Catalan U23 and Young Guns

[The Daddy]

Which of the young players at Cats will breakthrough and get game time this season? 

There are certainly some talented players there and anyone with the inside scoop on who will be pushing for first team places do make a contribution. 

Ambert - Such a shame that he is refusing to travel and play SL coz he looks like he has all the attributes to go very far. Any chance he might change his mind?

Perez - Talented player, he looked a class above everyone at Championship level when he was loaned to TO last year yet he still can't get a gig in the first team. Also looks a bit bigger and more skilful than Julien and Garcia. He needs to move. 

Goudemand - Looks a decent player at U23 level, would love to see him get gametime but I think it will be few and far between this year. 

Flovie Twins - An interesting one, they are certainly good enough to play SL I did think they were too small but noticed they've put on a bit of beef to compensate but the result is they have lost alot of that blistering pace. 

Belmas and Seguier - Looks to have potential and will get some gametime at some point. Just the type of players France need. 

Morgues - Reminds me of a young Danny McGuire, can't wait to see this guy burst onto the scene. 

[East Coast Tiger]

I reckon a couple of young tyros called Bird and Anderson might break through for a few games... maybe.

Those others will be visiting Villeneuve and Avignon for years to come.

[fcl]

There is no U23 category in France

Saint-Esteve XIII Catalan have 9 players older than 23 !

[audois]

Arnaud Bartes was profiled in yesterdays L 'Independant. 27 yr old prop and a convert from the XV. Impressive background too having played for Stade Toulousain in their Espoirs as a centre threequarter. Seems to be mentioned a lot in reports along with loose forward Mickael Goudemond. Interestingly Bartes grand-father was the famous dual international stand-off Jean Capdouze who played for XIII Catalan as well as appearing for France 26 times between 1967-72. Think he was one of the last internationals to cross the Rubicon.

[Evil Homer]

11 hours ago, audois said:

Arnaud Bartes was profiled in yesterdays L 'Independant. 27 yr old prop and a convert from the XV. Impressive background too having played for Stade Toulousain in their Espoirs as a centre threequarter. Seems to be mentioned a lot in reports along with loose forward Mickael Goudemond. Interestingly Bartes grand-father was the famous dual international stand-off Jean Capdouze who played for XIII Catalan as well as appearing for France 26 times between 1967-72. Think he was one of the last internationals to cross the Rubicon.

Didn't realize Barthes had come from RU, was wondering why he'd only just emerged at age 27. He's looked pretty decent but unlikely to ever get a crack at a higher level with Catalans, same goes for Saloty Mendy who should be looking to leave the club in the next few years if he wants to progress.

As for the OP, the only ones I can see possibly getting any gametime that are not already in the first team squad are Khedimi or Meresta-Doucet, if Da Costa goes down they are very short on cover at hooker and those two would both be capable of filling in.

[Guest]

I watched the highlights of the u19’s game against St. Helens last week and although it was only 1 game I was very impressed with the dragons winger brochon.

[Guest]

28 minutes ago, Evil Homer said:

Didn't realize Barthes had come from RU, was wondering why he'd only just emerged at age 27. He's looked pretty decent but unlikely to ever get a crack at a higher level with Catalans, same goes for Saloty Mendy who should be looking to leave the club in the next few years if he wants to progress.

As for the OP, the only ones I can see possibly getting any gametime that are not already in the first team squad are Khedimi or Meresta-Doucet, if Da Costa goes down they are very short on cover at hooker and those two would both be capable of filling in.

Unfortunately decent and promising players playing in elite 1 for more than 1 season will see their development stall or even regress.

[Evil Homer]

3 minutes ago, walter sobchak said:

I watched the highlights of the u19’s game against St. Helens last week and although it was only 1 game I was very impressed with the dragons winger brochon.

Brochon is 17 and that was only his second game at that level, one to keep an eye on.

[The Daddy]

1 hour ago, Evil Homer said:

Brochon is 17 and that was only his second game at that level, one to keep an eye on.

Yeah Brochon looked impressive in the highlights video I saw. 

[Evil Homer]

9 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

Yeah Brochon looked impressive in the highlights video I saw. 

Also look out for Hugo Salabio, very impressive in his first few games for the u19s and a future SL player IMO.

[The Daddy]

39 minutes ago, Evil Homer said:

Also look out for Hugo Salabio, very impressive in his first few games for the u19s and a future SL player IMO.

What position does he play? 

[Evil Homer]

26 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

What position does he play? 

Back row or prop, he's quite similar to Dezaria but I rate him higher than Dezaria.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Evil Homer said:

Also look out for Hugo Salabio, very impressive in his first few games for the u19s and a future SL player IMO.

