Penrith's success has changed the landscape a lot and clubs should be looking to invest into the pathways system.
Now that Dolphins have a very established Top 17, have some depth and now making calls on players futures included failed signings like Tupou and Feagai they need to really back in their pathways system.
I see on other pages a lot of angst about signing George Williams leaving Kodi Nikorima open to others from elsewhere fans bar the one would happily accept if they're opening the pathway for Karl Oloapu or Toby Batten for a shot at the no.6 or move Kurt Donoghoe or the now gone Jake Averillo to full time no.6.
Dolphins box office players are Farnworth, Hammer, Cobbo, Bostock and Katoa. The players that are glues to the club are Plath, Donoghoe, JMK, Nikorima and Stone all of those bar Stone do carry a price stag with them and 3 of them are locked in to 2028 a few after the TV deal kicks in. And you got your old style traditional clubman in Fuller.
They've made the correct call to invest in Naufahu and Dolphins need to lock Naufahu and/or Bostock in early to avoid someone going at them two and Indie as a package deal.
Roosters have had a lot of success buying players at 15-16 and building them through they got to Robert Toia just before the Dolphins got admitted into the NRL competition.
BUT the Roosters have had a lot of failures in recent times landing or trying to land big names like Brandon Smith, Joseph Suaalii, Dom Young, Spencer Leniu and the botched up attempt for David Fifita. Jury is still out for Daly Cherry-Evans and the signing of Reece Robson is to fix up the mistake with Smith.