The Raiders and Wests Tigers are threatening to cut investment in grassroots because of frustration at losing junior talent when they become NRL players. But history surely tells the Raiders that fostering its nursery of juniors still remains the most important part of the club’s recruitment strategy.

The NRL needs to take Canberra’s concerns seriously because any cuts to junior development could fester into a game-wide issue of complacency.

If clubs don’t feel they are getting rewarded or compensated for growing the game's next generation, they will throw up their arms and say '‘why should we take responsibility?’'. In the end, no one will and other codes will pounce.

Canberra’s frustration ultimately stems from losing star teenage fullback Anthony Milford to the Brisbane Broncos next year.

But the Raiders have this week recruited an able replacement in Tigers fullback James Tedesco and, ironically, the Tigers are lamenting the loss of their junior.

The Raiders are seeking a meeting with the NRL, angry there were no allowances provided for junior development in the recent makeover of the salary cap.

That situation is exacerbated by the NRL making it easier to qualify for the $250,000 veteran allowance. A club now only needs one player to have served for six years, instead of eight, to qualify for this entitlement. It further dilutes club loyalty.

Canberra’s frustration is understandable; why is there an allowance for veterans but not juniors? But Canberra should not cut off their nose to spite their face.

From day one, the Raiders have been a junior development club. It was forced upon them.

Admitted into the NSW Rugby League competition in 1982, the Raiders had to build three senior grades of almost 60 players – but were only allowed 13 players from outside the district.

It was obviously a challenge to become competitive, until 1986 when the Raiders landed the player that would change their fortunes – Mal Meninga.

Meninga, already a Queensland Origin and Australian representative, left Souths in Brisbane, choosing to join the Raiders over Manly.

Meninga’s Souths teammate, fullback Gary Belcher, followed him. The Raiders had hit a jackpot by tapping into the Queensland competition, back-rower Gary Coyne and the young Walters brothers – Steve and Kevin – moved south, too.

Meninga was the catalyst because others wanted to play with him.

So the answer would seem obvious now, buy a marquee recruit to act as a pied piper to attract others.

But the Raiders would never have become the dominant team they were in the late '80s and early '90s without the contribution of their locally developed juniors, too. Glenn Lazarus, Brad Clyde, Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley were key players in their premiership successes.

The Raiders regenerated after the salary-cap scandal of 1991, rebuilding with a new breed of local juniors – Jason Croker, David Furner, Brett Mullins among them. In 1994, they won the premiership again.

Junior development is embedded in Raiders history and needs to remain so. It is Canberra’s strength, it is why other clubs eye off their juniors.

But the Raiders don’t need to abandon junior development, they need to look at what they can do better to retain the juniors who will bring them success.

Melbourne Storm forward Kevin Proctor was ready to sign with the Raiders last week on a deal reported to be almost $700,000 a season. He chose to remain in Melbourne for less money, remaining loyal to the club that developed him. The Raiders, disappointed now, should take heart from that.

Investing in juniors adds up. The Raiders have estimated it costs an average $7500 a player each year in the under-16 and under-18 levels alone. That is not accounting for players they bring in from their feeder areas, such as Souths Logan in Brisbane, where Milford hails from.

It is a lot of money to invest when only a small percentage go on to play NRL.

The alternate theory is to poach established players.

But even with the chequebook out, the Raiders know how hard it can be to recruit big names without paying more than market value. That’s not sustainable.

Michael Ennis is the club’s latest target to try and find a dominant No.9. In the past seasons, the Raiders have made strong but unsuccessful approaches to Nathan Friend, Matt Ballin, Kevin Kingston.

There seems to be a perception the Raiders lose all their good juniors. But has there been so many lost the Raiders were desperate to keep?

Two that pop to mind are Joel Monaghan, who went to the Roosters in 2005, but came back, and William Zillman, originally from Queensland, who left for the Gold Coast Titans.

Todd Carney and Josh Dugan were lost but that’s because the Raiders sacked them for ongoing disciplinary issues.

Milford is the No.1 example.

But of the 18 players named in this weekend's Raiders squad to prepare for the Roosters, Milford is one of 13 developed through Canberra's junior ranks.

Clubs can’t stockpile them all, but neither can premiership-winning teams keep all their players together forever.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart made a positive move when he took on the role, making it a priority to re-sign and extend the junior talent he wanted: Jack Wighton, Edrick Lee, Brenko Lee, Shaun Fensom and Shannon Boyd among them.

Stuart tried to keep Milford, too. But, occasionally, a good player gets away, the trick is where do you get the next one from.