2025 Premier Youth Leagues

[Hunter403]

Absolutely not, lakes should not change what they are doing, it was only a few years ago lakes were on the other end of double digits and since I was there I can tell you NO other club changed the rules for them - there was at least one game we had to continue without a goalkeeper because of the poor form of kicking him in the head after the whistle had gone, and there was no holding back then from said club.

What Wallsend should take away from this is that 4 years ago this was the position that lakes were in and now they have 13s coming through and playing in Div 1 grand finals.

While I am all for modesty in situations like this and not celebrating like wild animals when scorelines get out of hand I will also not forget how many players thought they had the right to tell my kid that he didn't deserve to play NPL because he was playing at lakes - most of the players who thought they were better and acted as such are no longer playing football 4 years later.

Should they have been put against lakes? that was probably an oversight in a club trying to rebuild. If everyone provides feedback to northern then maybe it can be looked at for next time around. But to insinuate lakes should behave differently then any other club would is ridiculous.

Ah, we got hurt so it's now our turn to dish out the hurt.

[sapdad]

Just one more thing on these terrible refs some of you are encountering.A good percentage of the time there are assessors at each game (especially with the younger referees).The refs then receive a report detailing decisions,game management,punctuality.One of the earlier reports my son got back in the day commented on his boots werent clean enough and paid attention to the angle on how he raised his flag as an assistant thats how much detail they went into.Maybe all these retired referees that think they can do a good job should apply to actually be assessors and help bring the next crop through.NNSW to their credit is doing their best,maybe some of the big mouths out there in the crowd can be more useful than calling them shit.Just a thought.Anyway I'll see you all back here later on when the inevitable abusive reply comes through.

[sapdad]

One occaision doesnt make it a standard. I'd take a reasonable club ref.

But lets get the asocciations to do their job first before we point fingers at each other. They should be trying better ways to improve this. They have done some and some arent working.

Thank you,and thats the point I'm trying to make.For every bad young ref story theres a bad old ref story.NNSW are in charge and are trying to improve things every year.I just want people to lay off the young refs and let them do their best and to be honest the majority or coaches/parents and players do exactly that.

[Justafootballdad]

I also heard that 13s was 18-0 win for Lakes over Wallsend. I did hear to that Wallsend had an 11 year old play for them in both 13s and 14s games. Didn't come off the field in either game. If true I'm not sure coaching will be the issue, just purely team doesn't have enough good players.

[Box2Box]

Not sure what happened in 15s game Buds v Edgy but that was 16-0 to edgy. Buds only lost 2-0 to southy the week before and Edgy beat Valo 4-2. Players missing for the Buds or simply a gulf in class?.

[Taffy]

Not sure what happened in 15s game Buds v Edgy but that was 16-0 to edgy. Buds only lost 2-0 to southy the week before and Edgy beat Valo 4-2. Players missing for the Buds or simply a gulf in class?.

The coach has gone around handpicking to get the best players in the region onto his team and from what I hear refused to allow the best 1-2 to go up into the 16s because they were yet to have a full team. So wouldn't surprise me if it was a combination of both missing Buds players and a gulf.

[The Hacker]

The coach has gone around handpicking to get the best players in the region onto his team and from what I hear refused to allow the best 1-2 to go up into the 16s because they were yet to have a full team. So wouldn't surprise me if it was a combination of both missing Buds players and a gulf.

2 players aren?t changing 16-0 much

[Largesse]

2 players aren?t changing 16-0 much

Surely a product of decoupling? That buds team was very good in 12s and solid in 13s including winning div 2 after being in top half before the split. But every year 3 or 4 players, arguably their best, leave to play for a Div 1 team. The result? Blowouts and scrambling to fill teams as best as possible from who is available. They'll probably build across the year, get some results, then lose their best, again.

[Taffy]

Surely a product of decoupling?

I mean this sort of stuff was happening before decoupling anyway.

[samcan]

The coach has gone around handpicking to get the best players in the region onto his team and from what I hear refused to allow the best 1-2 to go up into the 16s because they were yet to have a full team. So wouldn't surprise me if it was a combination of both missing Buds players and a gulf.

Yeah that didnt happen. Where did you get that from? 1 or 2 from community, 1 from powerhouse Weston, another from Belswans academy.
Think someone set you up.
Adamstown lost 1 of their best players to New lambton. NL have recruited well from "lower" clubs as well.

Buds need big changes to fix this.

[sapdad]

What a yawnfest, move on

I agree,besides,the problem has now been fixed it seems.Well done to everyone for a lively debate.Looking forward to no crying about refs this season now that we have all the answers.Back to the football.

[Game_over]

I spoke to a parent from the buds team, they only had 9 U15s available due to injury and illness, they have lost a number of the better players over the last 2 years to Div1 teams

[Izzy]

North Coast has lost their technical director (Greg Brown - ex Matildas coach) and numbers are considerably down this year, especially in the older age groups. I suspect the impressive results they had last year will not be repeated this year. It is amazing how many talented kids give it away when the reach the U15/U16 level. 10 hour return bus trips every second week doesn't help with retention rates.

