The Incredible Team The Waratahs Could Have If Their Junior Players Didn't Join The NRL

Right now, the New South Wales Waratahs are struggling.

They're currently rock bottom of the Super Rugby Australia competition and have zero wins in eight games.

On paper, the team boasts some talented young players.

But on the whole, the Tahs just aren't gelling together on the park and that poor form has resulted in Rob Penney recently getting the boot as head coach.

PA

Gone are the days of Kurtley Beale, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Bernard Foley

Even captain Michael Hooper has missed the first half of the 2021 season after enjoying a stint in Japan.

Since the departures of those big-name stars, Waratahs supporters have been crying out for some on-field success.

Well, interestingly, someone has done some digging and worked out the team the Waratahs could have had if they managed to keep hold of their schoolboy stars.

And you can only begin to imagine how the side would be faring today if they boasted players such as these.

Facebook / The Legend of Marty Banks

Popular Facebook page 'The Legend of Marty Banks' posted a picture on social media showing a batch of the best NRL players who used to ply their trade in the junior Waratahs team.

Within the star-studded line-up is Cameron Murray, Angus Crichton, Adam Doueihi, Tyson Frizell, Toby Rudolf, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Luke Keary, Connor Watson, Bailey Simonsson and Joseph Suaalii.

All of the players mentioned above have since left the Waratahs and are now carving it up in the NRL.

The post on social media gained plenty of traction and made rugby fans realise just how much talent had walked out of the Waratahs' exit doors over the past few years.

One person commented: "Rugby needs to work harder on keeping their players I think."

While another added: "Rugby Australia just can't pay them what the NRL can."

As another simply said: "This only makes me cry."

The NSW Waratahs are clearly a breeding ground for talent - the young stars currently within the team such as Will Harrison and Ben Donaldson are testimony to that.

But for the die-hard rugby fans, they'd undoubtedly love to see those stars remain in the game they grew up playing instead of swapping over to a rival code.

Topics: Rugby, Rugby Union, Rugby League, nrl, Australia

Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

@maxysherry