Our predicted lineup R1

[Frank Facer]

We'll have to agree to disagree on that. Kerr, despite a good 10 minute burst in the dying phase of a trial, has not shown he is up for full time NRL. If you're critical of the way the defense drops when JDB comes off, you'll be bitterly disappointed regardless of who replaces him, he is a lynchpin of our defence and the fact that we pulled off 3 of our hardest working forwards in one hit is not a reason to discount Sele.

If we are talking props, I'm all for Kerr providing 30 odd minutes a game. But as a substitute for JDB, Sele is it - paid his dues, proven himself as a ball of energy and hard hitter in defense and is ready for a full-time spot in the 17 IMO. I'd argue that he is a carbon copy of JDB at the same stage of their career, maybe a little further advanced (if you'll recall JDB in his early years, he was a workhorse in defence but didnt offer much else, even his ballplaying was barely anywhere to be seen).

All opinions anyway. I was critical of Kerr last year but I hope he gets his shot this year (as a prop only).

You said that Sele maybe a little further advanced than DeBelin at the same stage of their careers. I beg to differ. DeBelin actually won the Under 20's Dally M player of the year. When DeBelin graduated from the 20's, I thought he was the best forward prospect we have had come through our system for a very long time (I started to wonder if I had got that one wrong for a while). I don't see Sele in the same category. I believe that DeBelin should have been given the number 13 jersey while Merrin was still here and Merrin should have been moved back to prop, but instead, DeBelin was stuffed around and miss managed until Merrin left. It was only in the last couple of years that DeBelin has started to live up to my expectations.

I hope that Sele does progress and develop into a top class forward.

 

[RufusRex]

Have you seen him play secondrow?

nobody has ...

 

[BennyV]

You said that Sele maybe a little further advanced than DeBelin at the same stage of their careers. I beg to differ. DeBelin actually won the Under 20's Dally M player of the year. When DeBelin graduated from the 20's, I thought he was the best forward prospect we have had come through our system for a very long time (I started to wonder if I had got that one wrong for a while). I don't see Sele in the same category. I believe that DeBelin should have been given the number 13 jersey while Merrin was still here and Merrin should have been moved back to prop, but instead, DeBelin was stuffed around and miss managed until Merrin left. It was only in the last couple of years that DeBelin has started to live up to my expectations.

I hope that Sele does progress and develop into a top class forward.

Lol dude I’m talking about their actual achievements at this stage of their various careers (first grade games, rep honours, etc) not what some random fan on a forum thinks!
But what you’ve outlined, that’s the point - it took years for JDB to reach his enormous potential and it may be the same for Sele, but despite the fact that he wasn’t named NYC Player of the Year (because he was in ISO in his last year of u20s) he was still considered in the top forwards of his share group and had a similar skill set to JDB. He is breaking through at the same age and is recognised as a future star.

He may not reach the heights of JDB but the similarities are there. He’s worth keeping in firsts and he’ll be hard to hold onto when he’s off contract.

 

[Crush]

hmmmmm .. the winger who played outside a centre who'se offloads and try assists puts him into the top half dozen centres is the must pick player ... interesting.

any other left centre at the club means nightingale ends the season under 6 tries ... any other winger outside Lafai last year scores 20 tries.

Lets drop Lafai and keep nightingale there.

Bollox

Nene, Lafai, Lomax, Mann .. it is our best four 3/4s and should be the ones picked for round 1.

LOL. What a load of rubbish. I love how you pluck numbers out of the air.
Under 6 tries....
Over 20 tries.....
Agenda much?

 

[RufusRex]

Nightingales last three seasons

2015 5 tries outside the likes of Aitken/Farrell
2016 - 6 tries outside the likes of Aitken and lafai whi was playing injured ... 3 on the left and after that 3 in the right .. curiously Mann managed 10 tries from less games on the left after he was shifted there.
2017 - 16 tries outside a fit and in form lafai

It is so obvious that a fit and firing centre had a positive impact on him and also no secret that Mann is better than him in the same position.

Yes I do have an agenda .. I want saints to be strong and win games ... your agenda is deliberately pick weaker teams ... makes no sense

Look at those numbers 5 and 6 tries ... 10 tries in half a season from a better finisher ...

Open your eyes

 

[muzby]

LOL. What a load of rubbish. I love how you pluck numbers out of the air.
Under 6 tries....
Over 20 tries.....
Agenda much?

oh lay off him..

that's not plucking numbers out of the air...


this is:

As they clocked up 5000 members just before the new year, chief operating officer Michael McDonald revealed plans to double their membership in the next five years.

"If you look where we're at [last year] at around 20,000, that's looking at almost 40,000 Red V members in the next five years," he said. "Looking at the size of our fan base we think that's achievable.

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/1991842/red-v-targets-membership-of-40000/

 

[Crush]

Nightingales last three seasons

2015 5 tries outside the likes of Aitken/Farrell
2016 - 6 tries outside the likes of Aitken and lafai whi was playing injured ... 3 on the left and after that 3 in the right .. curiously Mann managed 10 tries from less games on the left after he was shifted there.
2017 - 16 tries outside a fit and in form lafai

It is so obvious that a fit and firing centre had a positive impact on him and also no secret that Mann is better than him in the same position.

Yes I do have an agenda .. I want saints to be strong and win games ... your agenda is deliberately pick weaker teams ... makes no sense

Look at those numbers 5 and 6 tries ... 10 tries in half a season from a better finisher ...

Open your eyes

Mate you are in for a long season as a Lafai supporter. You are clutching at straws in the trials with the old "take the good with the bad" calls.
Lafai will be destroyed this year. That flick pass will be the laughing stock.
You know it is true too. Stop defending him. He has to go.

