While the junior representative seasons concluded some time ago, Wests Tigers Cubs program is in full swing, providing our elite juniors with a pathway through the grades.
Wests Tigers Cubs program is separated into three groups, designed to help players transition to the next phase of their rugby league development.
The Cubs system also allows Wests Tigers to bring together its three junior development catchment areas, with Cubs teams made up of players from the Wests Macarthur, Balmain and Group 6 competitions.
White Cubs (U/16s): For Development/Andrew Johns Cup players, or ‘year-young’ Harold Matthews Cup players.
Orange Cubs (U/17-18s): For ‘on-age’ Harold Matthews Cup players, or ‘year-young’ SG Ball Cup players.
Black Cubs (U/19s): For 'on-age’ SG Ball Cup players looking to transition into the Jersey Flegg Cup program.
In only its third year, the Cubs program has provided the framework for several players in their rise through the grades, including the likes of Jared Haywood and Archie Duncombe.
Duncombe began the year as part of the Wests Tigers Orange Cubs program, helping his Macarthur Wests Tigers team to the finals of the Laurie Daley Cup (U/18s).
The talented backrower later played a handful of games for Wests Magpies in the SG Ball Cup (U/19s) and after joining the Black Cubs program, has since gone on to play four games for Wests Tigers in the Jersey Flegg Cup (U/21s).
Haywood is the club’s most recent Australian Schoolboys representative after gaining selection at last week’s National Championships in Coffs Harbour.
The 18-year-old hooker is progressing steadily through Wests Tigers' Pathways system, having played his first season of SG Ball Cup with Balmain earlier in the year.
Haywood graduated from Orange Cubs to Black Cubs after the junior rep season and is in line to play Jersey Flegg in the coming weeks.
It is the Cubs program that provides the stepping stones from one age bracket to the next, long after the junior rep seasons have finished.
Some of the club’s most impressive Harold Matthews Cup and SG Ball Cup players will be moving into the Black Cubs program and will get to spend time training with the NRL squad as part of their development.
Wests Tigers Pathways and Junior Recruitment Manager Shannon Gallant is full of praise for the Cubs programs and their influence on junior talent.
“The primary benefit of the Cubs program is that it brings cohesion,” said Gallant.
“Instead of bringing these guys from different regions together when they get to Jersey Flegg, we’re building cohesion in our pathways from day one, as soon as these kids get into our system”.
Building camaraderie at that level, for players and staff, means they’re not unfamiliar with each other when they get to the older age groups.
Shannon Gallant
“Our junior rep programs run from around November until May, so these programs allow us to continue to connect with our players, so we’re monitoring their on-field and off-field progression right throughout the year.”
Wests Tigers Cubs teams, and Development squads for younger age groups, have played games in recent weeks and the action will continue at Leichhardt Oval on Thursday, 18th July.
Wests Tigers Challenge Cup will see squads from Wests Tigers Group 6, Wests Macarthur and Balmain play games against each other in a round-robin format for the U/13s and U/14s, while the U/15s and U/16s combined Wests Tigers Macarthur will take on Balmain.
The U/16s game will act as a selection trial for the White Cubs squad that will travel to Byron Bay later in the year.
“Each of these programs is designed to prep players for the next step in their career; whether they be White Cubs getting ready for Harold Matthews, or Black Cubs getting ready for Jersey Flegg, NSW Cup or NRL,” added Gallant.
“We’re letting players know what the expectations are early on in their development journey.”
Wests Tigers Members and fans are welcome to watch the Cubs and Development players in action at Leichhardt Oval on Thursday, with games kicking off at 10:55 am.
