If you enquire you might find that the senior Rams squad coaches had the most say in the development team selections. Eastwood average age in top grades is about 28 years and most are playing in the NRC franchise or elsewhere. Souths grade players are also scattered among other franchises and the senior team. Parramatta first grade average age bracket is about 22 years so many of them fit the development criteria.
Souths colts would have a number of players in the NSW 20's squad as they are a young colts side. It hasn't stopped Jonno Brown being selected. Cameron Orr is a good young player but isn't starting in Shute shield yet, others named are. Parramatta colts named all had Shute Shield experience this year and did manage to beat Souths in one of the colts rounds in both past seasons. There's also an Eastwood colt named in the squad. Does anyone have a problem with that? I don't. Other franchises have named colts in their development squads, makes sense.
This squad is designed to give some of the potential next Shute Shield level players a taste of what to expect and all the franchises seem to be getting it pretty right with some working as U21 and others at U23. Let's see what they've got to offer.
If you enquire you might find that the senior Rams squad coaches had the most say in the development team selections. Eastwood average age in top grades is about 28 years and most are playing in the NRC franchise or elsewhere. Souths grade players are also scattered among other franchises and the senior team. Parramatta first grade average age bracket is about 22 years so many of them fit the development criteria.
Souths colts would have a number of players in the NSW 20's squad as they are a young colts side. It hasn't stopped Jonno Brown being selected. Cameron Orr is a good young player but isn't starting in Shute shield yet, others named are. Parramatta colts named all had Shute Shield experience this year and did manage to beat Souths in one of the colts rounds in both past seasons. There's also an Eastwood colt named in the squad. Does anyone have a problem with that? I don't. Other franchises have named colts in their development squads, makes sense.
This squad is designed to give some of the potential next Shute Shield level players a taste of what to expect and all the franchises seem to be getting it pretty right with some working as U21 and others at U23. Let's see what they've got to offer.
If someone plays a couple of games in SS doesnt make them SS standard.
If the argument to put Parramatta colts in ahead of Souths colts is because Parramatta beat Souths in a comp game then in the 2nd round parramatta loose 71 to 14 means nothing?
Parramatta firsts missed the finals
Parramatta 2nds came 3rd last
Parramatta 1st colts missed the finals
Yet they get 13 out of 23 players
Ahead of players in clubs that made finals?
Clubs are probably happy to have there players resting up for next year but to say this is not a carve up is a joke and gives no credibility to a development team concept