Storm faith in Vic-bred talent
Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 6:43 pm
Herald Sun http://heraldsun.news.com.au/common/sto ... 88,00.htmlMELBOURNE Storm believes it has finally unearthed its first Victorian born-and-bred player.
Storm has signed rangy outside back Jarred Stack to a full-time scholarship and the club is confident that within three years he will develop into a first grade talent.
Stack, 17, will train with Storm's senior squad until Christmas, before relocating to Brisbane to link with the club's Queensland Cup feeder side, Norths Devils.
"He is a big, tall, athletic kid, and I think he has the size and aggression needed to make it," Storm recruitment manager Peter O'Sullivan said.
"He had his first hitout with the senior guys today and he ripped in and held his own."
Storm hopes Stack will be a trailblazer for rugby league in Victoria.
Kiwi international Jake Webster is the only player on the Storm roster with a Victorian birth certificate and he learned to play rugby league in Queensland.
As part of a major shake-up of the code's development program in Victoria, Storm intends to offer a scholarship position to one local player each year.
"It has obviously been a goal of the club's for some time to try and produce a locally born-and-bred first-grader," coach Craig Bellamy said.
"This is a step in the right direction. It is the first time we have signed a Melbourne kid to a scholarship and while I haven't seen much of him, our recruitment people have a fair opinion of his ability."
After finishing school this year, Stack is keen to try to make a career out of rugby league.
"I am really excited for the kid," O'Sullivan said.
"He has the backing of his family and while he had an offer from the Roosters to go and play in the SG Ball competition in Sydney, he was adamant he wanted to play for Melbourne.
"He is over the moon to be getting a shot and hopefully with the new development program we are putting into place, he will be the first of many kids coming through."
Hes from my club!