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.
I believe our young Cubs are taken on Development and Cultural Tours to places like NZ. Would a great experience for them to travel to NZ and play a game over there against the Warriors. Particularly those of a Māori / Polynesian heritage. These experiences are ties that bind.
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.
I believe our young Cubs are taken on Development and Cultural Tours to places like NZ. Would a great experience for them to travel to NZ and play a game over there against the Warriors. Particularly those of a Māori / Polynesian heritage. These experiences are ties that bind.
Yeah went to New Zealand last night.
Edit last year lol
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
Southwestern Sydney is a huge catchment and nursery that continues to grow. The proposed COE at Campbelltown Stadium, playing more home games there and having regular NRL training sessions out that way would be a significant advancement. It would solidify our presence and brand in the area, and help capture the hearts and minds of locals and aspiring young footballers. If we’re going to be a development club these fundamentals and foundations are important in achieving that.
Completely agree Salty.
Do you think the club/wests should consider playing NSW Cup/Flegg etc games at Campbelltown instead of Lidcombe?
A good way to strengthen the South/west nursery
Top 8 2023
I still find aspects of the Fulton appointment puzzling.
Why it wasn’t discussed with Sheens and Benji, even if they were not going to be part of the final decision making, it was going to effect current roles and responsibilities within the Football Department.
Was it a reactionary manoeuvre from a Board, Chairman and CEO feeling the heat of the early season losses.
You’d think Fulton would want to talk to Sheens and Benji before accepting the position to see if their principles and philosophies aligned, and gauge each others personalities. Fulton’s appointment was rushed through like a dodgy politicians funky smelling Funding Proposal, and Lee was unconvincing with his justification for their actions in the media soon after.
It’s not clear to me what the structure and roles are within the all important Retention and Recruitment Committee…? I’m yet to sight any photos or footage of Fulton around the club. There was an initial generic club piece about Fulton’s role, and since then stories in the media about a blow up with McDonnell and his subsequent resignation. I suspect the Fulton appointment hasn’t settled down yet.
In the context of a Development club the pointy end of Retention and Recruitment and the Pathways is critical. We need it to be functional and running smoothly, not dysfunctional and inept like it’s been in the past.
Completely agree Salty.
Do you think the club/wests should consider playing NSW Cup/Flegg etc games at Campbelltown instead of Lidcombe?
A good way to strengthen the South/west nursery
I’d think playing at both grounds would be beneficial.
The noise at the time was the Ray Hadley suggested to Lee that he hire Fulton as Lee knows Hadley (radio?) and Hadley is like a second father to Fulton given how close he was with Bozo. Lee says they did their “due diligence” whatever that means and Lee and Pascoe hire him into Recruitment over the top of sheens’ boy Mcdonnell. I have no idea what sheens or Benji knew but it is a weird move to hire someone in to one of the most key positions in the football department without consulting the coach of the next 5 years. I always assumed Benji knew (Tartak connection) and so was ok with it but it was an odd move. It’s not obviously apparent that Fulton did a good job at Manly (stacked the team with Blacktown talent and paid overs for people like Aloia) but if he is a guy who understands western Sydney junior league then he could be a good fit. The reality is we probably don’t need more kids outside our own catchment given how large and rich it is so the pathways should identify and retain that talent. It’s the top 30, specifically the marquee recruitment that has been our Achilles heal so unless he scores some runs there his role looks quite redundant.
@frullens I think it’s about the traditional wests home ground . I would suggest it’s to try and emulate the Newtown jets community feel , they have going on . Going to a jets game , and to be honest to am much larger extent a Leichhardt game , is a tradition of people who are locals .
I remember going to tigers games at leichardt with people who didn’t even like RL , and others who didn’t even like the tigers .
Just because it was what you do when you live in the general Balmain / leichardt/Gladesville area .
Same for Newtown , and KB beer. I went there once with musicians and afl supporters . I was the only one there who knew the actual rules , or even cared about the on field IMO.
I would suggest they’re trying to tap into that nostalgia a bit . And it’s right near the station .
Just my opinion .
I’m not too sure what the term development club actually means, I assume it means developing players.
My take on this is that to be a development club we firstly need to be a club focussed on continuous improvement.
We need to keep improving across all aspects of the club, from the Board, management, administration, coaching, player management, right down to who cuts the oranges for half time. We need to become that club where juniors want to come and instil in them the drive to become successful.
As an observer we have made significant improvements in pathways, tick. We also made improvements to the football department with the hiring of a football manager ( regardless of whether Sheens was the right person). We also added John Dorahy to the Board.
However, I think recently we have lost our way a little, releasing Joffa has weakened the team and we don’t have a football manager, add to this the poor administration around fan memberships, the debacle of the Anzac round jersey. We clearly have a lots of work to do around improving the club before we can be a development club.
