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| Quote CURTIS Naughton wanted to play English Super League.
But Bradford, they said no. Told him he wasn’t ready. So the teenage fullback packed his bags, flew halfway around the world and yesterday morning agreed to terms with reigning NRL premiers, the Sydney Roosters.
"This is what I’ve always dreamt about," Naughton told The Daily Telegraph outside Roosters headquarters, moments after his meeting.
"It’s just come about a bit sooner than I expected."
Still only 18, Naughton is already shaping as key member of the Roosters Generation Next.
More than just an extremely gifted athlete, this young Bradford Academy Squad member also boasts the type of confidence required to walk out on the Bulls with two years to run on your contract. Despite initially telling English press he was moving to Australia to follow mum Lynne, who is emigrating here around Christmas, the Dewsbury product yesterday revealed there was more to his decision than just a strong family bond.
onfirming he had fallen out with Bulls coach Francis Cummins, the teen, from the same neighbourhood as the Burgess brothers, said he now wanted the opportunity to forge his own name Down Under.
"Playing in Australia has always been my goal," Naughton said.
"So while I’d signed with the Bulls for three years, when all the stuff started happening I thought to myself 'OK, let’s go now'."
Asked what that "stuff" was, the young gun courted by no less than six NRL clubs continued: "I wasn’t getting played in first grade when I should’ve been.
"They (the coaching staff) had signed me to be part of the full-time squad. But why? They weren’t playing me.
"I didn’t know why last year and I still don’t know because no one ever told me. Plus being stuck in the Academy team, which is like an under 19s competition, it just didn’t feel like my game was improving.
"So I left. I’ll be playing in the Holden Cup next year which I’m really looking forward to because it will be a real step up.
"And from there, I just want to keep improving. I’ve played a game in the English Super League and my goal is definitely the NRL."
Naughton is no stranger to Australia, having holidayed here in 2011 - driving a campervan from Cairns to Melbourne with his brother Daniel, 23, and father Tony.
"Interesting experience,’’ he said with a laugh.
"It was a very small camper so thankfully my brother, my dad and I, we all get on well.
"I come from a big Catholic family which, in the north of England, means you play rugby league. I actually grew up about 10 minutes away from the Burgess brothers.
"They’re a fair bit older than me so by the time I joined the Bradford Academy, Sam had moved on, But the twins were still at the club."
So did the Burgess hype of 2013 play a part in his decision?
"Oh, definitely," Naughton said.
"What they’ve done here with Souths, it’s been massive news back home.
"I’ve been watching all their games on TV and it’s been great to see. It’s all people talk about where I’m from. Watching their success, it helped convince me to make the move myself." '"
Interesting to read the comments about him falling out with FC. Seems like that's two of our younger players he has now managed to p!ss off to the point that they leave the club.
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| Sounds like a right Billy Big Time to me. Regardless of whether he has the potential or not, he'll clearly never be as good as he thinks he is. Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Tomkins aren't as good as Curt seems to think he is.
He's been on Twitter like he's a massive deal too. At some point, he'll come back down to earth with a massive thump.
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| I agree to a point but he says he didn't know why he wasn't playing which is a concern. I'd expect every player who's not in the team to understand what they need to do to make the 1st team and he's insinuating nobody told him.
He's a great prospect and let's be honest, at that age having a few NRL clubs after you is going to give your self confidence a huge boost...rightly or not.
Good luck to him and let's hope if/when he comes back to super league that we are in a position to get him back.
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| Quote ="Northern Lad"Good luck to him and let's hope if/when he comes back to super league that we are in a position to get him back.'"
I suspect that's highly unlikely. He seems to be burning his bridges from our side of it, and you get the feeling that if it isn't Wigan, Warrington or Leeds coming banging on his door, on their knees, he wouldn't entertain it.
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| Quote ="HamsterChops"I suspect that's highly unlikely. He seems to be burning his bridges from our side of it, and you get the feeling that if it isn't Wigan, Warrington or Leeds coming banging on his door, on their knees, he wouldn't entertain it.'"
I'm sure it's been mentioned that we are likely to have an agreement in place with him due to releasing him from his contract, that we have first refusal should he return. You never know by the time that happens there could be a new coach in place and all this is forgotten.
My bigger concern is this isn't the only article we've seen, or rumour we've heard that players are falling out with Cummins. Is there a culture he's dealing with or a man management problem.
