Please keep trying the young blokes – that would be my plea to all the NRL coaches.
I’m not going to mention names because there has been too many super talented, never-seen-before players, doing their best for all the clubs during this preseason contest.
Sure, maybe their inexperience has occasionally caused their coaches a few deep breaths, but I’ll tell you what, one thing is for sure.
The NRL will never be short of talent, I don’t care how many expansion clubs are brought into the fold.
The roots of rugby league began because hard-working men, who had been playing rugby union, were prepared to take on a new game.
And with that new game came an element of risk – if they didn’t win, they never got paid.
There was no comfort factored into the equation – see a chance and go for it.
The game has gone through many trials and tribulations since the 13-man code first put itself up for public examination.
But, and it is a big but, there has never been a shortage of great young players putting their hands up and saying, “pick me”.
The new breed of modern-day coach in the NRL however is probably more conservative than their predecessors.
So in other words, many of the super exciting youngsters we have been watching over the last couple of weeks, will stay in the garage this season, only to be brought out when the older models have too many miles on the clock.
Only trouble is, by then it might be too late.


