Our future lies with our youth

[roosterchook]

Firstly I don’t think it’s the coach or players out of form. Or just playing out of position.

Since the 6 again rule which requires greater fitness, endurance, speed and reflexes, our game has gradually deteriorated. I don’t believe it’s due to lack of effort either. We try our hearts out.

But our team of aging stars is unable to keep up with the pace of the game they once thrived in their prime. So we are getting beaten by younger teams everywhere. I believe there is no short term solution. In the long term recruitment needs to look at hiring youth who can take us forward. Nobody’s really to blame. It’s just that we are a slow aging team which just can’t keep up with the new rules. Hiring older players I believe is a big mistake as they will only slow the team down more.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

Firstly I don’t think it’s the coach or players out of form. Or just playing out of position.

Since the 6 again rule which requires greater fitness, endurance, speed and reflexes, our game has gradually deteriorated. I don’t believe it’s due to lack of effort either. We try our hearts out.

But our team of aging stars is unable to keep up with the pace of the game they once thrived in their prime. So we are getting beaten by younger teams everywhere. I believe there is no short term solution. In the long term recruitment needs to look at hiring youth who can take us forward. Nobody’s really to blame. It’s just that we are a slow aging team which just can’t keep up with the new rules. Hiring older players I believe is a big mistake as they will only slow the team down more.

It's very frustrating, but you need a mix of youth and experience in every team.
Look at the Broncos of 2020/2021, too much youth, not enough experience, they got flogged regularly., so it's at least a 3 year turnaround to develop young players, especially forwards.
Something is seriously wrong, and it has to come back to the coach and his decisions, all of which have been gone over more than enough.
There is a massive disconnect which must be associated with player discontent.
Whether they are discontented with the coaching, or the other players or both, it has to be fixed.
I believe the players are confused with the message and direction they are getting.
I believe there is resentment about some of the selections, that is some players favoured over others.
I believe there is a lack of accountability, and a drop in standards.
It doesn't take much to rock the boat.

[The distributor]

I agree but the coach has to take responsibility for this. They have also paid big money to players at the end of their career.

We also were a bit overhyped at the beginning of the season as many of our players are overrated.

For three seasons the roosters have look predictable with too many costly errors in them. No one likes having to criticise Robbo as he was very successful in the past but it hasn’t worked for years now so we should use this as an opportunity give some other players in reserves a go and do what we can can to keep Walker.

[Carlos Parra]

I just don't get how supposedly experienced players can keep making such dumb mistakes.

[bondi paul]

Robinson plays favourites. Besides his obvious accomplishments I think his best year was the year of his “ next man up” when he had no choice but to use rookies. The following season many weren’t given the same opportunity to play top grade.Also besides the retirements there has been a huge exodus of players and coaching staff while he continues to not consistently use rookies. Whyte a perfect example. He had a great game earlier in the season but not selected the next game, Baker another who he treated as a leper last year. The school of excellence for young players as a pathway to 1st grade isn’t working with The Professor at the helm.

[The Marshall]

Firstly I don’t think it’s the coach or players out of form. Or just playing out of position.

Since the 6 again rule which requires greater fitness, endurance, speed and reflexes, our game has gradually deteriorated. I don’t believe it’s due to lack of effort either. We try our hearts out.

But our team of aging stars is unable to keep up with the pace of the game they once thrived in their prime. So we are getting beaten by younger teams everywhere. I believe there is no short term solution. In the long term recruitment needs to look at hiring youth who can take us forward. Nobody’s really to blame. It’s just that we are a slow aging team which just can’t keep up with the new rules. Hiring older players I believe is a big mistake as they will only slow the team down more.

That’s exactly what a number of us have been saying for a while. 2018-19 football is no longer effective and we need an overhaul. That is why resigning JWH is a mistake.

[Rooster90]

Firstly I don’t think it’s the coach or players out of form. Or just playing out of position.

Since the 6 again rule which requires greater fitness, endurance, speed and reflexes, our game has gradually deteriorated. I don’t believe it’s due to lack of effort either. We try our hearts out.

But our team of aging stars is unable to keep up with the pace of the game they once thrived in their prime. So we are getting beaten by younger teams everywhere. I believe there is no short term solution. In the long term recruitment needs to look at hiring youth who can take us forward. Nobody’s really to blame. It’s just that we are a slow aging team which just can’t keep up with the new rules. Hiring older players I believe is a big mistake as they will only slow the team down more.

But the club keeps releasing it's youth to sign 30+yr olds?

[Bondicigar]

Firstly I don’t think it’s the coach or players out of form. Or just playing out of position.

Since the 6 again rule which requires greater fitness, endurance, speed and reflexes, our game has gradually deteriorated. I don’t believe it’s due to lack of effort either. We try our hearts out.

But our team of aging stars is unable to keep up with the pace of the game they once thrived in their prime. So we are getting beaten by younger teams everywhere. I believe there is no short term solution. In the long term recruitment needs to look at hiring youth who can take us forward. Nobody’s really to blame. It’s just that we are a slow aging team which just can’t keep up with the new rules. Hiring older players I believe is a big mistake as they will only slow the team down more.

You may be right but last year when the chooks were playing their power game through the middle they looked unbeatable. If it wasn't for injuries at the end we could have easily won the comp.

