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Message: [QUOTE="Big Pete, post: 2740400, member: 1899"] If memory serves that was me Morkel and the conversation was a tad different. Still, I think you're onto something here. Without ever setting foot in New Zealand, let alone examining their junior development programs, from the outside looking in it seems like an administration problem. While the National Youth Competition has benefited them greatly, I believe there's plenty of room for improvement and a lot of these players aren't learning the essentials. So what you get is these fantastic athletes, but only so-so footy players. So a lot of the better players generally come up through the Australian system. Here's the team that beat Australia last year in the ANZAC Test. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck Jason Nightingale Shaun Kenny-Dowall [B]Peta Hiku Manu Vatuvei[/B] Kieran Foran [B]Shaun Johnson[/B] Jesse Bromwich Issac Luke [B]Ben Matulino[/B] Tohu Harris Kevin Proctor [B]Simon Mannering[/B] [B]Thomas Leuluai[/B] Martin Taupau Sam Moa Greg Eastwood Bold are the players that came up through the Warriors system, the rest were generally plucked out of New Zealand in their early to mid teens and spent their formative years playing either in the Queensland or New South Wales juniors. There's even a few of them who never played any New Zealand Rugby League but happened to qualify for other reasons. Only 6/17 and let's be honest as well, as talented as Vatuvei, Johnson and Matulino are they often exhibit the tendencies that we're criticising. Soft options, style > substance, all or nothing, attack first footy. The point I'm trying to make here is that I don't know if it's the players that are necessarily to blame. I don't believe they're educated properly and NZRL doesn't have the infrastructure to compensate the needs of these players. Further, the Warriors poor history off the field has prevented them from being all they can be. Maybe I'm being too harsh or unrealistic but I'm a big believer that you've got to have great administration if you want to be a successful side. Reading Tate's book opened my eyes up to the Warriors. The picture he painted made them sound like a semi-pro team and even in contrast to the Cowboys they weren't even at the same level. If the Warriors could sort themselves out, take proper care of their players we could have a thriving market over there. Unfortunately the continue to fumble and we're left with this sleeping giant that refuses to wake up. As for RTS - I hate it whenever a team loses a player for the season. It's terrible news and it's even worse when that player is so valuable to them. In saying that, I agree with Rally Towel when he says that they have a ready made replacement in Lolohea. He's got experience back there and they looked a lot more cohesive with him there than they ever did before. I think he can really find his feet in that position before making way ala Morgan and fingers crossed RTS can develop a passing game to compensate for the speed and mobility he's sure to lose. [/QUOTE]

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