EUAN AITKEN

[giboz71]

It is what it is. He's just one of those kind of blokes. Plenty of them in the NRL, he aint alone.
He'll have another drinking buddy now at least with Norman on board.
Good for them.

It is what it is mate. These are 20 something male millennials we’re dealing with who are also professional sportsmen. Not many of them are going to be saints (pardon the pun).

I love the game and have loved it for many years, but I said it previously, I rarely get emotionally invested in players. Even Dragons players.

Because at the end of the day, most of these blokes I wouldn’t necessarily have a beer with.

 

[BLM01]

It is what it is. He's just one of those kind of blokes. Plenty of them in the NRL, he aint alone.
He'll have another drinking buddy now at least with Norman on board.
Good for them.

You are right. He appears normal, not newsworthy.

 

[Drag Queen]

You are right. He appears normal, not newsworthy.

Oddly enough I have never found Euan's instagram posts over the top. I don't think think he comes across as a party animal, but definitely in the boy's club. He may want to distance himself from a couple of players but that's his choice. My only gripe is pass the f**king ball Euan. He was deficient last season in that area even without his injury. Actually, he's been deficient in that area for a more than a couple of seasons. Pity.

 

[BennyV]

He really needs to get the f**k off my lawn. Damn kid.

 

[nontime111]

hed be a gun if he developed a passing game, from realising you cant score on your own EVERY play, so easy to work on.....that and to not run in, or up, in defence...man hed be a gun if he just got those 2 right.....

 

[RufusRex]

hed be a gun if he developed a passing game, from realising you cant score on your own EVERY play, so easy to work on.....that and to not run in, or up, in defence...man hed be a gun if he just got those 2 right.....

Every player in the world would be better if they were better than they are ;-)

This was the same argument that was thrown about with Rein for years - he would be a gun if he developed a passing game. Do we ever learn.

 

[Dragonslayer]

I understand and appreciate those who are fans of Aitken, and no denying he has skills that suggest a star in the making.

The point here is that Aitken is 23 and 24 this year, this will be his 4th year (assumed) in the top grade and still he cannot pass the football or defend laterally. Some may blame the coaching and to a point that may be a contributing factor, however, I cannot believe that he cannot see the flaws in his game. Is it the inability to learn or just arrogance?

We have a very special player waiting his turn to become the next big thing, a player with ALL the skills necessary to be a star for a long time as our centre, not our winger or any other position.

The brick wall barriers that are placed in front of our young guns, just for the sake of someone with "experience" is sickening to say the least.

Let's not place the square pegs into the round holes, we are here to win a premiership, not entertain "favourites".

I truly hope Aitken has been training in the forwards, and I feel he would make a decent lock forward (just my opinion).

 

[Drag Queen]

I understand and appreciate those who are fans of Aitken, and no denying he has skills that suggest a star in the making.

The point here is that Aitken is 23 and 24 this year, this will be his 4th year (assumed) in the top grade and still he cannot pass the football or defend laterally. Some may blame the coaching and to a point that may be a contributing factor, however, I cannot believe that he cannot see the flaws in his game. Is it the inability to learn or just arrogance?

We have a very special player waiting his turn to become the next big thing, a player with ALL the skills necessary to be a star for a long time as our centre, not our winger or any other position.

The brick wall barriers that are placed in front of our young guns, just for the sake of someone with "experience" is sickening to say the least.

Let's not place the square pegs into the round holes, we are here to win a premiership, not entertain "favourites".

I truly hope Aitken has been training in the forwards, and I feel he would make a decent lock forward (just my opinion).

I tend to agree with you. Lock may well be a position he could excel in. My only problem with this is he could be a great centre except he has an inept coach. The irony is that Mary was a fairly good centre. Ever find yourself yelling at him to pass the f**king ball. I do, and I would say the same about Mann. Many opportunities lost last season unfortunately.

 

[gitano]

He can pass. He can defend. He's our best right centre and attacking weapon. He's great for a tough carry.
Will represent this year.

 

[Drag Queen]

He can pass. He can defend. He's our best right centre and attacking weapon. He's great for a tough carry.
Will represent this year.

C'mon mate he doesn't pass with all due respect.

 

[gitano]

C'mon mate he doesn't pass with all due respect.

Has put away many people for a try. This video shows a few.


He backs himself as he's our biggest weapon in attack.
Watch then form your own opinion. Hope you're well Xx

 

[Drag Queen]

Has put away many people for a try. This video shows a few.


He backs himself as he's our biggest weapon in attack.
Watch then form your own opinion. Hope you're well Xx

Has put away many people for a try. This video shows a few.


He backs himself as he's our biggest weapon in attack.
Watch then form your own opinion. Hope you're well Xx

Has put away many people for a try. This video shows a few.


He backs himself as he's our biggest weapon in attack.
Watch then form your own opinion. Hope you're well Xx

Yeah he's good but I haven't seen many offloads tbh even in his highlights reel.

