EUAN AITKEN

[2010]

There needs to be a fire sale, out with the old and in with the new.
Get rid of the non performing players, promote the youngsters and try and pick up some players that can be first grade ready.

 

[Dragons2020]

But he is a strong runner. If McGregor insists on playing him in first grade because he is such a good teammate/adds to the culture blah blah blah, then why not bring him off the bench in a Gordon Tallis super sub type role? He would bring in the added benefit of being able to cover an injury in the centres.

Start him off in the second row in CC to see how he goes and if there is any value in using him off the bench in first grade

 

[BennyV]

Lol, just f**k him off!! He’s a shit right centre and our forward pack is strong enough as is. Let some other club figure out how to minimise his plodiness.

 

[possm]

There needs to be a fire sale, out with the old and in with the new.
Get rid of the non performing players, promote the youngsters and try and pick up some players that can be first grade ready.

I'd say start with the head coach because he is the root of the problem.

We do need to get rid of Aitken and Lafai and drop some others to reserve grade however, there is still many of our young guns who need to step up to first grade standard.

 

[Dragsters]

We know he’s comfortably the worst right centre in the comp, but can anyone think of any starting NRL player who is less competent in their ‘natural’ position?

No.

Lol, just f**k him off!! He’s a shit right centre and our forward pack is strong enough as is. Let some other club figure out how to minimise his plodiness.

Yes please...

 

[Dragons4me]

FFS.

 

[Auntie.Gerald]

Would the roosters take Lafai?

Its time

We are not going to be in the ttop8in 2020

Let's get game time into the next gen

 

[2010]

Would the roosters take Lafai?

Its time

We are not going to be in the ttop8in

Let's get game time into the next gen[/QUOTE
I doubt any NRL would sign him so it’s SL or nothing

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

Aitken, probably an awesome fella who works his backside off and gets along with everyone much like the coach, but just like the coach probably not cut out for FG. People can say that if he played under a decent coach he would have made it by now but if that were the case the current two best coaches in the NRL in Bellamy and Robinson are both coincidently short a centre of two and would be well aware we are shopping him around but are showing zero interest tells me all I need to hear. Unfortunately we have no option but to give him this year and if by some miracle his passing game finally sticks he will get a 5 year extension I guess.

 

[Reddragon]

Aitken, probably an awesome fella who works his backside off and gets along with everyone much like the coach, but just like the coach probably not cut out for FG. People can say that if he played under a decent coach he would have made it by now but if that were the case the current two best coaches in the NRL in Bellamy and Robinson are both coincidently short a centre of two and would be well aware we are shopping him around but are showing zero interest tells me all I need to hear. Unfortunately we have no option but to give him this year and if by some miracle his passing game finally sticks he will get a 5 year extension I guess.

I still can't get my head around how a guy makes it to the NRL, FIRST GRADE, lacking some of the most basic skills, like passing and defending in the backline.Then the same guy is the first one picked each week.
Isn't it a bit like trying to play tennis without learning to serve?

 

[kit66]

I still can't get my head around how a guy makes it to the NRL, FIRST GRADE, lacking some of the most basic skills, like passing and defending in the backline.Then the same guy is the first one picked each week.
Isn't it a bit like trying to be a tennis without learning to serve?

He got 80 minutes in the Charity Shield and almost the same the week before which would indicate he's our first choice centre even ahead of Lafai. They didn't even give anyone else a good run there in the trials. It's no contest, we're stuck with him for the season, bombing tries, missing tackles, making our right side defence a laughing stock. I don't know what he has to do to get dropped if he hasn't been already.

 

[Dragonsamy]

Surely not
The outgoing CEO doesn't rate him at all.
FACT
CC

Absolutely he doesn't rate either of our centres

 

[TomRedVRiver]

We went after Billy Smith at the Roosters and got pretty close, before he decided to stay there, claiming it as the more "professional" club (he's right).

Could have been a very different backline if he agreed to sign on.
Would have meant the end for Aitken and Lafai.

 

[Frank Facer]

I thought he was on his last chance. In 2018 Aitken wasn't offensively bad. Of course trawling through old posts to find gotcha moments without hindsight is always going to yield yourself some 'lol's Frank.

Key to the post you quoted is that I never stated he should be a shoe in for first grade. Aitken is at the point where he is the kind of centre who would be a serviceable back up and not much more. So congrats on the lol?

lol

 

[Frank Facer]

Start him off in the second row in CC to see how he goes and if there is any value in using him off the bench in first grade

Aitken is too small and ineffective to play in the forwards.

 

[muzby]

Aitken is too small and ineffective to play in the forwards.

How?

He’s 2kg lighter than Ford & 2kg heavier than Homax.

His strength is his running with the ball.

 

[SaintPauli]

Would the roosters take Lafai?

Its time

We are not going to be in the ttop8in 2020

Let's get game time into the next gen

Simply NO. Says it all really.

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

A good question for this thread would be if given the choice Lafai or Aitken who you would you take? honestly on current form id go Lafai, at least he can pass. Lafai and Wiliame would be far more potent than Aitken and Lafai or Aitken and Wiliame to me. Unfortunately they are both natural left side players.

 

[rasaint]

Yes all valid points about Euan.

Still I have seen Euan score plenty of NRL tries and making breaks through opposition lines. People forget he is a fast runner, not top shelf but I have seen him score from 50 to 60 metres out and no one make ground on him. I haven’t seen any new kids on the block do that.

I think it has been mentioned before that I think his best position is lock forward. He is noted as 94 kg and so he has some size and can break tackles. Playing in the forward line requires less lateral movement and complexity in defence decision making.

 

[Frank Facer]

How?

He’s 2kg lighter than Ford & 2kg heavier than Homax.

His strength is his running with the ball.

How? Because when he takes a hit up, he is ineffective.

Ford, on the other hand is a more complete footballer.