Our squad, recruitment and cap

[player 1]

I know some on here would be all over this and may be able to straighten it out for me.

We have just lost JWH, Manu, Sualii, Keary, Sitili. That's gotta be $3 M right there, no?

Another chunk of our cap gone for most of 2025, in Sam W and Brandon S.

We didn't know about the latter 2 being missing for most of next year, but the others we did.

We have Chad Townsend coming. Who else have we got coming to replace the departures? I realise there isn't much quality available on the market. It just seems like there must be a lot of cap space unaccounted for.

With 7 of our best 2024 players missing next year it sure looks bleak.

[ism22]

JWH - Leniu, May, Va'a brothers...etc. I think we have solid contingency plans there.

Manu & Sualii - Mark N, Pauga, Billy Smith... Young. We

Keary - Townsend and Sandon?

Sitili - Steep? I'd say he'll be replaced from within our current stock

---

Walker and Brandon... could be back by March or so right? (Though more likely June-ish). Will be rough if Townsend/Sandon get injured or suspended. However Watson and Docker-Clay are there. IMO it's Sandon's chance to prove he's got some cojones.

Having Townsend as an on-field coach should be great for him. Worst come to worst, I presume Manu's departure (if we don't see him again after the Japanese yawnion season's over [I suspect he was just a bit worn-out and wanted a paid holiday in Nippon/France... I personally prefer Nippon as France is pretty hectic]) could give Teddy a chance to move into the halves. Dunno who would play FB then (which highlights another key vulnerability without Manu... his ability to cover!) Dare say Watson's the next cab off the rank for FB if Teddy goes down injured? Maybe Mark N once he learns more about the game... probably not during the early rounds with less than 10 games of NRL under his belt though.

[Mickie Lane]

Part of the Roosters culture has been to buy established players from other clubs mainly because the Roosters had no juniors but things arent like that now.
The Rooster for a while now have been getting young boys 14 to 17 from all over the place & bringing them in to the Roosters pathways plus the Roosters have also taken over the Central Coast & started pathways for those young players.
It may be looking all doom & gloom next year & the Chooks may take a hit over the next couple of years but I believe through Robbo' philosophy that the Roosters are going to start producing a lot more players through their pathways & stop buying established first graders from other clubs.
Im also concerned that we havnt bought anyone to replace the 5 big guns that we have lost but on the other hand Im really looking forward to seeing how things pan out next year with a bunch of young blokes.
Are we going to win the comp next year? No
Did anyone think Penrith would win 4 comps 10 years ago when Gus said he had a 5 year plan? No
The pool of players is shrinking so to survive long term the model has to change & the model of buying players is not sustainable.
Penrith & Melbourne produce all their superstars & they then buy 2 or 3 average players who in their systems play above their ability.

[King Salvo]

Only 22 signed for 2025 - rough estimate of player values - up to 8 players to add to the 30 player NRL Squad

1. Tedesco - 1.1 mill
2. Toops - 400k
3. Billy Smith - 200k
4. Toia - 135k
5. Young - 550k
6. Nawaqanitawase - 450k
7. Pauga - 150k
8. Sandon Smith - 300k
9. "Pete" Townsend - 300k
10. Walker - 500k
11. Collins - 800k
12. Leniu - 800k
13. May - 500k
14. Whytte - 200k
15. Brandon Smith - 800k
16. Tyler Moriarty - 135k
17. Nat Butcher - 400k
18. Egan Butcher - 250k
19. Wong - 250k
20. Crichton - 800k
21. Radley - 650k
22. Watson - 500k

10.150 million - less veteran and developed player allowance 300k - 9.850 mill

Salary Cap 11.400 million less 9,850 mill - 1.550 mill to spend

1.550 mill for up to 8 players @ 193,750 per player

Min Contract in 2025 is 135k

There is also a 100k motor vehicle allowance - 5 players @ 20 k each

[Bates]

Only 22 signed for 2025 - rough estimate of player values - up to 8 players to add to the 30 player NRL Squad

1. Tedesco - 1.1 mill
2. Toops - 400k
3. Billy Smith - 200k
4. Toia - 135k
5. Young - 550k
6. Nawaqanitawase - 450k
7. Pauga - 150k
8. Sandon Smith - 300k
9. "Pete" Townsend - 300k
10. Walker - 500k
11. Collins - 800k
12. Leniu - 800k
13. May - 500k
14. Whytte - 200k
15. Brandon Smith - 800k
16. Tyler Moriarty - 135k
17. Nat Butcher - 400k
18. Egan Butcher - 250k
19. Wong - 250k
20. Crichton - 800k
21. Radley - 650k
22. Watson - 500k

10.150 million - less veteran and developed player allowance 300k - 9.850 mill

Salary Cap 11.400 million less 9,850 mill - 1.550 mill to spend

1.550 mill for up to 8 players @ 193,750 per player

Min Contract in 2025 is 135k

There is also a 100k motor vehicle allowance - 5 players @ 20 k each

It's criminal that Young earns more than Toops.

