Great Article by Gus

[Johnny Tobin]

for those who think he hates our club-

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/it-...20-p51frr.html
It's player development, not cash, that keeps Roosters on top

By Phil Gould

April 20, 2019 — 4.22pm

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Normal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text size The Good Friday clash between heavyweights the Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm was an outstanding game of rugby league.

The match was highlighted by so many great moments. There were 40 points scored in the first 52 minutes. There were no points scored in the final 28 minutes as these two masterfully coached teams schemed their way to try and break the 20-20 deadlock.

In the end, it took a towering golden point field goal from the Roosters' Latrell Mitchell to decide it.
The power of one: Latrell Mitchell (centre) is mobbed by teammates after the final play.CREDIT:AAP
A draw would’ve been a more fitting result. However, if no extra time period was played, we would’ve been denied that magical moment from Mitchell, a drop goal that will live long in our memories.
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I suppose if any team can afford the loss it’s Melbourne. It’s also fair to say our game can always benefit from the wonderful theatre created by magical moments like these.

As I left the ground I listened to the friendly banter between rival fans. Nothing sinister; just friendly ribbing with plenty of mutual respect for each other’s team. They know they will meet again come September.

Among the exchanges, though, were the age-old accusations that the Roosters buy their premierships by poaching representative-class players from rival clubs. This is one of the great myths of our game and these comments always grate on the Roosters faithful.
Another one off the production line: Nat Butcher takes on the Storm on Friday.CREDIT:AAP
What is rarely highlighted is that in the past 20 seasons the Roosters have become one the leading developers of young talent in the game.

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Friday night's win, in particular, emphasised this. Before I explain, let’s have a history lesson.

Roosters' 2002 premiership

Of the 17 players in that premiership-winning team, nine (Shannon Hegarty, Anthony Minichiello, Simon Bonetti, Peter Cusack, Luke Ricketson, Bryan Fletcher, Andrew Lomu, Chris Flannery and Michael Crocker) made their NRL debuts with the Roosters.

Roosters' 2013 premiership

Of the 17 players in that premiership team, 10 (Anthony Minichiello, Daniel Tupou, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Mitchell Pearce, Aidan Guerra, Boyd Cordner, Jake Friend, Frank-Paul Nuuausala and Mitchell Aubusson) made their NRL debuts with the Roosters, while Jared Waerea-Hargreaves played just 6 matches for Manly in 2009 before joining the Club.

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Glory days: The Roosters, boasting a host of locally developed talent, take out last year's title.CREDIT:AAP
Roosters' 2018 premiership

Of the 17 players in that premiership team, 10 (Tupou, Mitchell, Joseph Manu, Friend, Cordner, Aubusson, Victor Radley, Isaac Liu, Dylan Napa and Ryan Matterson) made their NRL debuts with the Roosters, while two others (Sio Siua Taukeiaho and Waerea-Hargreaves) played just seven NRL matches prior to joining.

The Roosters went into Friday night's clash with the Storm missing six internationals (Taukeiaho, Liu, Manu, Friend, Brett Morris and Ryan Hall) and then lost a seventh (Luke Keary) during the match. The premiers had just nine of their grand final team in action, while the Storm had 14. The Roosters bench contained four players aged 21 or younger, with a total of just 19 matches between them. Three players (Sitili Tupouniua, Sam Verrills and Josh Curran) had played a total of 14 minutes in the NRL prior to Friday night.

The Roosters have now used 24 players in the first six rounds and are yet to give a debut their big off-season signing, Hall, the 38-cap England winger.

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Eleven of the Roosters team on Friday night made their NRL debuts with the tricolours.

Radley, Tupouniua, Nat Butcher, Poasa Faamausili (who has played four matches for the Roosters this season after making his debut last season) and the suspended Manu were all members of the Roosters' 2016 NYC premiership team. Two others (Paul Momirovski and Grant Garvey) made their NRL debuts at the Roosters from that premiership side.

Tupouniua, a junior Kiwi representative, who joined the Roosters for that 2016 NYC season, is destined to be a long-term NRL player and his superb tackle-busting run in golden point was crucial in giving the Roosters the required field position for Mitchell to kick that winning field goal.

Butcher joined the Roosters when he was 17. The former Australian Schoolboy broke a myriad of records during the 2016 NYC season and played a key role in James Tedesco's try on Friday night. He made his NRL debut for the Roosters in the final match of 2016 when just 19. A player with an ability to play long minutes, he's been a star in the lower grades at the Roosters for a number of years.

