Recruiting overseas players doesn't lower the quality of local players.
It just means only the strongest local players make it. Surely playing lower quality would make it a second rate sport rather than playing better imports?

It does weaken the quality of local players though, these players would improve given more first team game time, filling the team with old or second rate Aussies is just pathetic and a sign a club has either weak or no youth development.

yes it does. If clubs dont need to bring through top quality youngsters, they wont bother. They invest less in scouting, coaching, facilities, bring in fewer players, take fewer risks and generally invest less time, money and effort into bringing through top quality youngsters, We wouldnt get the best RL players in the country, we would get the best RL players that fell into our laps.

And for a while bringing through our own players would mean the league was weaker than the NRL, but when clubs start really investing in youth, when the competition isnt who can bring through they biggest Aussie name, or who can get the most value out of an average player like Rhys Lovegrove or Ben Fisher, and becomes who can produce the most juniors of the highest quality, then we will bring through more players of a higher quality from different areas, meaning our league can be better than the NRL, our national team can be better than the Aussies and our game can become bigger, better and more sustainable

I beg to differ. Players will still be given oppertunities at clubs with more Aussies but only the better players.
Do you really think that if clubs had equally good local players, they would still bring in imports?

So average players like Ben Fisher & Rhys Lovegrove are an improvement over 2 players in the KR 18s or 20s?

Giving younger players a chance will not only improve them, but will improve the team because who's going to show more heart & effort - a local lad who's supported KR his whole life, or Willie Mason who's come over for a 150k a year pension?

Take Cas as an example; 13 players have played this year who have come through the system, would they have been given the chance to play if Cas had 10 overseas players? no and some of them look to be gems - Arundal, Milner & Walker especially.

If you are talking about the cream of the crop, then that's true. There's nothing wrong with bringing over the Vainikolo's, Renouf's, Lauitiiti's, Webb's, Lyon's and Hoffmann's of this world.

The problem is that clubs have been bringing over complete idiots from Australia, complete with an elaborately acquired EU passport, on short-term deals. Those are the players that are the issue. They aren't that much better than the players we have and they aren't here for the long haul. They're just here because it is an "easy" option.

You realize we signed Fisher to help get us promoted from NL1 where he was far, far better than any player Rovers could produce and on a par with Mark Smith as the best Hooker in the league?
And this season Rhys Lovegrove has been our best prop by some distance?


And you know for a fact that Willie Mason will not maintain his form from this season, where he has been in the top 10 for line breaks and metres made?

Like when Webster was a good Scrum Half? Fisher is below average yet he's stayed on a few years longer then he should have.



Sounds more like the rest of the props have been average if he's been KRs best.



Way to miss the point

In any other sport be it RU, Football etc signing the biggest and best players in the world is classed as being a top club no matter their nationality and yet for our sport clubs get classed as poor for signing the likes of Mason, who without a doubt is one of the best players of our generation.
Lets be honest how many of the Rovers foreign players would not make any other Super league team?
lets start with the new guys
Mason
Green (supposidly)

Older Signings
Newton
Vella
Galea
Dobson
Webster
Clinton

These guys are hardly has beens (when they signed) and have had a massive impact into taking HKR into the play offs twice once with a coveted top 4 finish.

As for the international thing Rovers in previous seasons have contributed both Fox and Briscoe to the setup which is easily forgotten.

YES!!!!!

Most clubs only have a development system BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO!!!

If they could get rid, they would quicker that you could say the Whino's are a good team!!!

The point was who's more likely to show more heart & effort, a young lad who's supported KR since he was a kid or an ageing Aussie - this can be swapped for every club just replace Mason with a high paid old Aussie.

it's more about ability than heart and effort.

So you'd rather watch a player just go through the motions not bothering than someone who trys their heart out every week?

No wonder the league is a joke when people have that attitude.

I can garantee that i have never in the last 10 years bought my pass on the basis of who is playing for Rovers never mind what nationality they are, i have also never bought one on the principle that we may have several GB/England stars of the future playing in any particular season.
I buy my pass on the basis that the guys who run out may they be White,Black,Orange or Gold, English, Scottish, PNG or Aus want to play for my team and not my country.
Should i decide to watch England that is my choice but come domestic match day i have none!!!