[Taffy]

Happens in Newcastle a bit too, kids get jobs, girlfriends/boyfriends, other interests, prefer to focus on school and all of a sudden they just want to kick around with their mates.

[Justafootballdad]

I spoke to a parent from the buds team, they only had 9 U15s available due to injury and illness, they have lost a number of the better players over the last 2 years to Div1 teams

A lot of this is down to the random draw putting strong teams against the not so strong. My mates son plays in the Adamstown team and his son told him that at training Thursday night before they played Edgeworth. Some players said they were just going to pull out sick or injured. Not the right attitude but it's what happens when these results are a given

[WOW2.0]

North Coast has lost their technical director (Greg Brown - ex Matildas coach) and numbers are considerably down this year, especially in the older age groups. I suspect the impressive results they had last year will not be repeated this year. It is amazing how many talented kids give it away when the reach the U15/U16 level. 10 hour return bus trips every second week doesn't help with retention rates.

I don't know how, or why they do it TBH
I don't even like going up there once a year!

Curious on this ref question, SAPDAD mentioned $50 (for the day I assume)...is that all they get?

If so, maybe some give it away because they simply found better weekend jobs, for more money.

[WOW2.0]

Happens in Newcastle a bit too, kids get jobs, girlfriends/boyfriends, other interests, prefer to focus on school and all of a sudden they just want to kick around with their mates.

There is a documentary on YouTube about the German development system, one interesting stat it showed was that of those who make it to the Bundesliga, very few received any specialist/academy training before they were aged 16/17 (despite them having their own versions of SAP/JDL from 5 or so)

I think it's hard for those teenagers who have been on the path for a long time, and sacrificed a lot, boredom, pressure, other interests...perhaps a realisation for many that it was dad's (or mum's) dream more than theirs...all contributing factors.

Link to the German documentary: https://youtu.be/3beI0f8G-3A?si=rnaEV9okCSdZKq7t

[Bremsstrahlung]

A lot of this is down to the random draw putting strong teams against the not so strong. My mates son plays in the Adamstown team and his son told him that at training Thursday night before they played Edgeworth. Some players said they were just going to pull out sick or injured. Not the right attitude but it's what happens when these results are a given

Obviously anecdotal evidence here, but that’s a poor attitude imo. Coaches/parents should be helping develop a better outlook for these kids. Nobody likes losing - but it’s how you build to the game. If you’ve got kids not wanting to play, that’s a red flag for me. Part of this program should be to instill some discipline, professionalism and a positive attitude.

I can understand dropping your heads mid game when it’s obviously not going to plan - but to essentially give up before you even start is a sad state of affairs.

[Bremsstrahlung]

I don't know how, or why they do it TBH
I don't even like going up there once a year!

Curious on this ref question, SAPDAD mentioned $50 (for the day I assume)...is that all they get?

If so, maybe some give it away because they simply found better weekend jobs, for more money.

$46-80 to referee PYL (half to be assistant). Perhaps somebody could offer more insight, but I’d almost imagine they would split the 5 games into 2 groups rotate so most refs get 1 x centre, 2 x AR.

Assuming 3 games - best outcome if you centre the 18s game and assistant for the 2 prior - $150. (11:45 -5:15 - 5.5 hours $27/hr)

Worst case you’re the junior and ref the 13s - $104 (8:30-1:30 - 5 hours - $20/hr).

Very rough estimates….

2024 NNSW referee fees.
https://www.northernnswfootball.com....%20Matches.pdf

[sapdad]

$46-80 to referee PYL (half to be assistant). Perhaps somebody could offer more insight, but I?d almost imagine they would split the 5 games into 2 groups rotate so most refs get 1 x centre, 2 x AR.

Assuming 3 games - best outcome if you centre the 18s game and assistant for the 2 prior - $150. (11:45 -5:15 - 5.5 hours $27/hr)

Worst case you?re the junior and ref the 13s - $104 (8:30-1:30 - 5 hours - $20/hr).

Very rough estimates?.

2024 NNSW referee fees.
https://www.northernnswfootball.com....%20Matches.pdf

Yes your numbers are pretty spot on.The older the age group you get the money goes up incrementally.You get about half of a centre fee to run lines so if a kid does 1 centre and 2 lines its usually $100-$150 a day.That money is also tax free at all ages (not that any 14 year olds are going over the tax free threashold)but its probably one of the better paying weekend jobs young kids can get.Then you need to factor in ages (they dont want kids reffing teams they play against) so ideally you get a 14 yr old doing 13's,15 doing 14's etc.Problems arise when the lack of 17/18/19 year old refs means that older age groups get either younger refs centering games or no refs at all.Most weekends my sons will get 3 games but there has also been days when late notice cancellations see them get asked to head up to Weston or out to Edgy for one game.A lot of kids wont see the value in it and not bother.