My Local Club

[ningnangnong]

FORMER Valentine-Eleebana junior rugby league club secretary Gary Payne reckons there is something special in the water at Croudace Bay.

Statistics support his suggestion that the fertile nursery nestled on the north-east shores of Lake Macquarie is the breeding ground of champions.

Including the National Rugby League decider between the Storm and Eels in Sydney on Sunday, 15 Red Devils juniors will have played in eight of the past 13 grand finals, stretching back to Paul Harragon and Adam Muir in Newcastle's epic victory over Manly in 1997.

That record includes five members from the same Valentine-Eleebana junior teams of the early '90s.

Parramatta's Luke Burt and Melbourne's Brett Finch starred in those all-conquering Devils sides. Their teammates included Josh Perry, Clint Newton and Daniel Abraham.

Perry won grand finals with the Knights in 2001 and Manly last year, Abraham played in Newcastle's victory over the Eels in 2001, and Newton was a member of Melbourne's premiership-winning team two years ago.

Finch (Roosters 2003 and 2004) and Burt (Eels 2001) have already played in losing grand final teams but one of them is four days away from becoming the fourth member of that same Valentine junior team to wear an NRL premiers' ring.

Had the Bulldogs beaten the Eels last Friday and qualified in Parramatta's place, Brett Kimmorley and Michael Ennis would have flown the Devils' flag in the decider as they and Perry did for NSW in the third State of Origin game this year.

"I think you can safely say that is unique, to have that many players not just from the same junior club but from the same junior team go on and play in a grand final," league historian and statistician David Middleton said.

Mr Middleton believes the only club to rival the Devils' representation in recent memory would be Canterbury junior club St Christopher's Panania, which has produced eight grand finalists dating back to 1994.

"They have been quite prolific for a Sydney club but I don't think there's been that many that have produced multiple players that have played in grand finals," he said.

Finch and Burt, both 28, were teammates at Parramatta for the past two years and the first four games this season but Finch, who did not figure in Eels coach Daniel Anderson's plans, was granted a release and went to Melbourne.

"It's been fabulous to see them all develop and come through to these heights, playing grand finals and seeing players like Mick Ennis play Origin this year," Mr Payne said.

From under-11s to under-15s, the Devils teams including Burt, Finch and company played in five straight grand finals and won four, missing out as under-14s to Wests.

Their coaches included injured Storm and former Knights winger Anthony Quinn's father Richard, Burt's father Dave and older brother Matthew.

"Daniel always stood out, and Luke and Finchy. I thought those three might kick on," Dave Burt said. "Josh was a winger when he first came to Valentine and moved into the forwards as he got older. Clint was really small when he was young but now he's a man mountain."

Knights coach Rick Stone is the Valentine-Eleebana club's coaching co-ordinator and his sons Ben and Sam play for the Devils.

Club treasurer Neil Marshall said the Devils encouraged all players and tried to get the whole family involved.

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... 36505.aspx

Used to play there back in the day. :mrgreen:

Literally two minutes up the road from me, great to see they're getting some recognition. It's a fantastic club, some cracking players have come from there.

 

[The Brizz]

I carved there for a while before the sex and drugs took hold of my career.

 

[ningnangnong]

This thread is going along swimmingly.

 

[Ari Gold]

FORMER Valentine-Eleebana junior rugby league club secretary Gary Payne reckons there is something special in the water at Croudace Bay.

So there's something funny in the water in Newcastle? Hardly a revelation is it?

 

[Nashy]

Wow. That was a terrible joke.

Ning, when you making your debut?

 

[Coxy]

Wow. That was a terrible joke.

Which one? There's been a few in this thread. Lot of last minute campaigns for "funniest poster"...though more likely to attract votes for "most annoying".

 

[ningnangnong]

Ning, when you making your debut?

I made my debut in 2003 after playing Union for five years. Scored a match winning try in my second game for Valo and then broke my ankle that season playing for my school.

Needless to say, the team went undefeated and won the comp. [icon_lol1.

I'm sure some NRL talent scouts will be knocking on my door at any moment.