the club has gotten 100% correct in last 2 years. No players were developed under Madge. No players got better and no young kids were successfully brought through. under Sheens both is happening and happening well with flecks of light and hope on the horizon with the likes of TDS and Large & Miller in the distance.
Every club in the competition needs to be a development club. It's one of the basic tenets of success in the NRL - producing your own players, along with canny recruitment.
That the club basically gave up on pathways and breeding from within is a terrible indictment on the various leaders involved.
It's great that we've put renewed focus in this area - better late than never I guess. It's more correcting an error and catching up rather than getting ahead.
You don't become a development club in 12 months, the success of the juniors today, is thanks to the work done by the club 2, 3, 4 years ago.
Bula, Pole, Matamua were all signed to WT under madge. Stef, Toa, Junior, Simpkin all made their debuts under madge.
Sheens was bough he originally to lead pathways, now he's headcoach - and we have no GM Football. McDonnell just left and Fulton was bough to recruit top 30 - so who is focussing on pathways, if we are a development club?
I think it's fantastic the club has been strong in dating we are a development club. We have put more money into it recently.. but can only really judge in 2, 3, 4 years time
However, at the moment, without a GM Football, we are stuggling to address the top 30 squid needs (I.e no halves), so can only imagine we are stretched to properly watch over the pathways.
Top 8 2023
Question should be, why did we walk away from being a development club in the first place?
Top 8 2023
To truly be a development club, the development must offer support right along the pathway. There needs to be success along that pathway which will nurture then consolidate a positive, confident and winning attitude that allows young players to develop to their maximum potential. We have a way to go in this regard.
In many respects Resources into Pathways = Money.
I asked NBWT about quantifying this, and although he didn’t have any figures, it was his understanding that a lot more money was being pumped into Pathways now days.
In many respects Resources into Pathways = Money.
I asked NBWT about quantifying this, and although he didn’t have any figures, it was his understanding that a lot more money was being pumped into Pathways now days.
You just have to look at the staffing that has been put into that area in the past 3 years.
Mathew Betsey
Brett kimmorley
Shannon gallant
Paul Sironen
I am currently trying to get someone from pathways for next weekend's Ambush event.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
I think the KPI will be when we have 8-9 local juniors established in the top 17,
And another 8-9 in nsw cup pushing for a spot.
To be a true development club takes a longterm and consistent investment and vision.
We are only at day 1.
And as a club we have a tendancy to pat ourselves on the back way too early and we also have a tendency to not see things through.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves
Top 8 2023
