2026 recruitment & retention

[Cliffycomeback]

I agree until I see replacements.

Like you, I fear the club will go from one extreme to the next. I from from old and slow dinosaurs, to all younger and dumber kids in a development year.

It's a balance that is needed always.

Penrith are the best at getting the balance right. There is always lots of talk about how many players they have lost, which is fair enough when you consider how few Melbourne and the Roosters lost after premiership seasons. But it's the players they recruit that shows they are the King's of the sport right now. They are better at everything and their recruitment strategy is elite.

 

[The Wheel]

Penrith are the best at getting the balance right. There is always lots of talk about how many players they have lost, which is fair enough when you consider how few Melbourne and the Roosters lost after premiership seasons. But it's the players they recruit that shows they are the King's of the sport right now. They are better at everything and their recruitment strategy is elite.

Well we have just appointed the old roosters recruitment manager so hopefully he can bring some ‘financial’ acumen and skill to this role in the years ahead

 

[Eagles4Life]

Well we have just appointed the old roosters recruitment manager so hopefully he can bring some acumen and skill to this role in the years ahead

Hopefully, he can bring some younger Roosters (pathways players) with him @The Wheel

 

[Cliffycomeback]

Why do some people post @ before other posters names?

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Hopefully, he can bring some younger Roosters (pathways players) with him @The Wheel

The notion of filling our ranks with castoffs from a junior league (not including their ring-ins from elsewhere), that is considerably smaller than our own, is not one that I agree with.

Look at the successful Manly sides of 1976* and 1978**: both used EIGHT Manly juniors out of 15 players in each of those grand finals, to win their respective premierships. With a host of imports that were unknowns/relative unknowns when they joined Manly.

Over time, that is what Manly needs to try and get back to. Not by taking recruiting shortcuts by pillaging other junior districts. I would settle for around half the starting team being local products at some point, in the near to midterm.

The best we seem to do of late is three Urbos and young Hoppa. Or before him, Brad Parker.

*1976: Gartner, Alan Thompson, Ian Martin, Randall, Krilich and Harvey, with Thoroughgood and Willoughby off the bench

**1978: Gartner, Knight (via Wests and Balmain), A. Thompson, I. Martin, Randall, Krilich and Harvey, with Springall off the bench

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

TBH I am getting a bit concerned about the amount of NRL experience we are losing or prospectively losing next year, and not much by way of replacement currently in sight. Starting to get a bad feeling about this!

I take your point, but we are losing players who are not - to put it bluntly - winners. A refresh/reset could be exactly what we need.

 

[Eagles4Life]

The notion of filling our ranks with castoffs from a junior league (not including their ring-ins from elsewhere), that is considerably smaller than our own, is not one that I agree with.

Look at the successful Manly sides of 1976* and 1978**: both used EIGHT Manly juniors out of 15 players in each of those grand finals, to win their respective premierships. With a host of imports that were unknowns/relative unknowns when they joined Manly.

Over time, that is what Manly needs to try and get back to. Not by taking recruiting shortcuts by pillaging other junior districts. I would settle for around half the starting team being local products at some point, in the near to midterm.

The best we seem to do of late is three Urbos and young Hoppa. Or before him, Brad Parker.

*1976: Gartner, Alan Thompson, Ian Martin, Randall, Krilich and Harvey, with Thoroughgood and Willoughby off the bench

**1978: Gartner, Knight (via Wests and Balmain), A. Thompson, I. Martin, Randall, Krilich and Harvey, with Springall off the bench

I think we would all love to go back to those days @Terry Zarsoff The reality is, that's not going to happen anytime soon. I agree that over time, we absolutely need to do what you are suggesting. In the interim, we should look at contracting junior players from teams such as the Panthers (and yes the Roosters). If we don't, it will be another decade or so before we taste any real "consistent" success. Not necessarily the castoffs, but players like Phillip Lavakeiaho. Unfortunately, yet another player who slipped through our fingers. Perhaps our new ex-Roosters recruitment could play a role in identifying some others. Or we could continue our current policy of recruiting journeyman and soon to be retirees.

