The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
Think they serve a strong purpose as long as they are controlled centrally IMO. The current system which is akin to older methods is producing talent. You feed into relevant State body like Gen Blue U16s, U18s, U20s. The Rebels are showing great signs with some very good home-grown talent coming through, especially in the forwards. My only concern does become kids that miss the U16s falling away potentially. Especially in Tight 5 positions where physical development at 16 can be very different to what a young man looks like at 22-23 when they seem to come into their own in those positions. This is an outlier thing to happen and I full faith the Brumbies will pick them up from Shute Shield and make them a 50 Test Wallaby...
If we are to compete with the NRL for talent there is also a fantastic aspect of having them involved in the professional team's facility, gear & coaching. There is a vanity appeal to this that is a real factor as silly as it sounds.
These academies also only work if everyone is playing nice with each other. I'm not fully across it so I would like someone else to elaborate further but in QLD the GPS comp or a number of the schools don't let players go into the QLD Schools or U18s....? Unnecessary roadblocks are not what we need in Rugby.
If we are to compete with the NRL for talent there is also a fantastic aspect of having them involved in the professional team's facility, gear & coaching. There is a vanity appeal to this that is a real factor as silly as it sounds.
These academies also only work if everyone is playing nice with each other. I'm not fully across it so I would like someone else to elaborate further but in QLD the GPS comp or a number of the schools don't let players go into the QLD Schools or U18s....? Unnecessary roadblocks are not what we need in Rugby.