Was that the kid with blonde dreadlocks??

[Evil Homer]

1 minute ago, walter sobchak said:

Was that the kid with blonde dreadlocks??

Yep.

[Guest]

Just now, Evil Homer said:

Yep.

Yeah. He also stood out.

[audois]

Robin Brochon kind of won the game against Saints and immediately lost it! He crossed in the corner late on with Mourgue converting from the side line. The lad from Provence then caught the restart only to lose the ball in contact giving Saints lad a walk in winning score. Other than that the blond haired winger though impressive through-out.

Interesting in that Brochon' s Federal club St Martin du Crau- 3rd tier provided three of the team who played in that game including Salabio - two others also from the wider region from Elite 2 Entraigues - including the promising prop Vailhen.

[fcl]

Personally, I believe more in the development of clubs like St Martin, Salon de Provence or Villefranche than Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux (or Toronto-NYC). there is a real rugby league tradition, with volunteers, very good rugby schools etc. The problem is that we want to go too fast and we often neglect the basics in favor of what shines

[The Daddy]

Can we talk about Ambert, is there any way he can be convinced to play for the first team? He looks to have everything, both the skill and physical attributes.

I just hate to see talent wasted 

[Guest]

35 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

Can we talk about Ambert, is there any way he can be convinced to play for the first team? He looks to have everything, both the skill and physical attributes.

I just hate to see talent wasted 

Kind of sums French RL up perfectly. Talented players that are either headcases or just don’t want to play at the highest level.

[Evil Homer]

48 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

Can we talk about Ambert, is there any way he can be convinced to play for the first team? He looks to have everything, both the skill and physical attributes.

I just hate to see talent wasted 

Ambert is 28 so it's not like he would have much of a career anyway if he did go pro.

[Hvy wg]

17 hours ago, The Daddy said:

Can we talk about Ambert, is there any way he can be convinced to play for the first team? He looks to have everything, both the skill and physical attributes.

I just hate to see talent wasted 

Ambert should have been snatched by Catalans 10 years ago when he was already terrorising Elite 1.

The guy has his own business now, he took loans 10 years ago he just can't walk out of things.

[Hvy wg]

On 24/02/2018 at 11:07 AM, The Daddy said:

Which of the young players at Cats will breakthrough and get game time this season? 

There are certainly some talented players there and anyone with the inside scoop on who will be pushing for first team places do make a contribution. 

Ambert - Such a shame that he is refusing to travel and play SL coz he looks like he has all the attributes to go very far. Any chance he might change his mind?

Perez - Talented player, he looked a class above everyone at Championship level when he was loaned to TO last year yet he still can't get a gig in the first team. Also looks a bit bigger and more skilful than Julien and Garcia. He needs to move. 

Goudemand - Looks a decent player at U23 level, would love to see him get gametime but I think it will be few and far between this year. 

Flovie Twins - An interesting one, they are certainly good enough to play SL I did think they were too small but noticed they've put on a bit of beef to compensate but the result is they have lost alot of that blistering pace. 

Belmas and Seguier - Looks to have potential and will get some gametime at some point. Just the type of players France need. 

Morgues - Reminds me of a young Danny McGuire, can't wait to see this guy burst onto the scene. 

Perez isn't big by any means. He's both taller and lighter than Garcia and Jullien.

Add Vailhen, the U19 prop, to Belmas and Seguier.

Also, as I've been saying since 1950 (or so...), we should sign Valentin Yesa. He's played 8 games this season and watch those stats :

1st at tackles completed (163)
1st at meters made (1023)
2nd at carries (122)

The guy is big and strong, stamina is OK and aggressivity through the roof. Every prop we can talk about there isn't half the prop Yesa is today, he is the best prop in Elite 1 and still only 22.

[Hvy wg]

ERROR

[The Daddy]

Halfway through the season and I'm disappointed that none of these young guns have got any first team games at Catalan. Why is that? Goudemand looks head and shoulders above Elite level. 

I just don't understand what's happening at Catalan with their reluctance to give opportunities to French players. 

[damp squib]

16 hours ago, The Daddy said:

Halfway through the season and I'm disappointed that none of these young guns have got any first team games at Catalan. Why is that? Goudemand looks head and shoulders above Elite level. 

I just don't understand what's happening at Catalan with their reluctance to give opportunities to French players. 

The threat of relegation. Regardless of how poorly a team is playing, throwing kids into the mix will always be a huge risk. I don't want to start up the P&R debate but logic dictates that teams will be less likely to take risks when there is a threat of relegation.