DIEHARD
23-02-09, 02:03 PM
Coast juniors safe for Queensland
FEARS the Gold Coast Titans are breeding the next generation of Blues by playing their youngsters in NSW are unfounded, according to QRL boss Ross Livermore.
While concerns have been raised over the Titans turning their backs on newly established Queensland junior competitions to field their under-16 and under-18 sides south of the border, Livermore said it would have no bearing on future State of Origin eligibility.
"With eligibility for Origin, it is where you play your first senior football after turning 16," said QRL managing director Livermore.
"(The SG Ball Cup and Harold Matthews Cup) are not considered senior football, so any of those players eligible to play for Queensland or eligible to play for NSW are unaffected by their involvement."
In an interesting twist, the Titans' strong emphasis on junior development is instead likely to benefit Queensland.
Senior football is generally deemed to be open aged competition, although there are exceptions to the rule. The national high school competition, the Arrive Alive Cup, is one.
The majority of players from the Titans' Harold Matthews and SG Ball sides attend Palm Beach Currumbin high school, who are the defending Arrive Alive Cup champions.
A considerable amount of those juniors are products of the Northern Rivers.
But because they will play Arrive Alive Cup with PBC -- their first senior football -- they will be regarded as Queenslanders at Origin time.
"If they play for Palm Beach Currumbin in the Arrive Alive Cup after the age of 16, they could be classed as Queenslanders," said Livermore. "But if a kid said `look, I want to play for NSW, I only came up here for high school', we would make a common sense decision on it.
"But once they make their mind up, they can't change."
The Titans experienced mixed success in their junior ranks at the weekend, with their SG Ball side going down 40-26 to St George and winning their Harold Matthews clash with the Dragons 38-8.
Source: http://www.goldcoast.com.au
FEARS the Gold Coast Titans are breeding the next generation of Blues by playing their youngsters in NSW are unfounded, according to QRL boss Ross Livermore.
While concerns have been raised over the Titans turning their backs on newly established Queensland junior competitions to field their under-16 and under-18 sides south of the border, Livermore said it would have no bearing on future State of Origin eligibility.
"With eligibility for Origin, it is where you play your first senior football after turning 16," said QRL managing director Livermore.
"(The SG Ball Cup and Harold Matthews Cup) are not considered senior football, so any of those players eligible to play for Queensland or eligible to play for NSW are unaffected by their involvement."
In an interesting twist, the Titans' strong emphasis on junior development is instead likely to benefit Queensland.
Senior football is generally deemed to be open aged competition, although there are exceptions to the rule. The national high school competition, the Arrive Alive Cup, is one.
The majority of players from the Titans' Harold Matthews and SG Ball sides attend Palm Beach Currumbin high school, who are the defending Arrive Alive Cup champions.
A considerable amount of those juniors are products of the Northern Rivers.
But because they will play Arrive Alive Cup with PBC -- their first senior football -- they will be regarded as Queenslanders at Origin time.
"If they play for Palm Beach Currumbin in the Arrive Alive Cup after the age of 16, they could be classed as Queenslanders," said Livermore. "But if a kid said `look, I want to play for NSW, I only came up here for high school', we would make a common sense decision on it.
"But once they make their mind up, they can't change."
The Titans experienced mixed success in their junior ranks at the weekend, with their SG Ball side going down 40-26 to St George and winning their Harold Matthews clash with the Dragons 38-8.
Source: http://www.goldcoast.com.au