Verrills, last season's Arthur Beetson medallist at the Roosters for under-20s player of the year, is in his second season at the Roosters and is still eligible to play at that level. The wily young hooker put the pressure on Brodie Croft late in normal time on Friday that prevented Croft from getting the space he needed to kick the winning field goal in regulation time.

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Curran was a schoolboys star at Patrician Brothers Blacktown. He played under-16s for NSW in 2015, under-18s in 2017, under-20s in 2018 and Australian Schoolboys in 2016. He is another that the Roosters identified at a very young age, joining the club at 17 and graduating to the senior squad this season, along with Verrills.

What sets apart players such as Tupouniua, Butcher, Verrills, Curran, Faaumasili and another Roosters 2019 debutant Lachlan Lam from so many other NRL youngsters is the football education they receive at the Roosters. Despite their young age, when they make their debut at the Roosters they are ready. They have been at the club since a young age and the development programs that they go through have them as prepared for the NRL as a youngster can possibly be.

Look through the team lists and you will find a myriad of players who were at the Roosters prior to making their NRL debut, but are now playing elsewhere. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the Roosters have had to let many of these players go, but the players will still speak highly of their early years with the Roosters. They are all in the senior squads at their current clubs: Kenny-Dowall, Guerra, Tautau Moga, Connor Watson, Pearce (Knights); Joseph Leilua, Jack Murchie, Iosia Soliola (Raiders); Ryley Jacks, Treymain Spry (Titans); Jahrome Hughes, Sandor Earl (Storm); Brad Takairangi, Kane Evans (Parramatta); Tuivasa-Sheck, Jackson Frei, Leivaha Pulu, Taane Milne, Blake Ayshford (Warriors); John Asiata, Javid Bowen, Nene Macdonald (Cowboys); Momirovski, Matterson, Esan Marsters, Luke Garner (Tigers); Rhyse Martin, Napa (Bulldogs); Sean O'Sullivan, Joe Ofahengaue (Broncos); James Tamou, Frank Winterstein (Panthers); Ethan Lowe (Souths); Brendan Elliot, Lloyd Perrett (Manly); Kurt Capewell, Braden Hamlin-Uele (Sharks).

That's 37 players, plus 19 of the 29-man Roosters squad, and it's possible I have missed a few. It's impressive, to say the least.

The Roosters have played in 11 preliminary finals in the past 21 seasons, in seven of the last 19 grand finals, won four of the past six minor premierships and won three of the past 17 titles. They do so, not by buying premierships, but by identifying and developing talent at a rate better than the rest.

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They are able to buy players such as Tedesco, Cooper Cronk, Keary, Hall and Angus Crichton because so many of their other squad members have been developed in-house. They are worthy premiership favourites again in 2019 on the back of another squad dominated by products they have developed.

[Louis N]

Gould has an astonishing knowledge of the players in the game,dont think for a minute he had to read the chookpen to get his information for that article. When Goulds dad passed away a few years ago I attended the funeral service at St Andrews in SW Sydney and Nick was amongst the mourners,they are very close. A few on here sing the praises of Uncle and at the same time deride Gould as some sort of satanic figure who was detrimental to the club and game. Well NP certainly doesn't share your POV for a very good reason,you are simply wrong.

I appreciate your informative post Insider. I don't think may of us would seriously doubt the football nous of Gus. He has been a great motivator, a father like figure to Freddy and played a wonderful role in the 90's revival of the Roosters. Yet most of that article he wrote, which is a great one for our club, has already been pointed out on this forum. He probably wouldn't need to read it here but plenty of journos check through the club forums for additional information. But it was refreshing to see him write something positive about us as his commentary often leads the other way. It's always puzzled me as to why.

[Frozen Chook]

It is clear that Phil Gould splits people down the middle about how they feel about him.

Like other posters I am thankful for his service to our club.

I have always enjoyed listening to Phil thoughts on the game in small audience events (post game talks when he was coaching) and his articles.

While there were plenty of people advocating the core message in the article on here, Phil developed the case further and took it into the mainstream media to challenge a core Roosters Myth.

When he switches into the entertainment mode, particularly when he is paired up with Ray Warren who offers so little and is painful to listen to, it doesn’t work for me though.

[Mickie Lane]

Gould has left Penrith...........

