EUAN AITKEN

[St Georgio]

It just goes to show the lack of Depth and how weak our Roster is, I hope for a miracle we don't get the wooden spoon.

 

[j0nesy]

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.

No issue with that but needs to bulk up a bit if he’s going to have any impact as a forward off the bench.

 

[redVinme]

He would need to put on a fair bit of weight. He got monstered off the tap and first hit up a few times getting driven back to where he stated

 

[possm]

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.

I doubt the right choice is between Lafai and Aitken.

A choice between Lafai and Williame and I would choose Williame.
A choice between Aitken and any other right centre in the club, I would choose any oterright centre in the club.

 

[possm]

It just goes to show the lack of Depth and how weak our Roster is, I hope for a miracle we don't get the wooden spoon.

But Millward is doing a fine job!

 

[muzby]

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

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

Per game last year he made more line breaks, more tackle busts and effective runs last year than Ford. Both are around the same size.

You can’t say he’s too small for the forwards.

If anything he has 2nd rower written all over him.

 

[redandwhite4evr]

It just goes to show the lack of Depth and how weak our Roster is, I hope for a miracle we don't get the wooden spoon.

That forward pass that Aitken threw and that Ravalawa couldn't get near to and that cost us a try said it all- he doesn't have the consistent passing game (added to his defensive shortcomings) to be a first grade standard centre. Everyone knows that except you know who.

The bad news is that there is no obvious replacement- I was briefly an advocate for Sailor in that right centre position but he seems to have caught the DTDV (Dragons Turnstile Defence Virus). As usual, with the season upon us, poor recruitment and a lack of planning is going to cost us. Lafai is not up to it any more and Williame should have a lock on the left centre position. We should have been trialling Pereira and Ravalawa at right centre to at least put pressure on Aitken. But no- Mary has faith in all the wrong people.

I agree with you that I can see no "bounce" in our off season changes that will result in much improvement to our 15th position from last year.

 

[Saints Forever]

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.

Mary remains very very stubborn

when he is finally sacked he will still be telling reporters he was 85 minutes away from winning a grand final.

 

[Kiwi Dragon supporter]

Mary remains very very stubborn

when he is finally sacked he will still be telling reporters he was 85 minutes away from winning a grand final.

When I first saw Aitken play my immediate impression was that he did not have the skills to be a decent center but thought that he had sufficient size and power to play in the forwards, in what position is debatable.

 

[getsmarty]

But Millward is doing a fine job!

Nothing to do with Millward...mcGregor wanted both these players...in terms of future depth we have it in spades...they are just not ready yet....

the addition of Clune and Brittian would have come from Flanno....mcGregor is finally looking like he is on the outer....

Watch this space............... in a few years when these up and comers come through with decent coaching we should be looking much better....in the meantime we need to undo most of McGregors roster and rebuild....

 

[qld redvee]

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.

Red V river
If we had of got him supercoach would have played him on the wing !!! cant have pressure on our pets

 

[getsmarty]

Red V river
If we had of got him supercoach would have played him on the wing !!! cant have pressure on our pets

Smith would have been tapped on the Shoulder re L.M....told that he would have a starting spot in 2020...

Pretty easy decision for him in the end.

 

[Frank Facer]

Per game last year he made more line breaks, more tackle busts and effective runs last year than Ford. Both are around the same size.

You can’t say he’s too small for the forwards.

If anything he has 2nd rower written all over him.

lol
In what team do you think Aitken has secondrower written all over him, because it certainly isn't at our club. Do you think the likes of Bennett, Bellamy or Robinson would be interested in signing Aitken and turning him into a secondrower? I don't. Souths could probably do with another good secondrower this year.

 

[muzby]

lol
In what team do you think Aitken has secondrower written all over him, because it certainly isn't at our club. Do you think the likes of Bennett, Bellamy or Robinson would be interested in signing Aitken and turning him into a secondrower? I don't. Souths could probably do with another good secondrower this year.

