Andrew Johns/Laurie Daley Cups: How NRL clubs are searching for the next bush footy superstar
They’re the competitions that provide a direct pathway to the top. Find out how NRL clubs are trying to uncover the next bush footy superstars.
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Some of the best young rugby league players in regional NSW will be in action this weekend as the semi-finals of the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cup competitions kick off.
And while the players, coaches and other staff will be determined to win through to the grand final and ultimately take out the country crown, there will be no shortage of other keen onlookers, as scouts, development officers and other interested parties from NRL clubs keep an eye on proceedings in the hope of uncovering the next bush footy superstar.
A successor to the old junior country carnivals, the Johns (under-16s) and Daley (under-18s) Cups – aptly named after two rugby league legends from regional NSW – were established in 2018 after a shake-up of the junior regional representative competitions and have since developed into a crucial part of the NRL pathways system for kids from the bush.
“I reckon it’s huge,” said Cody Tickle, the coach of the Northern Tigers’ Andrew Johns Cup side, which represents an area stretching from the Hunter Valley in the south through to Tamworth, Armidale, Inverell and up to Moree.
“It definitely gives the country kids a direct pathway into the NRL development system and if they’re good enough, a direct pathway into the NRL. In the past you’d see kids moving away from home but this allows them to stay at home and develop at home in a more comfortable environment.”
Indeed, while the old junior country championships were played as a carnival once a year over the course of a weekend, the new competitions take place as five-round seasons with finals that are contested by 10 teams representing all corners of the state, from the Riverina in the south all the way to the Tweed in the north.
Although still relatively short, most involved agree that the extended season allows for more intensive training and a better opportunity for the players to develop their skills over a longer period of time.
“Instead of just a weekend away they get to train and play a lot more,” said Jack Bramley, the Johns Cup coach for the Monaro Colts, which cover an area that includes Goulburn, Yass, Canberra, the Southern Tablelands and far south coast.
Another key aspect of the revamped competition is the close ties to NRL clubs.
While scouts always had their eyes on the old country carnivals in the hope of picking up talented footballers, the 10 zones are now all officially affiliated with NRL clubs.
They include some of the more obvious connections, such as the Newcastle-Maitland Region Knights, Illawarra South Coast Dragons, Macarthur Wests Tigers, Northern Rivers Titans and Monaro Colts (Canberra Raiders), as well as other examples of NRL clubs who have gone outside of their natural nursery to help develop talent in the bush.
For example, there are the Central Coast Roosters (Sydney Roosters), Western Rams (Penrith), North Coast Bulldogs, Northern Tigers (both Canterbury Bulldogs) and Riverina Bulls (Canberra Raiders).
“Penrith are a big help in creating that pathway for the kids out this way,” said Tony Woolnough, the Western Rams’ Andrew Johns Cup coach. “They’re always poking in and having a look, whether it be a game in Sydney or in Bathurst. They’re always there.”
Penrith in particular has been lauded for its junior development efforts in recent years, not only in its own backyard but across the Central West and Orana regions of NSW, with a strong presence in places like Bathurst, Orange and Dubbo.
“Penrith come out for the induction day and provide a lot of the induction programs for the Western Rams,” said Woolnough. “They also give us tips and ideas on defence and attack.”
While certainly lifting the standard of coaching and development in these areas, the Panthers have also benefited from getting first dibs on the likes of former Western Rams Matt Burton (Dubbo), Charlie Staines (Forbes) and Jack Cole (Orange), the latter of which most recently played in the side’s World Club Challenge clash against Wigan.
There are also a string of other former Rams elsewhere in Penrith’s system, with the likes of Aston Warwick and Riley Wake, just to name a couple, currently in the Panthers’ Jersey Flegg (under-21s) squad.
But that’s just one example, with the likes of Tom Weaver (Titans), Riley Jones (Knights) and south coast twins Ryan and Toby Couchman (Dragons) having progressed from the Johns and Daley Cups to the NRL in recent years, while many more are plying their trade in the lower grades.
