Broncos announce $6.5million junior development in Logan City

[hammer]

"THE Brisbane Broncos have taken a giant step to locking in one of Australia's best rugby league nurseries with the establishment of a junior academy in Logan City.

Logan junior clubs have produced many current NRL stars, including Test skipper Cameron Smith, Broncos Corey Parker and Alex Glenn, Cowboy Antonio Winterstein and Raider Josh Papalli.

Brisbane chief executive Paul White has announced a major development in conjunction with the Logan City Council.

A $6.5 million development in Logan to construct football fields and junior clubhouses was announced this morning with strong links to the Broncos.

It is the first time the Broncos have had such a strong connection to a junior rugby league base and the NRL powerhouse will run the majority of their junior programs from the Waterford West location.

Previously, the Broncos ran a junior elite player academy from their Red Hill training base in Brisbane.

Now they have access to a state-of-the-art facility which the Broncos will need to outfit themselves in a partnership that opens the door to some of the best talent in Queensland.

Essentially, the Broncos now have a major connection with a section south east Queensland previously considered a stranglehold for the likes of Canberra and Melbourne.

The new site is less than 1km from Marsden State high school, one of the strongest rugby league nurseries in Queensland.

"This is massive for our club," White said.

"This will assist us to run our satellite elite player development academy."

Anyone else concerned about this obvious show of market strength? It is a shrewd business decision to invest in a rugby league rich nursery by the Broncos...but I thought that was Gold Coast Titans territory...it is a slap in the face of the Gold Coast Titans organisation.

[DIEHARD]

I think Logan was a bit of each. Maybe more Broncos through tradition but a heavy level of support to the Titans. You see alot of Titans gear around.

This both hurts and impresses me.

Me and Titus have been going on about the opportunity that is Logan for a while now.

But at least it was locked down by Rugby League, even if it was the Broncos, in impressive fashion.

The Broncos will reap rich rewards for this move.

[DavidBouveng]

Yeah mate I though wtf when I read it.

It's a great idea though, and really glad it's a league club doing it and not the AFL.

Does feel like we've had our pockets picked a bit nonetheless.

[DavidBouveng]

I wrote mine before DH had posted, but as usual he said it better.

[DIEHARD]

I wrote mine before DH had posted, but as usual he said it better.

Haha I like it when people agree with me.

Tellingly this is a partnership not just IN Logan but witht he Logan City Council.

[DIEHARD]

NRMA Insurance Broncos & Logan City Council Announce Junior High Performance Centre

The Brisbane Broncos and Logan City Council have teamed up to establish a high performance junior rugby league centre in Logan City.

The joint announcement was made today by Logan Mayor Pam Parker and Broncos CEO Paul White on the vacant site of the development (near Marsden State High School) of a sports park where the academy will operate its city-wide program.

The Logan Broncos Junior Rugby League Academy will have access to three top quality rugby league fields, space to create a purpose-built gym and fitness facility, plus suitable office space for their full-time Elite Player Development Officer and support staff.

The partnership and development are the results of months of discussions and planning between the two parties after Logan City Council first approached the Broncos with the academy concept last year.

Logan Mayor Pam Parker said she was delighted that one of Australia's most popular, successful and respected rugby league outfits also believed Logan City was an ideal location for the first full-time regional Brisbane Broncos Academy.

"Logan City is regarded by many as a rugby league nursery and this exciting partnership will only add weight to this reputation," she said.

"The likes of internationally-renowned footballers Cameron Smith, Corey Parker, Chris Sandow, Alex Glenn, Corey Norman, Darren and Jason Smith, Lote Tuqiri and Israel Folau have learned and honed their skills on the sporting fields of this city.

“So I have every confidence this partnership will develop many state, national and international players for years to come.

"Not only will it develop future champions, but it will also attract and keep youth in sport which I am a firm believer in.

"The Broncos have a sterling reputation for developing juniors, not only with skills on the paddock but also with life skills, and that is exactly what they will do here.

"The Broncos have given their commitment that they are here for the long haul and we are delighted to host this permanent junior development academy."

Senior Council and Club staff, plus members of the Broncos’ Elite Player Development Unit attended the announcement alongside Logan-linked Broncos Corey Parker and Alex Glenn.

Parker played all his junior football with the Logan Brothers Rugby League Club while Glenn has been a local Marsden resident for the last five years.

Also present were two Logan Brothers Juniors and Souths Logan Junior Representative players currently in the Broncos’ Elite Player Development Program who both attend Marsden State High School - George Fai (17 years-old, Broncos Senior Academy) and Jaydn Sua (16 years-old, Broncos Junior Academy).

“The Broncos have been active in Logan for over a decade so this announcement has really been ten years in the making,” Broncos CEO Paul White said.

“It started with the vision and heavy financial backing of CEO John Limbrick from the Greenbank RSL, which then created the Elite Player Development program in Logan - which has now made this Logan Broncos Academy a reality.

“We’ve now reached a point where former Bronco Mick Hancock - our Game and Community Development Officer in Greenbank, sees more than 10,000 kids a year.

“So this huge academy investment is a natural extension of the partnership we’ve fostered with Logan City Council who service so many of our club members and supporters.

“Not only can we keep sourcing more first grade players and rugby league youth from Logan – but now we’ll have a world class, purpose-built facility in the heart of the region to support them,” he said.

