Karl, I think our code offers inadequate pathways for "good/great club players".
The principal official pathway to the professional level is via the National Talent Squad (NTS). Under this scheme "80+ players aged 15 - 18" from all around Australia are involved in intensive skill and strength & conditioning development programs. As they move out of this age range they are fed "into the Provincial Academies or Super 14 Squads, on the one hand, or into the HPU Contracted Players Squad on the other." (This information from the Reds Rugby website is slightly out of date but I could find nothing currently on the ARU website about the NTS)
So in each age cohort we have only about 20 players across Australia being fast tracked for development. It could be expected that early developers would be disproportionately represented among this group. And they flow seamlessly into the schoolboy rep teams. In 2005 "twenty-three of the 28 Australian Schoolboys squad to tour the UK and Ireland were involved in the NTS program."
What other "possible pathways" are provided for the very large number of non-NTS players with real rugby potential? As far as the ARU and the state unions are concerned virtually none.
In my opinion the only way to provide for these players is for clubs to implement their own development programs. I note from your profile, Karl, that you are a committee member of a very strong Brisbane club and that you have two boys playing junior football there. I suggest it is worth considering persuading your club to make internal development a major and ongoing priority.
Cheap shot exponents, please form an orderly queue.