Mathews and Ball 2024

Billy said:
It's too late now to bring Herdegan in, but if they had stuck to the original plan of having him spend some time training with the squad over the school holidays and had him coming down for games, he'd be a handy addition. I don't know much about Hunt, but he looks a good size and like he could play a number of positions.
Lozza is doing the job, but if we are going to have a crack at the title this year, it would be nice if we could use the kid we are paying to stay in Qld till next year apparently.
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It is a bonus to win or do well in these junior rep competitions. However, these are pathway competitions and the primary focus should always be to develop talent. If we could unearth 2-3 future NRL players from a given year that is a great result for the club. This current Ball side has the potential to produce double that (Votano, DeCourcey, Hunt, Linnane, Hilliar, McKewin and Hopwood).

The player that caught the eye yesterday was Wailer Whaiapu. He is from the Keebra Park High School nursery on the Gold Coast and we recruited him from the Titans Academy. He has all the attributes for a good back rower, size, speed, footwork and physicality. He was brought into the starting side yesterday for the first time and didn’t disappoint.
 
Yeah looks to be making more and more impact as he goes. Interesting to see Flegg this yr. Should be a great squad.

You are right though, premierships are great and a great sign your squad is going well, but players progressing to quality first graders is the goal.

The Sg squad is stacked truly, and when they put it together are able to dominate most teams. Most haven't had NRL pre seasons yet either bar a couple. So they'll only get better physically and mentally in seasons to come.

Hmatts probably have little less that have stood out, bar the 9 Hagan and lock O'Doherty. Lachlan Hails is the new 7 there that seems to have steadied the ship a little after inconsistent start.
 
PTB said:
This current Ball side has the potential to produce double that (Votano, DeCourcey, Hunt, Linnane, Hilliar, McKewin and Hopwood).
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Was thinking this yesterday and agree on all the names you gave, and there’s a few more who aren’t far behind if they keep developing physically. It seems like they’ve finally started prioritising looking for future first graders rather than a bunch of overachieving kids without the upside.
 
BTP said:
Yeah looks to be making more and more impact as he goes. Interesting to see Flegg this yr. Should be a great squad.

You are right though, premierships are great and a great sign your squad is going well, but players progressing to quality first graders is the goal.

The Sg squad is stacked truly, and when they put it together are able to dominate most teams. Most haven't had NRL pre seasons yet either bar a couple. So they'll only get better physically and mentally in seasons to come.

Hmatts probably have little less that have stood out, bar the 9 Hagan and lock O'Doherty. Lachlan Hails is the new 7 there that seems to have steadied the ship a little after inconsistent start.
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Agree totally.

The difference with Matt’s is that these boys are generally only 16, so they are still at school and not ready to leave home. Whereas with Ball they are generally 2 years older and can be recruited to relocate immediately.

In the Matt’s Hagan and Hails are from Denman and Scone, which would be the extent of distance from Newcastle.
 
For whatever reason, young guys who take part in really successful campaigns in the juniors are far more likely to make the decision to put in the work to become an NRL player.
Some years we'll get 0 NRL players and other years we'll get 10 or more - like the 2006 flegg side etc.
My opinion is that kids who have the fabulous experience of being part of a team that carries all before them want to spend their lives trying to do that again, and guys who are outstanding players in dud sides think being a plumber might be a better way to make a living.
In short, most guys who go on with it come from junior sides that go all the way.
 
Just on a lighter note at Kurri yesterday Geoff Toovey was on the support staff for Manly. He came and stood near me eating a pie at one stage and then just started blowing up because the Ref was inconsistent in his 10 metres. He then moved down closer to the game and followed the Kinghts defensive line down the field to make sure all players were onside for each play. I felt like saying to him “do we need any enquiry”.
 
PTB said:
Just on a lighter note at Kurri yesterday Geoff Toovey was on the support staff for Manly. He came and stood near me eating a pie at one stage and then just started blowing up because the Ref was inconsistent in his 10 metres. He then moved down closer to the game and followed the Kinghts defensive line down the field to make sure all players were onside for each play. I felt like saying to him “do we need any enquiry”.
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"There's got to be a investigation, somebody's gotta be accountable for this"
 
PTB said:
It is a bonus to win or do well in these junior rep competitions. However, these are pathway competitions and the primary focus should always be to develop talent. If we could unearth 2-3 future NRL players from a given year that is a great result for the club. This current Ball side has the potential to produce double that (Votano, DeCourcey, Hunt, Linnane, Hilliar, McKewin and Hopwood).

The player that caught the eye yesterday was Wailer Whaiapu. He is from the Keebra Park High School nursery on the Gold Coast and we recruited him from the Titans Academy. He has all the attributes for a good back rower, size, speed, footwork and physicality. He was brought into the starting side yesterday for the first time and didn’t disappoint.
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I think he was captain of Keebra Park, they dont let too many players like that go. Theres a photo of him next to Reece Walsh when the Broncos were courting him & he towers over Walsh (probably not that hard to do but still a beast of a kid!).
 
Bit of a weird stat for our Tarsha Gale game next week.
We play Saints.
They have played 4 games and lost 4 games - all with 0 points scoreline.
Their current for and against is - For 0 - Against 190 - minus 190.
And the weirdest part - because they have had a bye and Souths have lost 5 from 5, Saints are only coming second last.
 
Lot's of good work by Hunt in that game. He needs to work on his defence a bit though, but that's not uncommon in Ball.
 
Just looked into it and Zac Herdegen has been playing for Redcliffe in the u/18’s comp in QLD. Flying a 17/18 year old in and out every weekend always seemed a bit much for SG Ball, especially for a halfback not being able to train with the team at all.
 
1st game of the day is Lisa F cup (under 16 girls)
9th placed Knights v 13th (last) placed Dragons.
Knights had their first win last week and have a positive for and against despite a 1/3 record.
Dragons are 0/4 and have scored 1 try for 4 points and have had 180 scored against them.
Knights will have to win all their remaining games and score a big win this week to keep their finals hopes alive.
 
22 - 4 halftime
  • Breanna Rawlins 3'
  • Stevie Botham 7'
  • Taylah-Jane Belcher 13'
  • Macey Cox 20'
  • Taylah-Jane Belcher 29'
 
28 - 4 after 33
  • Breanna Rawlins 3'
  • Stevie Botham 7'
  • Taylah-Jane Belcher 13'
  • Macey Cox 20'
  • Taylah-Jane Belcher 29'
  • Maronay Smuts 32'
 
32 - 4 - 23 minutes to go
  • Breanna Rawlins 3'
  • Stevie Botham 7'
  • Taylah-Jane Belcher 13'
  • Macey Cox 20'
  • Taylah-Jane Belcher 29'
  • Maronay Smuts 32'
  • Evie Purukamu 35'
 
36 - 4 - 18 minutes to go
  • Breanna Rawlins 3'
  • Stevie Botham 7'
  • Taylah-Jane Belcher 13'
  • Macey Cox 20'
  • Taylah-Jane Belcher 29'
  • Maronay Smuts 32'
  • Evie Purukamu 35'
  • Stevie Botham 41'
 
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