Ban Teenagers from NRL

[Flutterby]

OK, I don't often agree with Ricky Stuart, but I think what he is saying here has a lot of merit

The time has come for our young stars to become people before footballers. And it is my belief we should ban players from the NRL until they are ineligible for Toyota Cup.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 66,00.html

I particularly agree that:

One of the offshoots of so many young players together is that many have egos out of control. But who's around to tell them?

In the days of an under-23s competition, which ran into reserve grade and first grade, young kids were exposed to a lot of mature heads around them. Those people, their team-mates, have greatest control over them and provide the boundaries on their behaviour.

 

[Coxy]

I can see what Ricky's saying, and there's some merit in it. But I just can't see it being workable to keep kids out of the NRL until they're 21.

The biggest problem I think is kids who get taken from their local community (country or whatever) and move to the big city and get put in a share house with a bunch of other kids at the same developmental stage with not enough adult supervision/family grounding.

Obviously they can't relocate entire families, as the parents have lives back where they come from, but I think clubs should look at billeting young players with well adjusted local families, if not even families of the football club staff or older players.

Imagine, if you were living with Steve Price and his family, you wouldn't be putting a foot wrong would you?

But stick a bunch of 17-18 year olds from the bush together in a house near Sydney or Brisbane, with lots of disposable income and time...what's the result going to be?

 

[Black Philip]

If you restrict young fellas from playing in the NRL until they are 21, they are gonna defect to other codes to chase coin IMO. I know what Stuart is trying to say but keeping them from playing until they are NYC age is not smart.

 

[m1c]

Mind you they do it in America.. It has merit. It would also dramatically increase interest in the u20s comp which IMO could only be a good thing.

 

[Anonymous person]

But stick a bunch of 17-18 year olds from the bush together in a house near Sydney or Brisbane, with lots of disposable income and time...what's the result going to be?

an alleged rape in a disabled toilet, amirite?

 

[Charmamba]

i think we are passed that its been over 1yr there comes a time to leave it rest.


On topic thou i really hope they dont consider this option as said above, We will have to many players joining other codes or going to the ESL. Imagine if Izzy was forced to stay in U20's and showed the talent he has. ESL here he comes.

 

[Je$ter]

It has a lot of merit, considering that the NFL and NBA both have age restrictions in a way - in NFL must be a junior in college before you can get drafted and NBA a college freshman.

 

[Ari Gold]

It has a lot of merit, considering that the NFL and NBA both have age restrictions in a way - in NFL must be a junior in college before you can get drafted and NBA a college freshman.

But the NBA and NFL are the pinnacle. Okay, so Basketball has a presence in Europe, but could you really see Blake Griffin or Greg Oden going to play over there just because of an age limit. As for the NFL, it's basically the only Gridiron league worth mentioning. They can afford such a rule because they have no competition. The NRL has too much competition. This rule would not only be suicide, but it reeks of communism.

 

[dukey]

I'm in favour of it, but at the same time I see the problems it would create regarding defections to other codes.
My counter proposal: by the age of 22, every NRL player must have completed an apprenticeship, degree, diploma, etc. The work/study involved will take up a lot of their free time, keeping them out of trouble, and if their career does go down the toilet due to injury etc they have something to fall back on, much like the players in the NFL/NBA.

 

[Twiztid]

[quote="Je$ter":wb3imjyc]It has a lot of merit, considering that the NFL and NBA both have age restrictions in a way - in NFL must be a junior in college before you can get drafted and NBA a college freshman.

But the NBA and NFL are the pinnacle. Okay, so Basketball has a presence in Europe, but could you really see Blake Griffin or Greg Oden going to play over there just because of an age limit. As for the NFL, it's basically the only Gridiron league worth mentioning. They can afford such a rule because they have no competition. The NRL has too much competition. This rule would not only be suicide, but it reeks of communism.[/quote:wb3imjyc]
IMO going to college in America is actually built into the culture. Where as in Australia we are very open to the idea, that if you want to go, you go and if you don't, you don't.

Plus with that being said. For an athlete who wishes to play in the NFL and NBA they need to go through a college to get noticed. Rarely would someone be noticed outside of this area without being extremely gifted and lucky.

The NYC is using a similar program to the above in a way. That these kids are not allowed to play in the NYC unless they are enrolled and attending school/tafe/university, undergoing an apprenticeship or traineeship or working full time/part time with study. Please be aware I am not sure of all the in's and out's of the rulings of the NYC but that is a broad understanding of it.

Hopefully in 5 years time, the only players in the NRL are the ones who have come through the NYC program. This hopefully will give them the understanding that being an the NRL is not a right, it is a privilege.

 

[Anonymous person]

the problem with comparing it to college in the US is that if youre outstanding at your sport, you basically get a free ride through college because college sport is so important to the schools.

you dont get a free ride through uni just cause you can play football.

 

[Flutterby]

you dont get a free ride through uni just cause you can play football.

Wanna bet? Granted it's not as big a deal as in the US but most unis here do have sports scholarships

 

[Anonymous person]

the sports scholarships dont just pass you because you can play the sport though, they just pay for your fees. in america if you are great at gridiron or basketball, they make you pass.

 

[Charmamba]

is this based on what youve seen in movies or someone you know?

 

[ningnangnong]

Bobby Boucher.

 

[Anonymous person]

it happens. college football is bigger than the NFL in the states. half those guys probably cant even spell their name yet they somehow finish college?

 

[Coxy]

it happens. college football is bigger than the NFL in the states. half those guys probably cant even spell their name yet they somehow finish college?

Since you've been over there recently I guess you're in a position to judge that, but surely you don't include the superbowl in that! That'd be America's biggest sporting event by far, surely.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

single event yes, but college footy is crazy over there. my mate has a cousin that lives on the east coast, but still buys season tickets to his home college back on the west coast each year, just to support them, its insane