 

[double hoops]

Why do some people post @ before other posters names?

It alerts them to the post

 

[Disco]

Why do some people post @ before other posters names?

They get a notification that they have been mentioned

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Why do some people post @ before other posters names?

It’s “ tagging them in” so they see your comment in your notifications.

OR

For example I might want @The Wheel to see what I said to you , this will show as a notification for him.

 

[double hoops]

I take your point, but we are losing players who are not - to put it bluntly - winners. A refresh/reset could be exactly what we need.

We absolutely need a refresh. But club need to not throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I think we would all love to go back to those days @Terry Zarsoff The reality is, that's not going to happen anytime soon. I agree that over time, we absolutely need to do what you are suggesting. In the interim, we should look at contracting junior players from teams such as the Panthers (and yes the Roosters). If we don't, it will be another decade or so before we taste any real "consistent" success. Not necessarily the castoffs, but players like Phillip Lavakeiaho. Unfortunately, yet another player who slipped through our fingers. Perhaps our new ex-Roosters recruitment could play a role in identifying some others. Or we could continue our policy of recruiting journeyman and retirees.

The policy of journeymen & retirees has failed , let’s put that idea in the graveyard

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

It’s “ tagging them in” so they see your comment in your notifications.

OR

For example I might want @The Wheel to see what I said to you , this will show as a notification for him.

it's Ok Mark, it's just a way of saying Hey I'm new, and ... to prove it... see, I don't even know how everything works around here.

 

[R3]

100% , it’s almost the reason he exists for , how I wish we had him.

Manly have been fortunate to have Arko, Delmege & Bozo attract success and bring a wining culture to the club.

Nick Politis has no peers to him at the Roosters, he’s the ‘GOAT-Rooster’

 

[mave]

The Goat-Rooster

 

[Cliffycomeback]

It’s “ tagging them in” so they see your comment in your notifications.

OR

For example I might want @The Wheel to see what I said to you , this will show as a notification for him.

Oh okay. Thanks @Mark from Brisbane

 

[double hoops]

The policy of journeymen & retirees has failed , let’s put that idea in the graveyard

I don't think you scrap it all together. But you need to complement it. With great kids. And middle aged is probably 40- 60 gamers.

Start of the year I didn't think TKO would play 1 NRL game. I said he was well past it, and recruited to hide kids in Ressies. He's been amongst our best and consistently. Would he add value if we were on top of the comp. Absolutely.

But mainly having Dads army hurts. We old we slow and we lack enthusiasm. Papa at Raiders has re-found that enthusiasm being amonhst youth and a winning team.

Balance is a bit of each young and green but good, middle aged and old timers in football terms.

Our balance isn't right and we are suffering. But got too extreme the opposite way and we will also suffer.

 

[Cliffycomeback]

it's Ok Mark, it's just a way of saying Hey I'm new, and ... to prove it... see, I don't even know how everything works around here.

Hmmmm. You are a confrontational nasty guy. I'm not fooled for a second by your Ned Flanders positivity or your whole butter wouldn't melt in my mouth act mate. I have read these board for years and your methods are as ugly as they are weak. However, if you believe I am someone else then take it to the moderators. Until then you can join the other two pests on ban. Bye bye.

 

[Cliffycomeback]

it's Ok Mark, it's just a way of saying Hey I'm new, and ... to prove it... see, I don't even know how everything works around here.

Actually, I can't be bothered. Fire away with as much insinuated rubbish as you want. As I said before I am more than happy to provide both my real identification and place of work to prove who I am.

 

[Cliffy's Jockstrap]

I take your point, but we are losing players who are not - to put it bluntly - winners. A refresh/reset could be exactly what we need.

Maybe, and hopefully. The players we probably don't really expect to get back include Aloiai, Croker, Tevaga, Sipley, Lodge. Aloiai and Croker, frankly if they do come back they are crocked and will not last five games. Now none of those guys are exactly Glen Lazarus but they were doing a job for us. It is not exactly as though our reserve grade is beating at the door with compelling form. Take our Hooker worries for example: way things currently stand next year we have Simpkin and then very little back-up but hopes and wishes.