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After Wests Tigers players joined with their junior rugby league Clubs earlier in the year, now it was now the Coach's turn to get alongside junior rugby league coaches.

NRL Head Coach Mick Potter, along with Assistant Coaches David Kidwell and Todd Payten, as well as a range of coaches from the Club's NYC, NSW Cup and Junior League Coaches took part in the night by speaking to 28 junior rugby league coaches currently involved in the Club's recruitment areas — Inner West and South West Sydney.

Held at Liverpool Catholic Club on Tuesday, July 29, the night covered topics such as:

  • Development pathways to NRL in Balmain and Western Suburbs regions
  • What it's like to coach in the National Rugby League
  • Fundamentals of attack, fundamentals of defence
  • Importance of strength, nutrition and conditioning

Assistant Coach Todd Payten spoke of the importance of junior league coaches in developing players to an NRL standard, but also reitterated the need to make junior rugby league fun for all involved and not get too serious too early.

"We have footballers who are playing for a job," he said, "[but] you guys have footballers who are playing for fun. Make it enjoyable and basic."

NSW Cup Coach Paul Fletcher agreed, saying "if you can make the sessions fun [for the kids], they are going to want to keep coming back for more."

Wests Tigers would like to thank to all that attended the night, as well as all junior rugby league coaches currently working in the Balmain and Western Suburbs region.

Get your tickets to our Simon Dwyer Tribute match in Round 21 here. $5 from every adult and family ticket will go to Simon. 

Full list of Wests Tigers coaches and staff that attended the night:

  • Mick Potter — NRL Head Coach
  • David Kidwell — NRL Assistant Coach
  • Todd Payten — NRL Assistant Coach
  • John Skandalis — NRL Strength & Conditioning Coach
  • Andrew Webster — NYC Head Coach
  • Balin Cupples — NYC Assistant Coach
  • Paul Fletcher — NSW Cup Head Coach
  • Warren McDonnell — Recruitment Manager
  • Ben Rogers — Wests Tigers Development, Western Suburbs 
  • Mitch Lewis — Wests Tigers Development, Balmain
 
Acknowledgement of Country

Wests Tigers respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.