I wonder if Anthony Griffin is having a celebration drink.
The 2 Clearys run Penrith now. I dont think success will come to the Panthers whilst Cleary is the coach.

[mattyh]

he still has a great football brain, but so does robbo, gus problem is personality and ego. he may be useful as a sounding board, but nothing more imo. for what its worth he was probably correct re bennett, cleary is doing nothing and his son is overrated beyond belief, decent firstgrader but not andrew johns.

[Kentucky_Fried_Rooster]

When I saw this article a few days ago my first thought was is Gus about to leave Penrith and come back to East or possibly to the Sharks as I'm sure he lives around the Shire.
I don't think we need or want him but wouldn't be too upset to see him come home.
When he calls footy he secretly seems to love us.

[milanja]

Gould has left Penrith...........

[Smee]

we as a club owe gus a lot, pretty grim times the decade before he arrived with a player who as i recall could play a bit.

His success as a coach in the Origin arena shows he's no mug. I hate it when he goes on and on with the one point during commentary though.

[mattyh]

Posted in 2015 - Posted to the Telegraph's to Paul Crawley (from me)
(Phil Gould jumped on my band wagon shortly after)

http://www.thechookpen.com.au/vb5/fo...lary-cap/page4

100 % correct but didn't sst play 1 for the warriors ? god how bad is their recruitment letting sst go ?? haha i see canberra have picked up a good one too in nicoll-klostad from them too, absolutely the worst recruitment / retention bar rts

[Vasco]

I think someone else wrote it and Gould just did cut and paste!

Exactly.

Been happening for years. That someone else supports the tricolours.

["gaz"]

Posted in 2015 - Posted to the Telegraph's to Paul Crawley (from me)
(Phil Gould jumped on my band wagon shortly after)

http://www.thechookpen.com.au/vb5/fo...lary-cap/page4

Last week in response to the Crawley files, I posted the following comment.
It seemed to be quite a popular comment in receiving the most likes (26)
So I am glad Gus had read them and spoke up on the Roosters defence.

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Didn't see Roosters snap up Merrin/ DCE/ Foran in the last months bidding wars- this is where the salary cap goes. Roosters don't pay overs for these type of players.

Gould is now doing it at Penrith, Develop the youngsters and look for smart buys (Like Jamie Soward)

Looking at the Roosters top squad most of these players made there debuts at the Roosters. No names that the Roosters went into a bidding war for.

1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck - First Grade Debut Roosters
2. Daniel Tupou - First Grade Debut Roosters
3. Michael Jennings - Penrith discard (Contract partially paid by former club)
4. Blake Ferguson - NRL discard
5. Shaun Kenny-Dowall - First Grade Debut Roosters
6. James Maloney - ex Storm/Warriors
7. Mitchell Pearce - First Grade Debut Roosters
8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves - 2009 Manly First Grade debut - joined Roosters year after
9. Jake Friend - First Grade Debut Roosters
10. Sam Moa - Unheard of from Super League
11. Boyd Cordner - First Grade Debut Roosters
12. Aidan Guerra - First Grade Debut Roosters
13. Isaac Liu - First Grade Debut Roosters

14. Mitchell Aubusson - First Grade Debut Roosters
15. Dylan Napa - First Grade Debut Roosters
16. Kane Evans - First Grade Debut Roosters
17. Sio Siua Taukeiaho - First Grade Debut Roosters

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[wayne challis]

Gus missed Jack Hetherington at the Panthers who played NYC at the Roosters

[Insider]

Gould has an astonishing knowledge of the players in the game,dont think for a minute he had to read the chookpen to get his information for that article. When Goulds dad passed away a few years ago I attended the funeral service at St Andrews in SW Sydney and Nick was amongst the mourners,they are very close. A few on here sing the praises of Uncle and at the same time deride Gould as some sort of satanic figure who was detrimental to the club and game. Well NP certainly doesn't share your POV for a very good reason,you are simply wrong.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

Gus certainly went to a four-year-old post on here to write his article. Goes without saying.

Sarcasm alert..

[zac]

Great article from Gus and he'll always be a Roosters hero.
One of my favourite games was in, I think, 1995, last round v, I think, Norths. Gus's first year as coach. We won the game and if the Gold Coast beat somebody we would have made the semis. Their score came up near the end of the game with the Gold Coast ahead and pretty much the whole crowd was chanting: 'Gold Coast! Gold Coast!' Alas, they couldn't hold on, but the next four years were terrific.