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| Nice to see he can finally be honest 12,000 miles away?
Did he think FC was going to drop Kearney to make room for him?
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| Quote ="Northernrelic"Nice to see he can finally be honest 12,000 miles away?
Did he think FC was going to drop Kearney to make room for him?'"
Kearney missed quite a few games last season and FC played Foster at fullback. Obviously FC did not think Naughton was ready for the first team, and I agree. Look at Jamie Shaul over at Hull - only just breaking into the first team setup and he is 3 years older than Curtis.
But despite that, Naughton claims he had no idea why he wasn't being picked, which as someone else has suggested this is a bit of a concern. Unless he's making stuff up, which I wouldn't rule out tbh.
At the end of the day we've lost a cracking prospect at least two years earlier than we contractually should have done. I can see us eventually playing Kear at FB once Brett moves on, which can't be that far away in all honesty. It's a shame Naughton couldn't see further than his immediate future, I suspect he would have been our first choice fullback within the next 2 or 3 years and now instead he will be playing in the aussie reserves with pretty much zero chance of making the first team. I will be amazed if we see Curtis in the first team even once during his current 2 year contract with them.
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| Trouble is will he start badmouthing Trent Robinson when he doesn`t drop Minicello?
Why does he have to start badmouthing and say the story re his mother was a scam!!
I hope I`m wrong because he was a good prospect but I think he could be trouble and upset other players. Just watched the Slammin Sam video, I think he ought to watch it and see what not only a great player Sam is but also how he conducts himself.
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| Cocky git. Sounds like we are well rid.
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| Well, as everyone knows, the best time to play anybody is when they're around 18 - you might as well get the best out of them whilst they still know everything..
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| Quote ="Northern Lad"
My bigger concern is this isn't the only article we've seen, or rumour we've heard that players are falling out with Cummins. Is there a culture he's dealing with or a man management problem.'"
If it had been someone like Heath L'Estrange, or a similarly humble type of bloke, I'd say there may be a problem.
As it happens, the two that have had fall outs with Franny are Whitehead & Naughton. Both of whom, certainly on Twitter and in this press article, talk like they have some sort of god given right to play every week and act how they like.
Without knowing one way or the other, as I'm far from in the know on this, it seems very much like it's this "If I don't get my way...." culture that's being dealt with.
If someone like Heath, Chev Walker or James Donaldson comes out and says they've fallen out with the management and been treated badly, I might start believing something is up. While it's the Billy Big Time players, I'm not convinced that's the case.
Cummins said repeatedly that he wanted a certain attitude and mentality in place, and if you don't fall in with that, you're welcome to go elsewhere. That's very much what it seems like with Whitehead & Naughton.
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| Agree he does come across as been very cocky and full of himself, doesn't seem like he was big enough to give his real reasons for leaving while still here.Agreed he looks a good player but to be so full of himself after one game is worrying,He states the academy is like a under 19s competition, wonder if that's cos it actually is a under 19s competition.Very good point made about how Sam Burgess conducts himself,somebody has a lot to learn.My lad has also played one Super League and if he acted like this I would give him a clip round his lug hole
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| Quote ="HamsterChops":2og7q08iIf it had been someone like Heath L'Estrange, or a similarly humble type of bloke, I'd say there may be a problem.
As it happens, the two that have had fall outs with Franny are Whitehead & Naughton. Both of whom, certainly on Twitter and in this press article, talk like they have some sort of god given right to play every week and act how they like.
Without knowing one way or the other, as I'm far from in the know on this, it seems very much like it's this "If I don't get my way...." culture that's being dealt with.
If someone like Heath, Chev Walker or James Donaldson comes out and says they've fallen out with the management and been treated badly, I might start believing something is up. While it's the Billy Big Time players, I'm not convinced that's the case.
Cummins said repeatedly that he wanted a certain attitude and mentality in place, and if you don't fall in with that, you're welcome to go elsewhere. That's very much what it seems like with Whitehead & Naughton.'" that - at the time - a few players didn't quite see eye to eye with Cummins, one being Sammut and the other L'Estrange. And that Heath wouldn't be given the captaincy either, joint or otherwise.
