Having attended seminars hosted by pro coaches, their biggest gripe was having to start coaching 16/17 yr olds basic skills

Agreed. Smith is a capable journeyman halfback but out of his depth at international level but I thought we were let down in the back row. Particularly by Tomkins who did not look fit to me.

What P/Sports did during the Aussie play offs was to also screen the Holden Cup sides, the NRLs under20s competition.

It was a revelation to be honest, the quality of play was practically up to the NRL itself and the differences on view between the amateur or academy game here were immense.
At the Warriors (eventual champions) there were quite a few really exciting lads there who will be pushing for NRL spots in the not too distant future, some already gaining them.
I believe that the lad who played at F/B, for the Warriors, will be giving 'SAM' a bit of push for the F/B NRL spot soon and, that this could see Tomkins having to fit into the halves, like it or lump it. From an English POV, the sooner the better.

Back to the point of coaching. There was evident, a vast difference of approach to the playing of the game than you see from similar aged lads over here, both of flair and also structured play.
It stood out a mile that a hell of a lot of useful time and hard work, had been used in reaching the standards that these young men had at their disposal and really, we are, with our approaches to players in these categories of players, much more than miles behind.

At what ages these lads have been nurtured from I have no idea, but the time invested has clearly been put to excellent use. I hope P/Sports repeats the exercise next term, it really is well worth watching.

this obviously does not appertain to the Aussies alone as it was the Warriors that eventually came out winners, but only narrowly from a B/Bronco's side. It was frightening to watch and I doubt that the bottom half of S/L would have had a stroll against any of those under20s sides that I had the pleasure of watching.

Australian Halves over long periods of the 20 year SL have included - Daley,Gower,Johns,Fitler,Kimmorley,Lockyer,Thurston,Cronk

We have failed to produce one in the class of any of those guys over that period.Until we do it is always going to be tough for us no matter how much we can compete in the forwards.

Ring Trent Hodgkinson..........

End of Thread