Once completed, junior league players, club players and even Broncos players will be able to grow or sharpen their fitness and skills to an elite standard with the guidance of the on-site, full-time high performance staff.

“We’re extremely grateful to the Logan City Council for providing the land and building space – so we’re more than happy to provide the elite expertise to all those aspiring Logan locals who will one day come here to learn,” Mr White said.

“I can’t wait to see the Logan Broncos Junior Rugby League Academy up in lights.”

Councillor Parker acknowledged Mr Limbrick and Mr Hancock for their vision and development of rugby league in Logan.

"I understand John's support for rugby league started with a conversation with former Broncos coach Wayne Bennett more than 10 years ago. This academy is just one of the many fruits of the seeds he sowed in that initial conversation," she said.

"And Mick is a regular and welcome visitor at many schools and sporting clubs across the city where he coaches and supports thousands of our sporting youth."

http://www.logan.qld.gov.au/about-co...ormance-centre

[DIEHARD]

CLICK TO SEE THE PLAN OF THE FACILITY

[hammer]

I am intrigued as to who had the idea first...did the Broncos approach Logan City Council or did the Logan City Council approach the Broncos? Regardless of which is correct...where were the Gold Coast Titans? This smacks of the big brother putting the little brother in its place.
I suppose money talks and the Broncos are not short of this I would imagine!

[DIEHARD]

It's a deadset shame. It would have been a strategic move not just against the Broncos but other future SEQLD NRL clubs.

We should have got a piece, even if it was like Wests Tigers and Keebra.

[DIEHARD]

I suppose money talks and the Broncos are not short of this I would imagine!

That's right. Money. And they aren't short of it. Profiting every year. They have blood on their hands. (Chargers and Crushers)

Oh look there is a profitable RL location... better not put more teams there!

[Titus]

I think Logan was a bit of each. Maybe more Broncos through tradition but a heavy level of support to the Titans. You see alot of Titans gear around.

This both hurts and impresses me.

Me and Titus have been going on about the opportunity that is Logan for a while now.

But at least it was locked down by Rugby League, even if it was the Broncos, in impressive fashion.

The Broncos will reap rich rewards for this move.

Yeah mate. We have spoken about this before. And to be perfectly honest, while I like the Broncs (soft spot since I followed them as a tacker in '88 back on Titanus), I am torn between feeling jealous and annoyed at a possible lack of initiative on our behalf.

I live and breathe Logan everyday (during my dayjob - yes! I have one) and I see the talent rise from these kids in their infancy. It truly is amazing to see. I suppose the real positive is seeing a high performance facility being constructed in such a socially diverse area. Full marks to Mayor Pam Parker and the Broncs.

But hey, I guess we have PBC High??? And the Steiner School. WTF???

[TITAN PETE]

Great to hear someone has done something to make sure juniors get nurtured in the right way & hopefully this may spur a club further down the coast to do something similar as I know a certain CEO that is very keen to have something along the same lines built here on the Coast.

[DIEHARD]

Wayne Bennett was a major driving force behind the new NRL Brisbane Broncos junior academy at Logan

A CONVERSATION between Broncos coaching great Wayne Bennett and a club sponsor in 2002 was the catalyst behind Brisbane's launch of an historic junior academy in Logan on Wednesday.

Broncos wing great and development officer Michael Hancock revealed the chat between six-time premiership winning coach Bennett and Greenbank RSL CEO John Limbrick gave rise to the club's first community development program and kick-started the alliance between Logan and Brisbane.

``It all started from that one conversation about having a stronger presence in Logan'' Hancock said.

``They worked on getting something started and I was the man chosen to oversee it. This partnership is just the next step of that conversation.''

Broncos CEO Paul White confirmed on Wednesday the academy would be based at the city's new $6 million sporting facility, which was expected to be completed by next year.

White said the academy would be staffed by fulltime Broncos development officers and be a pathway for footballers from the age of 14, including current Queensland Under 16 representative and Marsden State High School product Jaydn Sua and Logan Brothers junior George Fai.

``It will be a satellite to our existing development structure and give us access to a wonderful catchment area of junior rugby league talent,'' White said.

The development of the venue and the creation of the junior academy is the brainchild of Council Parks, Sport and Community Services Committee chairman Phil Pidgeon, who worked behind the scenes to bring the concept's to fruition.

Logan Brothers junior Corey Parker said the footprint left by the academy would bolster the club's already strong recruitment program.

``It only makes sense to be involved in this area given the amount of junior rugby league players who have come out of Logan and the amount who are at our club,'' Parker said.

Crestmead resident and Brisbane utility Alex Glenn said the move would help the club in its battle with the Gold Coast Titans over Logan.

``Hopefully it keeps the scouts (from Gold Coast) away from this community,'' Glenn said.

``There is so much talent here and a lot of clubs are picking up players from Logan so it is good that we have been able to link up with them.''

The formation of the academy draws the battle lines with the Gold Coast Titans, which sees Logan as its development ground, although White played down the rivalry.

``It isn't a case of competing with other clubs or going tit for tat but we are here to invest resources into the area and build on the work we have done in Logan over the past 10 years.''

Logan boasts the largest population of people aged between 0-15, with rugby league dominating sporting participation levels in the area.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/logan/