[Easts75]

It's criminal that Young earns more than Toops.

Nat gets 400k for caressing the opposition

[King Salvo]

Part of the Roosters culture has been to buy established players from other clubs mainly because the Roosters had no juniors but things arent like that now.
The Rooster for a while now have been getting young boys 14 to 17 from all over the place & bringing them in to the Roosters pathways plus the Roosters have also taken over the Central Coast & started pathways for those young players.
It may be looking all doom & gloom next year & the Chooks may take a hit over the next couple of years but I believe through Robbo' philosophy that the Roosters are going to start producing a lot more players through their pathways & stop buying established first graders from other clubs.
Im also concerned that we havnt bought anyone to replace the 5 big guns that we have lost but on the other hand Im really looking forward to seeing how things pan out next year with a bunch of young blokes.
Are we going to win the comp next year? No
Did anyone think Penrith would win 4 comps 10 years ago when Gus said he had a 5 year plan? No
The pool of players is shrinking so to survive long term the model has to change & the model of buying players is not sustainable.
Penrith & Melbourne produce all their superstars & they then buy 2 or 3 average players who in their systems play above their ability.

There are two academies now one on the Central Coast and one run by the Sydney Roosters - both Male and Female players attend these

Central Coast is a growing area with over 7000 juniors currently

I would like to see the Central Coast have their own SG Ball and Tarsha Gale Cup under 19 sides as well and expand the opportunities and not decrease them

Central Coast currently have under 16's Andrew Johns Cup / Under 17's Harold Mathews Cup and Under 17's Lisa Fiaola Cup / Under 18's Laurie Daley Cup junior rep sides

Sydney Roosters currently have Under 17's Harold Mathews Cup and Under 17's Lisa Fiaola Cup / Under 19's SG Ball and Under 19's Tarsha Gale Cup junior rep sides

Senior Reps - Sydney Roosters Jersey Flegg / NSW Cup / NRL - Central Coast NSW Women's Premiership / Sydney Roosters NRLW

The bulk of your squad needs to come from your pathways with strategic purchases of players only when and if required. - The Roosters need to continue being a development club as the days of being a recruitment club should be long gone.

[King Salvo]

It's criminal that Young earns more than Toops.

63 tries in 73 NRL games is a fair strike rate. People forget Dom only started playing league at 16, so he doesn't have the same background as a lot of NRL players who started playing at 7, as well as the junior rep systems they went through and coaching and what not they would have been provided with.

Signed a 3-year-min contract with the Knights after 2 ESL games against the advice of many who told him to establish himself in the ESL first before contemplating a move to the NRL.

Only just turned 23, so his best footy is in front of him, but a pretty fair start to an NRL career.

Toops in 2 years in NYC for Parramatta played 22 games—9 tries. I know one of the Parramatta development/recruitment-retention staff at the time who said they considered Toops too tall and clumsy for NRL, so they were not fussed when he signed elsewhere—lacked pace. too easily pushed back in tackles, susceptible to grubbers and high kicks, and below average in defence, etc.

I remind him of that every time I see him

[JAF]

I agree that the next few years will probably be a “promote within” approach - something that I am really excited about.

But if a superstar becomes available and fits into our plan, then I’m sure we will be in the running to sign them up

[ism22]

> Penrith & Melbourne produce all their superstars & they then buy 2 or 3 average players who in their systems play above their ability.

There's literally no Melbourne juniors though? Melbourne are a great example of a club that buys up guys players that nobody rates and turns them into stars.

It's also a bit of a myth that all of Penrith's squad is locally grown. A core group of them grew up together in the Riff but their premiership winning squads (and I say 'squads' because they've been completely gutted) include a heap of players from outside those systems.

IMO developing raw talents is the big thing that clubs need to do. This includes a mixture of youngsters and 2nd/final-chance players. Add to this a few strategically recruited guns (e.g. Cronk/SBW... heck even guys like Fergo/Jenko) + good timing and you MIGHT win a premiership.

We've developed what... Rads, Sandon, Watson, Butcher, Whyte, Collins, Manu, Sitili (and arguably Crichton?) Guys like Latrell and Hughes are Easts juniors. Then there's guys like Toops, JWH and May who technically played elsewhere but played very few games.

I reckon our development strategy includes a solid mixture of junior development and targeted recruitment. There's always room for improvement but the fact Penrith's been so darn good doesn't mean we're shyte. It just means they're going through a golden era.

