Exciting future for club’s NRL pathway
A SOCIALLY responsible approach to giving young players the building blocks to reach the NRL looks set to make the Northern Pride even more relevant in the next decade.
A “very exciting” future awaits according to chairman Tony Williamson, starting with the statewide under-20s in 2018, which will give young men to be part of the elite pathway from their own backyard and not worry about snapping up NRL contracts in their teenage years,
“The next 10 years will be very exciting with the new NRL pathway coming in 2018 and the profile of the Pride is going to go through the roof,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot more equitable system and lot more socially responsible.”
Williamson said the strengthened symbiotic relationship between the Pride and Cowboys would only enhance the brand for the good of every player in the region.
“With the Cowboys we now have a very strong alignment that will reflect through the Pride, CDRL and the juniors, it will be very plain to see the stepping stones to success.”
Williamson said while the club was “paying the price for success” now, the board was committed to keeping up the work of those before them.
He said the founders of the club had to be congratulated for what they had created as well as the players and admin- istrators who set the standard.
“We can learn from the past, but we have to strive for the future,” Williamson said
“We can be judged on premierships, which is great, or we can be judged on the people we have nurtured through to the next level,” he said.
Northern Pride CEO Greg Dowling said he felt it was his duty to lead the club in striving to keep giving local players a path to the top.