[Rooster_6]

Does this stand up to any kind of scrutiny though?

The average age of our squad heading into 2023 was 26.05yrs which ranked us the 9th oldest out of 17. The Panthers just slightly younger at 25.82 ranked 11th.

The youngest squads Wests, Gold Coast, Manly & Canterbury. Of which 2 make up the bottom 4 and only one is in the top 8.

The oldest squads Cronulla, Parramatta, Dolphins & Nth Qld. Of which 1 makes up the bottom 4 and only one is in the top 8.

The top 4 is made up of the 7th, 8th, 11th and 13th oldest sides.

There seems to be no direct correlation between younger squads equalling greater success.

There's no doubts older players have struggled with the faster game but those who couldn't handle it have been phased out.

The players over 30 in our squad are;
- JWH (34)
- Daniel Tupou (32)
- Luke Keary (31)
- James Tedesco (30)
- Nathan Brown (30)

I don't think any of those 5 have been the issue. I think it's just an easy out to point at age.

[roosterchook]

Does this stand up to any kind of scrutiny though?

The average age of our squad heading into 2023 was 26.05yrs which ranked us the 9th oldest out of 17. The Panthers just slightly younger at 25.82 ranked 11th.

The youngest squads Wests, Gold Coast, Manly & Canterbury. Of which 2 make up the bottom 4 and only one is in the top 8.

The oldest squads Cronulla, Parramatta, Dolphins & Nth Qld. Of which 1 makes up the bottom 4 and only one is in the top 8.

The top 4 is made up of the 7th, 8th, 11th and 13th oldest sides.

There seems to be no direct correlation between younger squads equalling greater success.

There's no doubts older players have struggled with the faster game but those who couldn't handle it have been phased out.

The players over 30 in our squad are;
- JWH (34)
- Daniel Tupou (32)
- Luke Keary (31)
- James Tedesco (30)
- Nathan Brown (30)

I don't think any of those 5 have been the issue. I think it's just an easy out to point at age.

Good point but it’s not just youth but quality of player too. Errors seem to play an enormous part in most of our losses and I’m wondering why we can’t fix this up. Is it a training style that’s causing this? So many teams ahead of us have a much lower error rate and higher completions.

[Qld Chook]

Does this stand up to any kind of scrutiny though?

The average age of our squad heading into 2023 was 26.05yrs which ranked us the 9th oldest out of 17. The Panthers just slightly younger at 25.82 ranked 11th.

The youngest squads Wests, Gold Coast, Manly & Canterbury. Of which 2 make up the bottom 4 and only one is in the top 8.

The oldest squads Cronulla, Parramatta, Dolphins & Nth Qld. Of which 1 makes up the bottom 4 and only one is in the top 8.

The top 4 is made up of the 7th, 8th, 11th and 13th oldest sides.

There seems to be no direct correlation between younger squads equalling greater success.

There's no doubts older players have struggled with the faster game but those who couldn't handle it have been phased out.

The players over 30 in our squad are;
- JWH (34)
- Daniel Tupou (32)
- Luke Keary (31)
- James Tedesco (30)
- Nathan Brown (30)

I don't think any of those 5 have been the issue. I think it's just an easy out to point at age.

Thank you for busting this age old excuse (pun intended).

We aren’t losing because we are ‘old’.

[bondi paul]

Doing the age analysis as seen above what nobody has commented on is the elephant in the room - the % of Polynesians who make up 50% of NRL players. Our back row doesn’t reflect it other than Sitili.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

Doing the age analysis as seen above what nobody has commented on is the elephant in the room - the % of Polynesians who make up 50% of NRL players. Our back row doesn’t reflect it other than Sitili.

I think we have plenty of young Islander boys coming through, but I get where you are coming from as we do presently seem to have an over representation of caucasions.... possibly something to do with the population mix in our junior league areas, i guess there are more islanders in the western suburbs.

[Monaco's Fan Club]

Firstly I don’t think it’s the coach or players out of form. Or just playing out of position.

Since the 6 again rule which requires greater fitness, endurance, speed and reflexes, our game has gradually deteriorated. I don’t believe it’s due to lack of effort either. We try our hearts out.

But our team of aging stars is unable to keep up with the pace of the game they once thrived in their prime. So we are getting beaten by younger teams everywhere. I believe there is no short term solution. In the long term recruitment needs to look at hiring youth who can take us forward. Nobody’s really to blame. It’s just that we are a slow aging team which just can’t keep up with the new rules. Hiring older players I believe is a big mistake as they will only slow the team down more.

I think your first line is hilarious …!!!

[bondi paul]

I think we have plenty of young Islander boys coming through, but I get where you are coming from as we do presently seem to have an over representation of caucasions.... possibly something to do with the population mix in our junior league areas, i guess there are more islanders in the western suburbs.

Thanks Norfolk for not calling me out on being racist of sorts. As my friends know I am far from being one. We have a considerable number of Islander boys along with the classic demographic of the eastern suburbs. The Riff have a huge pool to draw from due to the various islander nationalities there. Robbo just doesn’t seem to give them a real shot at top grade. I’ve alluded to it previously how Robbo should watch the doco on African American NBA player Bill Russell of the Celtics. That club broke the social barrier but to me it seems Robbo has his blinkers on with the cultural change in the game.