WT’s Pathways

[Tigerm]

All 4 Wests Junior teams Matts, SG, AJ and LD played against the Balmain juniors yesterday down at the Oaks home ground.

Unsure of who played well and standouts etc.
Just a shame all the news is about the Board and nothing about the games yesterday. No real build up at all

Cheers mate, have a good Chrissy.

 

[blue bags]

Mavonis no loss mate. He makes like 4 hit ups a game and then stands there with hands on hips. Ordinary hands, bad defender, horrible motor and has also had off field issues. The Flegg team has a number of good props, he would be 3rd or 4th rated.

Dillons an interesting one, I can see him going either way. That small stature makes it’s hard to excel in first grade. He could be a Papenhuyzen or he could be a Jake Mullaney. Either way id like to see the club persist with him, we don’t have another backup fullback in the NRL squad With Mbye leaving.

totally agree we need to know who is signed for Development co tracts next year. We had a Flegg side go 13 rounds undefeated yet the state of 90% of their contracts is unknown

Israel Ogden should be upgraded to the top 30 for next year, hoping the club is on top of it. The others Development or nsw cup

Ive highlight who i would keep:

1. Logen Dillon
2. Liam Scolari
3. Timanu Alexander
4. Iverson Fuatimau - has a contract for next year but unsure if development
5. William Kei - is a development player this year, unsure of status next year. I don’t rate him either way
6. Ben Stevanovic
7. Kade Hill
8. Mavoni Tuifua - signed with Dogs
9. Rua Ngatikaura
10. Etuale Lui
11. Brandon Webster-Mansfield
12. Eli Morgan
13. Aden Perry

Interchange:
14. Tyler Field
15. Brandon Tumeth
16. Elifasa Leilua
17. Logan Muir

Plus these guys who were playing up in nsw cup when it ended
18. Fonua Pole (prop)
19. Israel Ogden (outside back)
20. Sione Tupou (prop)
21. Austin Dias
22. Daniel Sykes

Then there Micky Tamous who was probably the star of the side (hooker/half) who did his ACL in the first trial game this year. Trained with NRL in the pre season and impressed.

Wonder what happened with all those young players ?

 

[Nutz]

Mavonis no loss mate. He makes like 4 hit ups a game and then stands there with hands on hips. Ordinary hands, bad defender, horrible motor and has also had off field issues. The Flegg team has a number of good props, he would be 3rd or 4th rated.

Dillons an interesting one, I can see him going either way. That small stature makes it’s hard to excel in first grade. He could be a Papenhuyzen or he could be a Jake Mullaney. Either way id like to see the club persist with him, we don’t have another backup fullback in the NRL squad With Mbye leaving.

totally agree we need to know who is signed for Development co tracts next year. We had a Flegg side go 13 rounds undefeated yet the state of 90% of their contracts is unknown

Israel Ogden should be upgraded to the top 30 for next year, hoping the club is on top of it. The others Development or nsw cup

Ive highlight who i would keep:

1. Logen Dillon
2. Liam Scolari
3. Timanu Alexander
4. Iverson Fuatimau - has a contract for next year but unsure if development
5. William Kei - is a development player this year, unsure of status next year. I don’t rate him either way
6. Ben Stevanovic
7. Kade Hill
8. Mavoni Tuifua - signed with Dogs
9. Rua Ngatikaura
10. Etuale Lui
11. Brandon Webster-Mansfield
12. Eli Morgan
13. Aden Perry

Interchange:
14. Tyler Field
15. Brandon Tumeth
16. Elifasa Leilua
17. Logan Muir

Plus these guys who were playing up in nsw cup when it ended
18. Fonua Pole (prop)
19. Israel Ogden (outside back)
20. Sione Tupou (prop)
21. Austin Dias
22. Daniel Sykes

Then there Micky Tamous who was probably the star of the side (hooker/half) who did his ACL in the first trial game this year. Trained with NRL in the pre season and impressed.

Man I gotta look at posting dates before I engage the brain Vic. I just wrote what I thought was a good reply but had to delete it

 

[Vic Mackey]

Wonder what happened with all those young players ?

Covid screwed a lot of them, missed nearly 2 years of footy at a crucial development age. I think Scolari would have made it if he didn’t do his ACL in 2022, Ogden if he put in (very talented but not great trainer. Iversom had a T&T with first grade but got in trouble with the law. Others just not good enough.

Daniel Sykes signed with Penrith who made a big song and dance about it at the time but he got nowhere.

Only one playing consistent first grade whilst 2 others got some gameand if anything it shows that Flegg is now a nothing comp. Any decent 20/21 year old should be playing NSW cup/NRL.