In most teams he could make a 2nd rower.

You know this too. It’s why you’re doing you lol tell..

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

That forward pass that Aitken threw and that Ravalawa couldn't get near to and that cost us a try said it all- he doesn't have the consistent passing game (added to his defensive shortcomings) to be a first grade standard centre. Everyone knows that except you know who.

The bad news is that there is no obvious replacement- I was briefly an advocate for Sailor in that right centre position but he seems to have caught the DTDV (Dragons Turnstile Defence Virus). As usual, with the season upon us, poor recruitment and a lack of planning is going to cost us. Lafai is not up to it any more and Williame should have a lock on the left centre position. We should have been trialling Pereira and Ravalawa at right centre to at least put pressure on Aitken. But no- Mary has faith in all the wrong people.

I agree with you that I can see no "bounce" in our off season changes that will result in much improvement to our 15th position from last year.

I think you make a good point.
Our whole recruitment and internal planning is very conservative and as a result, we tend to trot out McGregor's favourites by default.
While we keep flogging a dead horse, all the other clubs are recruiting and manoeuvring and experimenting with the view to changing or improving their fortunes in 2020.
We just don't compete on any level.
The club management seem to be happy with the status quo and they honestly think that bringing on Flannagan and changing support staff will somehow change our fortunes.
We have all come to realize - years ago now - that this is just another band aid solution which will be torn off as soon as we face a decent NRL opponent in 2020.

 

[Frank Facer]

In most teams he could make a 2nd rower.

You know this too. It’s why you’re doing you lol tell..

LOL.

I couldn't see Aitken taking a second row spot in any NRL clubs. lol Tell his manager to shop him around to NRL clubs as a second rower. lol Which NRL clubs do you think would be interested in signing Aitken as a second rower?

 

[Frank Facer]

How?

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

His strength is his running with the ball.

As you say that Aitken is kgs lighter than Ford. Well I already think Ford is a bit too slim/light for first grade, but he is a genuine footballer.

 

[Coffs dragon]

I feel sorry for young Aitken as he’s seriously a product of his environment.
A shit coach that has a major weakness in de-skilling centres and sucking the talent & skill from them. Thanks Mcwreckor!
I’m sure had Euan played at another club, his playing career would have developed & not gone backwards.

 

[possm]

Nothing to do with Millward...mcGregor wanted both these players...in terms of future depth we have it in spades...they are just not ready yet....

the addition of Clune and Brittian would have come from Flanno....mcGregor is finally looking like he is on the outer....

Watch this space............... in a few years when these up and comers come through with decent coaching we should be looking much better....in the meantime we need to undo most of McGregors roster and rebuild....

It seems to me that Millward is given or takes credit for good signings but is not held accountable for those no so good or bad decisions. It it is Mary not Millward that makes decisions on recruitment/retension of players:
Why did the Board create a whole new department which reports to the CEO? Formally, when Mullholland was in the position, this activity reported directly to the head coach who always had final sign off.
The job was taken from the control of the head coach mainly because Mary was making a complete mess of it.
In my opinion both Millward and Mary are as bad as each other and both should be replaced by more professional people.
It could be the case that Mary does not like sharing the limelight with Millward and now feels he could manage the control of these activities however, there has been no public announcement changing the structure of recruitment/retention and pathways.

 

[possm]

As you say that Aitken is kgs lighter than Ford. Well I already think Ford is a bit too slim/light for first grade, but he is a genuine footballer.

I have always thought that Ford would be a great centre who - like some great players before him - would eventually move to the backrow in first grade. Given we have a real problem in the centres, I do not understand why a Ford/Williame centre combination was not tested during the trials. Other potential combinations coud also have been tested.

Instead, Mary had Aitken and Lafai on the field during most of the trial, a situation that showed us nothing new and only underlined the need to drop or off-load both of them.