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Round three vs The Storm

WestyLife

First Grade
Messages
6,089
Maybe but if he gets healthy he will be elite again. I heard a stat on the radio that he’s played 19 games fir manly the last 24 months and they won 15 of them. 15 of 19 when he plays, without him their record over that period is woefull. When he’s fit he’s a top 5 player in the league imo.

I like Turbo more than Teddy but his fitness is so bad.
 

betcats

Referee
Messages
23,447
I think the players themselves voting him top 5 fullback last year was an indication he's getting close.

Imo you’ve got teddy, pap, latrell, rts and turbo when fit who can all look like the best player in the game on any given night. Then as far as fullbacks go Dylan and gutho are a step below those guys, not far off but not quite on the same level. That’s just how I see it though.
 

martielang

Bench
Messages
3,375
Think Edwards suits our style perfectly & Gutho for the Eels. I’d personally go Edwards but can understand why others go Guth.

I’ve always thought RTS was overrated tbh. I’d have Edwards over RTS.
 

WestyLife

First Grade
Messages
6,089
Imo you’ve got teddy, pap, latrell, rts and turbo when fit who can all look like the best player in the game on any given night. Then as far as fullbacks go Dylan and gutho are a step below those guys, not far off but not quite on the same level. That’s just how I see it though.

I guess it depends whether we count Turbo with his hammy issue. No question on his skill just keeping him on the field. A lot like Moylan in that regard.
 

Panther Pete

Juniors
Messages
1,682
There is no definite about it. Development also applies to 20 year olds. Kikau was not a first grade player when he arrived. We spent a year developing him into one. He didn't even join the Cowboys until he was 19, before that he was playing Union at school.

The reason I am comfortable in claiming him as a local product is simply this. So many players play in u20's at clubs and never make it into first grade. The drop out rate is massive and that also includes junior rep players. He was turned into a first grade player at Penrith. Development is a skill that can apply at all ages and doesn't need a kid to have come from Cambridge Park. Yeo, Burton, Staines and many others from outside the local district get to be NRL players because of the work done by the club. The club has every right to claim them when they have put the work in to get them up to standard.

There was no guarantee Kiikau would have made it at the Cowboys. He was a big unfit player who might have sunk without trace without the work done by the club to build his stamina. As Gus said, they even played him out of position just to build his fitness and skill even when they knew it wasn't good for the team. That said, the Cowboys did play a part in his development as well but he was in danger of just being another big Fijian who couldn't make the step up when it mattered.

Anyhow, it doesn't matter how you classify him, if the club only produced 14 of the 17 players on Friday night it is still remarkable. 15 out of 17, 14 out of 17 meh, let's not worry about arguing about it. Just consider how amazing it is when we consider this team that played in the last round of 2012 before Gus arrived.

Coote, Simmons, Vaivai, Tighe, Purtell; Burns, Walsh; McKendry, Kingston, Civoniceva (C), Waterhouse, Smith, Lewis. Int: Seluini, Plum, Grant, Austin.

There was a grand total of 7 juniors. Coote, McKendry, Waterhouse, Lewis, Seluini, Grant and Austin. Only Waterhouse and Lewis are good enough to play in this team now. McKendry might make the bench.

Then consider the hunger and attitude of the team we saw running around last night. A team proud to be Panthers and fighting over every inch of ground. An attitude present in them that starts with development at junior level. It is just awesome to watch.
I am not disputing we developed Kiks into a first grade footballer. I believe he is definitely not a Penrith junior unless he played junior footy in the Penrith comp. Regardless of debating who is and is not a Penrith junior, I think that win on Thursday night was one of the best I have seen from us in a long time and I agree with you it is indeed awesome to watch!
 

Panther Pete

Juniors
Messages
1,682
Staines Vs JAC Race

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Thanks for posting this, I could watch it over and over all day!!!!
 

betcats

Referee
Messages
23,447
Staines Vs JAC Race

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Losing a talent like Burton is always going to hurt but hanging on to Staines and Spencer is a nice silver lining. Spencer is a beast so far he looks like he could be one of the games most damaging forwards one day and Staines looks so classy, almost every time he gets a chance to make a big play he nails it.
 

WestyLife

First Grade
Messages
6,089
Losing a talent like Burton is always going to hurt but hanging on to Staines and Spencer is a nice silver lining. Spencer is a beast so far he looks like he could be one of the games most damaging forwards one day and Staines looks so classy, almost every time he gets a chance to make a big play he nails it.

Yeah I'm loving Staines. The criticism is laughable at this point.
 

snickers007

Juniors
Messages
1,449
I'm starting to warm to the idea of Burton at 6 and Luai at 1.

Keeps Burton on his preferred left side. Allows Luai to roam and pop up in the middle of the field. Luai can still run left hand sweeps to feed Crichton and Kiks.

And Luai did play some Fullback in 20s
 

MugaB

Coach
Messages
11,822
I'm starting to warm to the idea of Burton at 6 and Luai at 1.

Keeps Burton on his preferred left side. Allows Luai to roam and pop up in the middle of the field. Luai can still run left hand sweeps to feed Crichton and Kiks.

And Luai did play some Fullback in 20s
No point for the future, unless T.May goes to 5/8th permanently, Kenny @Supersub, Luai would get targetted there but worth another try, imagine the left side attack (all Samoans plus Kikau) Jezus
 
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