 

[Tigerm]

Under-18s Best 17 (born in 2007)​

1. Rex Bassingthwaighte (Sydney Roosters)
2. Toby Winter (Newcastle Knights)
3. Heamasi Makasini (Wests Tigers)
4. Dayne Jennings (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
5. Antonio Verhoeven (Brisbane Broncos)
6. Onitoni Large (Manly Sea Eagles)
7. Lincoln Fletcher (Parramatta Eels)
8. Itula Seve (Sydney Roosters)
9. Cody Hill (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
10. Jackson Koina (Parramatta Eels)
11. Darcy Smith (Sydney Roosters)
12. Phoenix Godinet (Wests Tigers)
13. Thomas Dellow (Cronulla Sharks)
Interchange
14. Cameron Bamblett (Parramatta Eels)
15. Jared Horne (Brisbane Broncos)
16. Ryda Talagi (Parramatta Eels)
17. Brian Pouniu (The Dolphins)

Reserves
18. Callum Grantham (Cronulla Sharks)
19. David Bryenton (Canterbury Bulldogs)
20. Lui Lee (Sydney Roosters)

Rookie Watch: The 20 best Under-18s prospects in rugby league

All these players were born in 2007.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[Vic Mackey]

Under-18s Best 17 (born in 2007)​

1. Rex Bassingthwaighte (Sydney Roosters)
2. Toby Winter (Newcastle Knights)
3. Heamasi Makasini (Wests Tigers)
4. Dayne Jennings (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
5. Antonio Verhoeven (Brisbane Broncos)
6. Onitoni Large (Manly Sea Eagles)
7. Lincoln Fletcher (Parramatta Eels)
8. Itula Seve (Sydney Roosters)
9. Cody Hill (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
10. Jackson Koina (Parramatta Eels)
11. Darcy Smith (Sydney Roosters)
12. Phoenix Godinet (Wests Tigers)
13. Thomas Dellow (Cronulla Sharks)
Interchange
14. Cameron Bamblett (Parramatta Eels)
15. Jared Horne (Brisbane Broncos)
16. Ryda Talagi (Parramatta Eels)
17. Brian Pouniu (The Dolphins)

Reserves
18. Callum Grantham (Cronulla Sharks)
19. David Bryenton (Canterbury Bulldogs)
20. Lui Lee (Sydney Roosters)

Rookie Watch: The 20 best Under-18s prospects in rugby league

All these players were born in 2007.

www.zerotackle.com

No salt, but Large was shit for Manly Ball this year. Ben told theyre converting him to centre next year which was one of the reasons he left Wests

 

[Nutz]

No salt, but Large was shit for Manly0 Ball this year. Ben told theyre converting him to centre next year which was one of the reasons he left Wests

Hey Vic, Onitoni Large was the next big thing along with Galvin and both left to young to chase the big dollars. They hadn't finished developing imo.
Ontitoni went quiet at Manly who wouldn't surprise me if they got the wooden spoon.
Perhaps if they both had stayed with us they couldn't tasted success earlier.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Hey Vic, Onitoni Large was the next big thing along with Galvin and both left too young to chase the big dollars. The hadn't finished developing imo.
Ontitoni went quiet at Manly who wouldn't surprise me if they got the wooden spoon.
Perhaps if they both had stayed with us they couldn't tasted success earlier.

Large is potentially the best athlete coming through the league juniours since Israel Folau, however Im not sure hes suited to league. Hes best asset is his running game yet he always seems hesitant to take on the line. He wants to play in the halves and seems insistent on trying to setup his outside men instead of going himself. The club said he was potentially going to transfer to centre or fullback in Flegg and he didnt want that.

Has gone to Manly as they had a clearer pathway in the halves, but they'e just gone and signed a 31 year old 7 for 3 years. He was very ordinary for them in Ball and didnt get promoted up to Flegg when really he should already be playing nsw cup.

Very interesting to watch him this year, I'll be surprised if he stays at Manly, will likely end up in union

 

[Nutz]

Large is potentially the best athlete coming through the league juniours since Israel Folau, however Im not sure hes suited to league. Hes best asset is his running game yet he always seems hesitant to take on the line. He wants to play in the halves and seems insistent on trying to setup his outside men instead of going himself. The club said he was potentially going to transfer to centre or fullback in Flegg and he didnt want that.

Has gone to Manly as they had a clearer pathway in the halves, but they'e just gone and signed a 31 year old 7 for 3 years. He was very ordinary for them in Ball and didnt get promoted up to Flegg when really he should already be playing nsw cup.

Very interesting to watch him this year, I'll be surprised if he stays at Manly, will likely end up in union

Yes mate that's it to a T.
He's not the smallest either. It's funny how the kids all want to be a part of the spine but what they don't realise is that positions that were nearly redundant a few ago have really come into their own, like the centre position.
I always thought he'd make a good centre in the NRL. There pay pkt is getting bigger every year.
I watched Large play a game on NSWRLTV, I think it was a KOE game for Manly not long after he got there.
He played on the wing and apart from scoring a gimme try, he was very average, like a fish out of water.

 

[Nutz]

@Vic Mackey I said previously it may have been KOE but reading your post it could have been Flegg???