I also duly used my best forum etiquette and dumped it on here asap! (Early September, I'm unsure which thread though)
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| Quote ="roger daly"Agree he does come across as been very cocky and full of himself, doesn't seem like he was big enough to give his real reasons for leaving while still here.Agreed he looks a good player but to be so full of himself after one game is worrying,He states the academy is like a under 19s competition, wonder if that's cos it actually is a under 19s competition.Very good point made about how Sam Burgess conducts himself,somebody has a lot to learn.My lad has also played one Super League and if he acted like this I would give him a clip round his lug hole'"
Played against your lad once a couple of years ago. Came across as a bit arrogant BUT I strongly believe that it was a ploy to put us off our game and get involved aggressively (worked on one of our players tbh haha) but a few of my mates know him personally and have said he's a good lad. As long as he keeps grounded he will be a quality player and now that the other young fella has gone off to the NRL things can only get better for your lad
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| Who else has gone to NRL from Leeds?
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| Baldwinson gone to NZ Warriors.
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| Like I have said before a lot of the players in the squad have serious misgivings about Cummins man management or lack off.
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| I think people are reading into this what the journo wants you to read.
There's no actual quote from Naughton saying that he's fallen out with Cummins.
The lad has ability and confidence, and tbh if there are players in the academy who DON'T share his "I want to play in the first team" attitude then really, you have to wonder what they're doing here. He showed what he could be capable of in his debut with Bradford against what was a deplete Huddersfield but it was certainly a strong showing from the lad.
It was reported that he left because his family was moving down under and the amount he was getting playing for Bradford was not enough to support him on his own and that Bradford were not willing to break their salary scale to accommodate him.
But now they're saying it's down to a falling out? Doesn't quite ring true. If he was unhappy at Bradford he could easily put in a request to leave. His frustration at not getting any more game time last year is understandable. We had a fair few injuries so there was at least the option of giving him a debut earlier but it didn't happen.
But it's not like he's playing 1st grade down under either.
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| Quote ="Bulls Boy 2011"Baldwinson gone to NZ Warriors.'"
And Mason Tonks,they go next week
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| That's the one, couldn't remember his name haha!
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| I was disappointed when we lost him. I am not now. Cummins is the coach not an arrogant 18 year old. Kids want everything now and some just won't work hard through their apprenticeship. He should have looked at Kearney and worked his socks off so that in a couple of years when Kearney possibly calls it a day with us he is there to step in at a still young age of 20. He is a good prospect but I remember watching a young lad called Mumby who forced the coach to pick him without saying a word out of turn. This kid needs to grow up if he wants respect. And, getting a contract down under doesn't prove you are top class - Warrancy!!!!
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| Tbh, I'm happy with Frannys supposed management style. No player is bigger than the coach. And as somebody said before we want a Head Coach, not a friend to the players.
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| I think it’s a shame that some players feel the need to sound off about the club they’ve left. There’s no need for it, it doesn’t do any good for them and makes them look a bit bitter. Better to keep you trap shut and concentrate on the future, it’s a classier approach and more professional.
If there is truth in what he’s saying about nobody communicating with him about why he wasn’t getting a chance I’d find that very surprising. Anyone watching him could see that although he looked very good in attack he was rather less accomplished defensively. He’d certainly have been targeted had he played first team more often and I suspect he wasn’t being picked in order to protect him rather than some sort of vindictiveness on the part of Cummins. I remember Robbie Paul thinking he was ready for 1st team before he was and he admits as much in his book. Perhaps Naughton needed someone to have a word like Robbie?
There’s been a lack of “winning culture” at the club for a number of years and I wonder if Cummins is trying to sharpen things up. That’s likely to have some casualties, Whitehead being one. The challenge for Cummins is to try to get players to buy into his methods and make a break from the past rather than cut them if they don’t buy in. Like others I’ve heard rumours about disagreements with the likes of L’Estrange, Sammut and Bateman but this sort of thing will always happen occasionally. I just hope the loss of Naughton isn’t just the tip of the iceberg. I guess we’ll see how motivated players are when the season starts.
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| Quote ="Bullseye" Better to keep you trap shut and concentrate on the future, it’s a classier approach and more professional..'"
Think that sage advice holds true in every walk of life, even on RAB!
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| The T and A used to run a piece a week on a player telling us how a certain ex-coach was brilliant and how it was the players fault for going away from the game plan.. blah blah.
Naughton wasn't picked because the coach didn't pick him - end of.
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