Storm pick up 4 more QLD'ers

[Super Cronk]

MELBOURNE'S recruitment net has snared four Queensland country teenagers.

Storm general - manager of football operations Peter O'Sullivan said Queensland country continued to be an excellent breeding ground for the club, following the acquisition of Hughenden centre Justin O'Neill, Bundaberg five-eighth Ryan Gilbert and Yeppoon pair Sam McPhail and Cameron Steele.

O'Sullivan described O'Neill, a boarder at Townsville Grammar School, as a "big, tall centre in the Greg Inglis mould."

Yeppoon pair McPhail and Steele were keeping the Storm interested.

"McPhail is going to grow. At the moment he is a big, raw kid," O'Sullivan said.

"Cameron Steele is a centre who is athletic — a flying machine."

Sixteen year-old Gilbert equally excited O'Sullivan.

"He is just the package — a big, strapping kid who is skilful and kicks goals."

QRL Wide Bay division executive officer John Bignell said Gilbert and Kurt Thomson, a centre-fullback, were the brightest juniors in Bundaberg.

Thomson is also attracting interest from the Storm and Parramatta.

Bignell said Gilbert was starting to blossom.

O'Sullivan said the role Queensland Wizard Cup plays in encouraging juniors to play rugby league in Queensland country cannot be underestimated.

melbournestorm.com.au

[simo]

Excellent, sounds promising.

[Thunderstruck]

We'll find out in 3-4 years.

[simo]

They should arrive right on time as good backup backs by then to.

[MONY]

did these guys play for any of the big school teams in arrive alive cup. Keebra Park, Wavell Etc

anyone know

[Surandy]

I wish the Storm would look closer to home rather than allowing the Victorian talent to get picked off by teams like the Knights and the Tigers.

[MONY]

Victoria doesnt have much talent at the moment. Thats why they dont want to get players from there. Simple.

[Thunderstruck]

Which is why Newcastle and Wests Tigers have signed two Victorians from our local competitions.

[MONY]

yep. and im sure these players are really really good

[Thunderstruck]

hey, they recognized talent where the storm didn't. We won't know for 3-4 years as those are only teenagers atm.

[MONY]

i understand Surandy's point but to be honest there is not much talent in Victoria YET. Untill the Victorian league can truly take off then the Storm have to look at QLD and NSW. Its just the same as if Adelaide came back. It would take a long time for the junior talent to come through and so they would have to recruit juniors from other states.

[Thunderstruck]

Whether there's much talent or not, that's not the point.

As a matter of fact, the Storm does have at least one Victorian in their Norths Devils system, his name is Abraham Sila (lock) from Braybrook. He was picked in the 2002 AIS squad and has been in the Mixwell Cup squad for a few years. Also in the Queensland Rangers squad this year alongside Devils teammates Phil Wuersching and Chad Leach.

[MONY]

what im saying is the storm would rather look elsewhere for talent which is considered to be better than what they can find in Victoria. I wish they would develop their own players too but at the moment great players in Vic are very rare.

[simo]

THundersruck, that banner you have is awesome.

[TC]

THundersruck, that banner you have is awesome.

Maybe we should start a competition to guess who's body he's stuck Mick Crockers head onto