 

[muzby]

That flick pass will be the laughing stock.

Only one laughing stock out of everything else this year.?

What a boring 12 months..

Bring on 2019, I say..

 

[Crush]

Only one laughing stock out of everything else this year.?

What a boring 12 months..

Bring on 2019, I say..

Sometimes you are pretty funny muzby and other times I think you are forcing it a little. This one isn't one of your wittiest mate. Maybe next one will be better?
Cmon what you got?

 

[muzby]

Sometimes you are pretty funny muzby and other times I think you are forcing it a little. This one isn't one of your wittiest mate. Maybe next one will be better?
Cmon what you got?

 

[Crush]

OK, its just not your night.
I do appreciate the effort though. You are obviously quite adept on the personal computer to be able to copy and paste like that. Good for you.

 

[muzby]

OK, its just not your night.

So why do you keep PM'ing me dick pics?

You're just being confusing..

And maybe a little bit mysterious..

 

[Crush]

So why do you keep PM'ing me dick pics?

You're just being confusing..

And maybe a little bit mysterious..

It took you 12 mins to come up with that?
Muzby, I am losing respect for you mate.

 

[muzby]

It took you 12 mins to come up with that?
Muzby, I am losing respect for you mate.

I wasn’t aware they’d implemented a shot clock on the forum..

You do realise that normal people don’t sit there waiting for a reply to their posts.. they do other things and then come back to check on the discussion..

In fact, since you wrote that last post i’ve been quite productive..

I’ve had a relaxing sleep, did a cross city ride and have been out for breakfast..

I’ve even done a poo..

 

[Crush]

I wasn’t aware they’d implemented a shot clock on the forum..

You do realise that normal people don’t sit there waiting for a reply to their posts.. they do other things and then come back to check on the discussion..

In fact, since you wrote that last post i’ve been quite productive..

I’ve had a relaxing sleep, did a cross city ride and have been out for breakfast..

I’ve even done a poo..

I wish my life was as rich as yours. What did you have for breakfast?

 

[The Damo]

I would drop Lafai before Nightingale any day of the week. Nighty should be replaced by a younger faster winger when there is a better winger available than him at the club. The only person who may fit that bill is Mann at this stage but Id suggest he will be needed to slot into the centres.
Nighty is reliable but not so flash. Lafai is flashy at times but not reliable in the slightest.
In the CS all he had to do was pin his ears back and barge over the line for that try yet he went for the miracle flick pass.
He will cost us tries galore.
And unfortunately Mary will not drop him. I hope I am wrong but I can feel the whole forum turning on Lafai when he costs us games by throwing those ridiculous flick passes over the sideline. He just cant help it. Its muscle memory or something with him.

We’ll agree to disagree then, i think Lafai is likely to be one of our better players, and along with Dufty be the brightest spot in our 1-5.
But just like you with nighty I’m not bothered if the ‘forum’ turns on him. There’s good judges in here and plenty of not so good. I often agree with you - but think you’re wrong on Lafai. I’ll go by what I see, and keep an eye for the stuff that thhe saner members here say that I haven’t seen.

 

[Old Timer]

After the news article this morning on Leilua it looks like he may be firming up in more ways than 1.

 

[Old Timer]

I wasn’t aware they’d implemented a shot clock on the forum..

You do realise that normal people don’t sit there waiting for a reply to their posts.. they do other things and then come back to check on the discussion..

In fact, since you wrote that last post i’ve been quite productive..

I’ve had a relaxing sleep, did a cross city ride and have been out for breakfast..

I’ve even done a poo..

You didn't have to put a picture of the poo on your avatar you sick and twisted individual.

 

[BennyV]

After the news article this morning on Leilua it looks like he may be firming up in more ways than 1.

Which article?

 

[Old Timer]

Which article?

Dragon Leilua down to size for NRL return
By AAP
3 hours ago


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Luciano Leilua has revealed he hopes to return to St George Illawarra's NRL side next week more than 10 kilograms lighter than when he was last sighted in first grade.

Leilua is set to be the biggest beneficiary of Joel Thompson's off-season move to Manly, set to earn a recall into Paul McGregor's side for the NRL season-opener against Brisbane.

The 21-year-old second-rower hasn't been sighted in the NRL since his 2016 rookie year, when he was tipping the scales at about 124kg.


But after starting this summer's pre-season at 120kg, Leilua is now down to his professional best of 113 after an off-season spent ditching the carbohydrates and eating sizeably smaller meal portions.

"I feel heaps better," Leilua told AAP.

"I've always been heavy going through high school growing up. Knowing now that I'm more mature, lose weight and stay on my diet.

"It's improved my training heaps. My running times have been better.

"Everyone is going to feel good if they lose weight. But this is probably the best pre-season I've had of my three."

Leilua, who is the brother of Canberra centre Joseph, was named Illawarra's best player in reserve grade last year and was rewarded with a two-year contract extension in December.

A promising St George junior, Leilua started in both of the Dragons' pre-season trials and has been vying for the left-edge second-row spot along with Tariq Sims and bench prospect Jacob Host.

Leilua's pre-season has impressed many at the Dragons - including coach McGregor - and the youngster said much of that was down to his own development in NSW Cup last season.

"It was tough playing against men - just physical," he said.


"It's got a little bit quicker. But most of all it's getting used to week in, wee out playing against men. It just toughens you up.

"Growing up I was a big boy, but stepping into NSW Cup everyone is big. It's hard to shove them off or palm them off because everyone is strong and fit."