[Mickie Lane]

> Penrith & Melbourne produce all their superstars & they then buy 2 or 3 average players who in their systems play above their ability.

There's literally no Melbourne juniors though? Melbourne are a great example of a club that buys up guys players that nobody rates and turns them into stars.

It's also a bit of a myth that all of Penrith's squad is locally grown. A core group of them grew up together in the Riff but their premiership winning squads (and I say 'squads' because they've been completely gutted) include a heap of players from outside those systems.

IMO developing raw talents is the big thing that clubs need to do. This includes a mixture of youngsters and 2nd/final-chance players. Add to this a few strategically recruited guns (e.g. Cronk/SBW... heck even guys like Fergo/Jenko) + good timing and you MIGHT win a premiership.

We've developed what... Rads, Sandon, Watson, Butcher, Whyte, Collins, Manu, Sitili (and arguably Crichton?) Guys like Latrell and Hughes are Easts juniors. Then there's guys like Toops, JWH and May who technically played elsewhere but played very few games.

I reckon our development strategy includes a solid mixture of junior development and targeted recruitment. There's always room for improvement but the fact Penrith's been so darn good doesn't mean we're shyte. It just means they're going through a golden era.

I didnt realise Taree & Wellington in NZ were in the Eastern Suburbs.
I never said Melbourne produce homegrown super stars, I said they produce all their superstars meaning they dont buy established super star players from other clubs.

[King Salvo]

> Penrith & Melbourne produce all their superstars & they then buy 2 or 3 average players who in their systems play above their ability.

There's literally no Melbourne juniors though? Melbourne are a great example of a club that buys up guys players that nobody rates and turns them into stars.

It's also a bit of a myth that all of Penrith's squad is locally grown. A core group of them grew up together in the Riff but their premiership winning squads (and I say 'squads' because they've been completely gutted) include a heap of players from outside those systems.

IMO developing raw talents is the big thing that clubs need to do. This includes a mixture of youngsters and 2nd/final-chance players. Add to this a few strategically recruited guns (e.g. Cronk/SBW... heck even guys like Fergo/Jenko) + good timing and you MIGHT win a premiership.

We've developed what... Rads, Sandon, Watson, Butcher, Whyte, Collins, Manu, Sitili (and arguably Crichton?) Guys like Latrell and Hughes are Easts juniors. Then there's guys like Toops, JWH and May who technically played elsewhere but played very few games.

I reckon our development strategy includes a solid mixture of junior development and targeted recruitment. There's always room for improvement but the fact Penrith's been so darn good doesn't mean we're shyte. It just means they're going through a golden era.

A bit of a fallacy that Melbourne turns nobodies into stars though: Storm Feeder Clubs include the Sunshine Coast Falcons and Brisbane Tigers, and this year the North Sydney Bears—the former ones included the North Devils.

For an example, Munster was a junior kangaroo/Wishart played junior reps for the St George Illawarra Dragons, Papenhuyzen, Australian Schoolboys/Harold Mathews-SG Ball, and NYC for the Wests Tigers. They have others who played junior reps, including for NSW and QLD in junior reps. Junior Kiwis and even an Olympian in their current squad.

It's not a case of them signing players from a country group league or park footy and turning them into a NRL player, as the "experts" lead you to believe.

Majority of the Penrith Squads have come through their pathways - only 6 this year were not Penrith grown - Schneider/Peachey/Alamoti/Garner/Eisenhuth/Sorensen

[Swamptrout]

Is it just a case that we are waiting for 1st Nov before there are some announcements from us that we have signed xyz ?

[Bates]

63 tries in 73 NRL games is a fair strike rate. People forget Dom only started playing league at 16, so he doesn't have the same background as a lot of NRL players who started playing at 7, as well as the junior rep systems they went through and coaching and what not they would have been provided with.

Signed a 3-year-min contract with the Knights after 2 ESL games against the advice of many who told him to establish himself in the ESL first before contemplating a move to the NRL.

Only just turned 23, so his best footy is in front of him, but a pretty fair start to an NRL career.

Toops in 2 years in NYC for Parramatta played 22 games—9 tries. I know one of the Parramatta development/recruitment-retention staff at the time who said they considered Toops too tall and clumsy for NRL, so they were not fussed when he signed elsewhere—lacked pace. too easily pushed back in tackles, susceptible to grubbers and high kicks, and below average in defence, etc.

I remind him of that every time I see him

Get back to me when Young wins 3 comps, plays 265 NRL games and scores 164 tries.

Toops has been the most consistent winger in the game for a decade.

[HDTONE]

Things might change Nov 1.

Sorry but don't see EButch at 250k. Wouldn't be too fussed if he got an offer elsewhere.