Has put away many people for a try. This video shows a few.


He backs himself as he's our biggest weapon in attack.
Watch then form your own opinion. Hope you're well Xx

Still doesn't offload much Gitano looking at that. No doubt he has talent though. Let's hope he has a cracking year without injury. My only regret last season is that he had the opportunity to put Nighty into space at times and didn't. You can't have a lone wolf at centre. I should add that I am a fan of Euan but he needs to be more of a team player Xx

 

[nontime111]

Every player in the world would be better if they were better than they are ;-)

This was the same argument that was thrown about with Rein for years - he would be a gun if he developed a passing game. Do we ever learn.

yes its SO damn frustrating.....cant the coach see what is glaringly obvious to ALL of us....and why cant he? and if not why does he keep selecting him when he does the same thing each game? running up out of the line, coming in not trusting his inside man.....and never passing the ball, I remember him passing once, do you think its an intelligence thing? Im stumped about Aitken, he could be SO good, see I did it again I know, this is the frustration... why cant someone get in his ear, why not our Coach?? He does some good things, hes a hard hitter in defence, hes VERY fast....hes one tough bastard he runs like a bullock but hes no Renouf Or Meninga this is why he needs the offload, I blame the coach he should be sacked for not fixing these errors in his game or dropping him, I remember how good he was in all the early games last season....all he has to do is nip that crap in the bud if hes going to be in the centres this season I damn well HOPE to God theyre working hard on these errors right now pre season or theyll score a tonne down his side again and well lose all the close games because of it....

 

[epDragon62]

Has put away many people for a try. This video shows a few.


He backs himself as he's our biggest weapon in attack.
Watch then form your own opinion. Hope you're well Xx

The highlights are good; the lowlights would be equally bad.

Lomax immediately showed his superiority and deserves to be giving the right centre gig.

 

[gitano]

The highlights are good; the lowlights would be equally bad.

Lomax immediately showed his superiority and deserves to be giving the right centre gig.

No. Lomax will be left to jostle for a place on the pick n swing, or it could be riding the pine for the next few years

 

[Crush]

There are media reports that Aitken is on the way out. There are media reports that Widdop will play fullback. Media are reporting Lomax to the wing.
They don't know our coach though. Get ready for this-
1. Dufty
2. Pereira
3. Aitken
4. Lafai
5. Pearson
6. Widdop
7. Hunt
14. Norman
Lomax in ISP

 

[Saints Forever]

He can pass. He can defend. He's our best right centre and attacking weapon. He's great for a tough carry.
Will represent this year.

This is a make or break year for Euan.

Hopefully, he has an injury free season and shows us he can pass and defend well laterally.

Some things can’t be coached.

Split second judgment calls will determine whether Euan plays in FG or ISP this season.

Lomax showed us he has tremendous footy IQ in both attack and defence.

Cannot see Euan as a middle forward.

Lacks the size to be a starter at lock.

Would need to ad 5-10kg of muscle to complete.

Has the ticker, not the body to start in the forwards.

 

[possm]

Has put away many people for a try. This video shows a few.


He backs himself as he's our biggest weapon in attack.
Watch then form your own opinion. Hope you're well Xx

The video is Aitken's highlight reel and rightly so shows the best of him over the past four years. Even so everyone can see he is at his best when he keeps hold of the ball; about 5% of the time he passes the ball.

Now can someone produce a lowlights reel that shows our many tries he murdered by hogging the ball and failing to pass to an unmarked team mate? Can we also be shown how many tries he let in when miss-reading the opposition in defence.

Would anyone on here be brave enough to stand up and say that the right side defence did not look more solid with Lomax at right centre?

I'd say give Lomax first opportunity to show how, behind our dominant pack and outside a free running halfback in Hunt, Lomax will shine and the right hand defence will hold much more solid than it did with Aitken at right centre.

 

[BLM01]

Oddly enough I have never found Euan's instagram posts over the top. I don't think think he comes across as a party animal, but definitely in the boy's club. He may want to distance himself from a couple of players but that's his choice. My only gripe is pass the f**king ball Euan. He was deficient last season in that area even without his injury. Actually, he's been deficient in that area for a more than a couple of seasons. Pity.

Yes..Now Euans football ability is newsworthy on this forum not his social life.
He had 5 seconds of a brilliant play palming off and running around a not fully fit Inglis in Round 6 last year and the media had him pencilled in for origin. Now that there... in lies the problem with the rugby league media...and unfortunately for Euan he featured too much on highlight reels and became target practice..
....forever a bulldozer even though a good fast one at that

In saying that he is not alone in the hog stakes. J Morris, sometimes Chambers, Dugan, Jennings

 

[MILEY CYRUS]

Has put away many people for a try. This video shows a few.

He backs himself as he's our biggest weapon in attack.
Watch then form your own opinion. Hope you're well Xx

I watched the video. He hardly passed the ball at all. Shapes to pass and runs himself.