Clubs Circle for 13 Year Olds' Signature

[Kimlo]

Is this kid the next Izzy?

The Minto Cobras juniors reckon they've unearthed another budding NRL superstar in young teen sensation Raui Poaru.

The 11-team junior club in Sydney's western suburbs, which boasts 160 players and developed rugby league's hottest young star, is convinced Poaru can follow in Israel Folau's footsteps.

"This kid is definitely not your average player, trust me," Cobras president Wayne Potts told AAP when asked to rate the club's "next big thing".

"He's bigger and faster than `Izzy' at the same age and he cleans kids up in defence. He's got the world at his feet."

Potts said talent scouts from NRL clubs were heading to Liverpool on Saturday to watch Poaru play against the All Saints at Hillier Oval.

The Cobras have produced a several representative players apart from Folau - the youngest player to pull on an Australian jumper.

Hooker John Skandalis, the McGuinness brothers - Ken and Kevin - and the Paea boys - Eddie, Mickey and Lopini, who all turned out for Tonga in last year's World Cup - played their junior football for the Minto Cobras.

NRL clubs headed by the Bulldogs are not the only ones interested in Poaru, who is set to be the centre of a tug-of-war with rugby union scouts looking for fresh new talent also circling the exciting 13-year-old.

Having already let one Folau slip through their fingers, Wests Tigers could also be expected to join the fight for his signature.

A promising athlete who shines in both the 200m and triple jump, Poaru has a scholarship to attend Westfield Sports High where Folau and Parramatta teammates Jarryd Hayne and Feliti Mateo studied and played before making their marks in rugby league.

Like Folau, who's christian name is really Isileli not Israel, Poaru's birth name is Joakim but he prefers to be called Raui.

Folau put the spotlight on his junior club after scoring a club-record-equalling four tries last weekend, recalling he'd once crossed eight times in a match for the Cobras as a 12 year-old.

Potts, who's been president of the club for 18 years, said the lanky, skinny kid who walked into the Townson Oval ground several years ago was always going to be something special.

"His coach Gary Theoald always knew he was going to be a star," said Potts.

"He was pretty quick, played in the centres and scored lots and lots of tries.

"Now we've got another kid just like him.

"He's a similar style - tall, big with lightning speed and a good defender and he also plays in the centres.

"He'll be the next kid to go through to the NRL."

Poaru, one of six children whose elder brother, Junior, plays for Cairns in the FOGS Cup in Queensland, has already played representative rugby league and been selected in the NSW rugby union schoolboys side.

"League and rugby union both want him but he likes league," said Potts.

"His father, Terepo, is rugby league big time, so that may influence him when the time comes."

With Folau blazing the trail, the sky could be the limit for the latest Minto Cobra.

http://rugbyleaguelive.com/Articles/5098/2009/05/19/Is_this_kid_the_next_Izzy.aspx

 

[Kimlo]

Anyone else think it's ridiculous the media are now hyping 13 year old kids and comparing them to Folau?
lol, Idris is the next folau, this kid is the next Folau, we'll have 80 Folau's running around in a few years.

 

[spoonbled]

we'll sign him, make him a superstar, then he can go to souths

 

[Nashy]

He's bigger and better than Izzy was at 13. Who gives a rats, that doesn't mean he's going to be bigger and better than Izzy by the time he makes it to NRL. If he makes it to NRL.

 

[OXY-351]

we'll sign him, make him a superstar, then he can go to the bulldogs

fixed

 

[winnie_992]

I feel sorry for the kid. Players at 17, 18 find it difficult to deal with the pressure of being told there going to be superstars, imgaine being 13 and told you are the next Folau. Im sure the kid has telent but his body will barely have bgeun growing at 13 and he has people saying he's bigger and fatser than Izzy, its just ridiculous.

 

[rissi_gurl]

Titans signed a 13 year old about 6 weeks ago just because they didnt want anyone else getting there hands on him... IMO thats way to young... let the kid grow up!

 

[spoonbled]

normally the 1's that are big now dont grow as much and every1 else catches up.

 

[Abe The Cop]

Way too young. Remember the Eels young bloke that was on the footy show, Barney something.

 

[Jeba]

Can someone please inform me of how the hell a club in Sydney's western suburbs knows how big and fast Izzy was at the age of 13?

 

[Playboy Bunny]

All I have to say is...

Awwww I think he looks cute!!

 

[Flutterby]

I am shaking my head at this. IMO it is completely wrong for anyone to be trying to sign a 13 year old. They will sign him up, take him to camps, immerse him in the sport to 'develop his talent' blah blah blah and he'll be sick of the sport by the time he's 18, succumb to pressure and fail to live up to the hype. In the meantime he will have put his eggs all in one basket and have little to nothing to fall back on. Seriously let kids be kids.

 

[broncosil]

I am shaking my head at this. IMO it is completely wrong for anyone to be trying to sign a 13 year old. They will sign him up, take him to camps, immerse him in the sport to 'develop his talent' blah blah blah and he'll be sick of the sport by the time he's 18, succumb to pressure and fail to live up to the hype. In the meantime he will have put his eggs all in one basket and have little to nothing to fall back on. Seriously let kids be kids.

+1

 

[Je$ter]

Plenty of clubs have signed 13 year-olds. The Broncos do it a bit, albeit mostly on scholarships.

However, I am willing to bet in 10 years time this kid will be a nobody in the rugby league world. Taht many people have come and gone who were touted 'the next Meninga' 'better than Lockyer at the same age' and nothing has come of it, too much pressure, too many variables.

 

[The Brizz]

Leo Messi (currently the world's best footballer as heralded by most of the football watching world) was 11 I think when Barcelona signed him up from Argentina and bought his family to live in Catalan. They got the family a house and help them get jobs while Leo developed in the youth system. He now makes 100 thousand euro or more a week and the club makes a huge return on him in terms of marketing and performances. What I am saying is if you don't go for the 11 year old prodigy someone else will and he will come to bite you on the arse if/when he develops either on the field or off it.

 

[Kimlo]

Leo Messi (currently the world's best footballer as heralded by most of the football watching world) was 11 I think when Barcelona signed him up from Argentina and bought his family to live in Catalan. They got the family a house and help them get jobs while Leo developed in the youth system. He now makes 100 thousand euro or more a week and the club makes a huge return on him in terms of marketing and performances. What I am saying is if you don't go for the 11 year old prodigy someone else will and he will come to bite you on the arse if/when he develops either on the field or off it.

WTF 100, thousand euro PER WEEK? omg, I want to be Leo Messi for just one week [icon_ee !

 

[ddd]

Leo Messi (currently the world's best footballer as heralded by most of the football watching world) was 11 I think when Barcelona signed him up from Argentina and bought his family to live in Catalan. They got the family a house and help them get jobs while Leo developed in the youth system. He now makes 100 thousand euro or more a week and the club makes a huge return on him in terms of marketing and performances. What I am saying is if you don't go for the 11 year old prodigy someone else will and he will come to bite you on the arse if/when he develops either on the field or off it.

As tasteless as it seems putting that sort of pressure on a 13 year old, if one club doesn't another will, and if one code doesn't, another will. This will continue unless some sort of age ban is imposed in all sports throughout Australia. This does also have it's positives, it has meant some gifted youngsters have had better educations then they may have had otherwise.

 

[OXY-351]

What I am saying is if you don't go for the 11 year old prodigy someone else will and he will come to bite you on the arse if/when he develops either on the field or off it.

For every story like that, I'm sure there are countless more where the young kid never succeeded