By Brett Papworth Have you ever wondered why some players get selected to play professional rugby, and some don’t? Don’t get me wrong, the players who have professional careers are very good, the question is more about how some players don’t get past first grade. I have watched grade rugby for 40 years and have seen it change quite a bit in that time. What hasn’t changed is the very narrow gap between a club player and a contracted player. It never ceases to amaze me just how good some of our lesser known players are. This isn’t news, but the age at which a player is identified is getting younger. Many youngsters feel that if they haven’t been “picked up” by age 18, then they have missed the boat. What is also unarguable is the fact that players are at their best in their mid-twenties and older, and that has never changed. Our best players are always more mature (with very few exceptions). There are numerous examples of a player at 19 or 20 being contracted to a Sup