 

[Tigerm]

Rookie Watch: The 20 best Under-19s prospects in rugby league

All these players were born in 2006.

www.zerotackle.com

Under-19s Australian Schoolboys Squad (Born in 2006)​

1. Jaxen Edgar (Penrith Panthers)
2. Mason Barber (North Queensland Cowboys)
3. Casey McLean (Penrith Panthers)
4. Prestyn Laine-Sietu (Cronulla Sharks)
5. Jethro Rinakama (Canterbury Bulldogs)
6. Mitchell Woods (Canterbury Bulldogs)
7. Joey Walsh (Manly Sea Eagles)
8. Cooper Clarke (Melbourne Storm)
9. Jared Haywood (Wests Tigers)
10. Cody Hopwood (Newcastle Knights)
11. Kaiden Lahrs (North Queensland Cowboys)
12. Jacob Halangahu (St George Illawarra Dragons)
13. Cooper Bai (Gold Coast Titans)

Interchange
14. Coby Black (Canberra Raiders)
15. Finau Latu (Canterbury Bulldogs)
16. Jezaiah Funa-Iuta (Parramatta Eels)
17. Cyrus Stanley-Traill (St George Illawarra Dragons)

 

[Tigerm]

 

[Tigerm]

 

[Nutz]

It would be nice if we had some decent bookends.
Are there any coming through @Vic Mackey @RHYTHM AND STEALTH.

Christian Taupau-Moors who just landed a contract seems to have a bright future with us and may be in our NRL side next year. He has played front row but doesn't appear to be a huge lad, more in the mold of Sione Fainu, well that's how he appears to me.

EXCLUSIVE: Promising Wests Tigers forward lands maiden NRL contract

He is the nephew of former NRL forward Junior Moors.

www.zerotackle.com

Other pathway lads who's names are being mentioned are Lachlan Broederlow, Blake Van Drie, Denzel Schaafhausen-Mino, Siotame Havea Jr.

 

[Tigerm]

It would be nice if we had some decent bookends.
Are there any coming through @Vic Mackey @RHYTHM AND STEALTH.

Christian Taupau-Moors who just landed a contract seems to have a bright future with us and may be in our NRL side next year. He has played front row but doesn't appear to be a huge lad, more in the mold of Sione Fainu, well that's how he appears to me.

EXCLUSIVE: Promising Wests Tigers forward lands maiden NRL contract

He is the nephew of former NRL forward Junior Moors.

www.zerotackle.com

Other pathway lads who's names are being mentioned are Lachlan Broederlow, Blake Van Drie, Denzel Schaafhausen-Mino, Siotame Havea Jr.

Currently, we have:
Te May
Pole
Si Fainu
Bunty
Hunt
Twal
Seyfarth
KOE
Have a few, but TBH, I haven't heard much about many of them.
Though I think they brought Ethan Roberts here for development into the FR?

All in all, I think we're OK atm.

 

[Nutz]

Currently, we have:
Te May
Pole
Si Fainu
Bunty
Hunt
Twal
Seyfarth
KOE
Have a few, but TBH, I haven't heard much about many of them.
Though I think they brought Ethan Roberts here for development into the FR?

All in all, I think we're OK atm.

Apart from May, Afoa and Hunt on that list there's no dedicated props.
Twally at a pinch.
Yeh I was thinking more when Hunt and god forbid May do moves. I don't want to keep paying top dollar for a quality prop.
We need to breed these guys from our own nursery.
Good pick up on Roberts though. Is he a dedicated prop? I really don't know much about him.
Moors has got Benji's eye.

 

[Tigerm]

Apart from May, Afoa and Hunt on that list there's no dedicated props.
Twally at a pinch.
Yeh I was thinking more when Hunt and god forbid May do moves. I don't want to keep paying top dollar for a quality prop.
We need to breed these guys from our own nursery.
Good pick up on Roberts though. Is he a dedicated prop? I really don't know much about him.
Moors has got Benji's eye.

I think you have to pay top dollar for any quality player, local junior or import. And so we should imo.

 

[Nutz]

I first and even second contract to a pathway prop shouldn't be top dollar though. If we are paying that, we aren't moving fwd.
The reason your right, to a point, is that every club is guilty of it.
It just seems that clubs like the Roosters know hold them and how to fold them, without chaos.
We on the other hand....

 

[Tigerm]

I first and even second contract to a pathway prop shouldn't be top dollar though. If we are paying that, we aren't moving fwd.
The reason your right, to a point, is that every club is guilty of it.
It just seems that clubs like the Roosters know hold them and how to fold them, without chaos.
We on the other hand....

I think ego is a big part of it, but as you say, in the past the club seemed to assume the junior would stay for less and that doesn't work anymore. That's where Richo was a godsend.
This has a bit to do with greedy managers as well, imo.
But there are enough coaches and assistants on staff who should be able to identify (with reasonable certainty) who is going to make it, if injuries don't ruin them. But, they won't always get it right.
I think the rorters are a bad example of how to keep players, we can't afford to follow there model.
If things go as we think, for Masi, we will need to stump up some serious cash for him by the end of next season, as others will be circling big time.

 

[Nutz]

Juniors are monitored all the time within and outside of the club. People know when a player is above the average Joe. Enter the manager.
They have nearly ruined league to a degree and the NRL must stop their unscrupulous behaviour.
Bring on the apprenticeship scheme I say.
Further more, I have no hesitation to pay another 18 year old Geoff Starling protege good coin if he's loyal, loves the club, it's supporters, produces on the field and is a great role model off the field.
Is that too much to ask?