“I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for the boys,” said Shaun Davidson, the coaching director of the Northern Rivers Titans. “An opportunity to get noticed and into NRL systems. We’ve had so many kids go to the Knights, Bulldogs, Canberra, just to name a few, to progress and try their luck in NRL systems,” he added, noting that the likes of Weaver, Oscar Bryant and Ryan Foran are examples of those who have continued inside the Titans’ system in recent years.
“In that regard, that opportunity has been outstanding. And that’s what I think it is, it’s about creating an opportunity for these boys to see the focus they need to put on to progress to NRL systems in regards to effort, consistency and things you can control to get there.
Indeed, many of the NRL clubs involved in the competitions have integrated their regional rep sides into the broader development pathways.
Perhaps at more of an advantage, some of the regional rep sides located in the same city or close to NRL clubs – such as the Knights, Dragons, Macarthur Tigers and Monaro Colts – often see their players shifted between the grades to take part in Harold-Matthews (under-17s) and SG Ball (under-19 competitions from week to week, with the Johns (under-16s) and Daley (under-18s) age groups creating a perfectly aligned pathway.
“It’s a great program because it lets the kids who aren’t going to play Matts or Ball get some rep footy,” said Monaro coach Bramley.
It’s a sentiment Western’s Daley Cup coach Shane Rodney agrees with. As someone who played 164 games professionally for Penrith, Manly and the London Broncos, Rodney is perhaps better placed than most to assess the value of the competitions in getting talented footballers ready for the next level.
“I think it’s a pretty important competition and needs to be stable going forward because it gives kids in those age groups an opportunity to play higher level footy that they wouldn’t get if they didn’t make the system of the NRL clubs,” he said.
“It is on the off years for Harold-Matthews and SG Ball these days and that is really a stepping stone to make the transition to play one of those grades if they are lucky enough to make it.”
And while logistical factors make it difficult for some of the regional sides to have their players called up into higher grades, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t any contact between them.
In particular, the Canterbury Bulldogs have taken a leaf out of the Panthers’ book in terms of building stronger relationships with the North Coast and Greater Northern regions.
“We call them the city brothers,” said Peter Wood, the coach of the North Coast Bulldogs’ Laurie Daley Cup team. “We trialled against them before Christmas and then just before the season started.
“They have a lot of input into our training and scheduling. We’re very privileged to be able to work with some of their coaches like Mark O’Meley and Andrew Ryan. They’ve come to a few sessions and coached the boys on different things, so it’s a real privilege for the country boys to experience that and it’s actually bringing that country-city connection closer, which makes it easier for the country boys to go down there for a week camp or get invited to go down there for training or to trial.”
Indeed, North Coast Bulldogs’ halves Toby Batten and Reilly Laverty, from Nambucca Heads and Macksville, respectively, are among those who have spent time in the Canterbury system.
Playing up a year in the Laurie Daley Cup, the pair have been earmarked by Canterbury officials as players to keep an eye on and subsequently spent a portion of the pre-season in Sydney with the club’s Harold-Matts team.
They’ve been regularly going down for training camps and development games with Canterbury sides and, given that their North Coast side didn’t qualify for the Daley Cup finals, are hopeful of getting a game in the Harold-Matthews Cup competition before the end of the season.
The case of Batten and Laverty is almost a prime example of how the Johns and Daley Cups work best, with the competitions designed to help firstly uncover some of the more promising players, give them a high-quality rep game and ensure they can keep in touch with the top-class NRL pathways training without being forced to move away from home at a young age.
“It is important that these competitions do exist so that people can stay home for at least the under-16s and under-18s,” said Rodney. “Then if they’re lucky enough to get picked up by an NRL club they can play SG Ball at under-19s and leave once they finish school, rather than being taken out of home at 16 or 17 and leaving school when they’re not quite ready.”
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