Intrust Super Cup coaches call for NRL’s under-20s competition to be scrapped

SEVERAL Intrust Super Cup clubs have echoed calls for the NRL under-20s competition to be scrapped saying it puts too much pressure on young players.

Wynnum Manly Seagulls coach Jon Buchanan. Picture: STUART QUINN

COACHES from the Intrust Super Cup have echoed calls for the NRL under-20s competition to be scrapped, saying it puts too much pressure on the game’s talented youngsters.

Wynnum Manly Seagulls coach Jon Buchanan along with Easts Tigers mentor Scott Sipple are usually rivals during the season, which starts next week, but both agree the National Youth Competition should come to an end.

Buchanan said the game should return to playing colts at a local club, followed by reserve grade, then the NRL.

“It (the end of the NYC) couldn’t come quick enough,” he said.

“I just think it puts way too much pressure on these kids, who are still so young.

“They think if they don’t get an NRL contract after that, that they haven’t made it and that’s just too much pressure to put on 18 and 19-year-olds.

“On top of that, they’re in an NRL system, rubbing shoulders with some of the legends of the game, living the lifestyle by staying in flash hotels and that sort of thing but really they haven’t made it yet. It’s just not realistic for these kids.

“At least if we went back to the colts system then reserves and Intrust Super Cup, they don’t get any unrealistic expectations and I think it’s better for their wellbeing.”

Easts Tigers coach Scott Sipple.

Tigers coach Scott Sipple said he was not a fan of the under-20s system at all.

“Some under-20s players come to our club and think they automatically deserve a spot because they were part of an NRL system and sometimes they’re just not good enough for the Intrust Super Cup either,” he said.

“Either that or they come back and think they’re washed up because they’re back here and not playing NRL but they’re still only very young.

“It’s just too much pressure to put on our younger players and I think going through colts, reserve grade, Intrust Super Cup, then NRL allows them to grow more than the under-20s system.”

The calls follow Johnathan Thurston’s recent comments that young footballers were “breaking” too easily.